Picture this: you’re a musician in the greater Dallas–Fort Worth area. You’ve spent years honing your craft, gigging in small venues, scrimping for studio time, dreaming of a break. Now imagine someone handing you $20,000, a chance to record with a four-time Grammy-winning producer, and a platform to get your music in front of thousands — without leaving your hometown. That’s precisely what JAMBALOO is offering with its new Music Prize — a game-changing opportunity for local artists to take their careers to the next level.  

JAMBALOO began in 2024 as a modest concert series from the Dallas law firm Mullen & Mullen — twelve shows, a handful of artists, and a team passionate about keeping live music alive. When the Cicada, a beloved Fort Worth venue, was on the verge of closing, “JAMBALOO” stepped in with a $20,000 grant in partnership with Visit Fort Worth. Beyond the concert series and the annual grant awarded to one independent DFW-area venue starting next year, JAMBALOO is now helping develop local talent.  

“The Venue Prize was always about investing in spaces where artists get their start,” says Corey Pond, co-founder of JAMBALOO. “But the Music Prize is about giving musicians in the greater DFW area the resources and attention to take the next step in their careers.”  

And the prize is nothing to sneeze at. The JAMBALOO Music Prize awards $20,000 to the artist with the best full-length album released in 2025. The winner also records a single with Tre Nagella at Luminous Sound, gets their song aired on KXT 91.7, enjoys prime placement in Josie Records stores across DFW, and receives promotional support from Prekindle, Do214, and local music offices.  

Eligibility is designed to spotlight serious musicians: albums must include at least seven tracks, run thirty minutes or longer, and feature a majority of members who live in the 11-county DFW metro area.  

“We were inspired by the Polaris and Mercury Music Prizes, but we wanted to make it our own,” says Joe Morrison, an attorney with Mullen & Mullen. “We wanted to make sure it celebrates the local scene while giving people a chance to really go somewhere with it.”  

Judging is equally serious. Fifteen judges — Grammy winners, local tastemakers, and industry heavyweights — will remain anonymous until the competition concludes.  

“I can’t imagine how you could take the process more seriously,” Pond says. “It’s almost stupid how seriously we’re taking that aspect of it. But if we’re going to try to build this into something that matters nationally, then you can’t cut corners.”  

The prize is more than just one winner. Ten semi-finalists will have their albums displayed in Josie Records for two months and perform live at the historic Longhorn Ballroom before a national headliner.  

“Even if someone doesn’t win, we’re giving ten artists a bunch of extra attention,” Morrison adds.  

For musicians in the greater DFW area, the stakes are high and the vision is clear.  

“DFW has some of the best musicians anywhere in the country,” Pond says. “There should be more Leon Bridges, more Charley Crocketts, and more Abraham Alexanders. We want to nudge a few of them along — and keep some venues open in the process.”  

Morrison adds, “The best thing for us in the prize is somebody gets this deal — maybe they don’t even have a record label — and they get a local deal. Our money is bigger than a local record deal, and with our money, you don’t have to do anything with it. You can go buy a van, pay off your credit card, whatever you think is best for your career.”  

JAMBALOO has grown quickly — from a dozen shows to a full-fledged festival featuring free concerts, community-driven programming, and events designed to lift the entire local music ecosystem.  

“Everything we’re starting, from the Venue Prize to the Music Prize, will be annual,” Morrison says. “We’re thinking about the long game.”  

The first JAMBALOO Music Prize concert is set for Saturday, June 6, 2026, at the Longhorn Ballroom, with finalists performing before a national headliner. Submissions are now open at jambaloo.live. For musicians in the greater DFW area, this is more than a contest — it’s a stage, a spotlight, and maybe the start of something legendary.  

“Everything we’re starting is pretty ambitious, and what you’ll see in 2026 will later be viewed as a stepping stone to 2027,” Pond says. “These things that we’re starting are not going to go away. As people see what this thing is, how it helps, and how much eyeballs it gets, we all believe the prize package will be significantly bumped up next year.”