TikTok has launched a new global music competition targeting emerging artists and music creators on TikTok LIVE.
“Music On Stage ’25,” announced Tuesday (August 19), spans 23 regions and will culminate in finals hosted from Seoul and London in September.
The new contest builds on TikTok’s push into live music programming. Last month, the company partnered with iHeartRadio on “The Next Up: Live Music” competition for unsigned US artists with at least 50,000 followers. That contest also runs through September and requires participants to own rights to original songs while remaining unsigned by major labels.
Contestants for The Next Up: Live Music contest will advance based on a combination of likes, views and comments, and judges’ scores.
Music On Stage ’25 takes a different approach, with contestants going head-to-head in “Take the Stage” battles. Contestants will advance through audience votes, small gifts, and judges’ bonus points, then head into the Regional Finals between August 29 and 31. The Global Finals will be held on September 19 for the APAC leg of the competition and September 27 for the EMEA & AMS leg.
The competition will be hosted by British singer-songwriter Sam Ryder.
“Music On Stage is all about giving that same spark of opportunity to the next wave of talent, and I can’t wait to watch their journeys unfold!”
Sam Ryder
The competition will be hosted by Ryder who became popular on TikTok during the pandemic before representing the UK at Eurovision.
Ryder said: “TikTok changed my life as an artist and I’m stoked to see how it can shape the lives of others. Music On Stage is all about giving that same spark of opportunity to the next wave of talent, and I can’t wait to watch their journeys unfold!”
Global winners will receive production support, publishing and promotional backing from SoundOn, TikTok’s music distribution platform launched in 2022. Winners also get performance opportunities at TikTok Live Fest in 2026. Last year’s event in London featured Swedish pop singer Zara Larsson and was hosted by Jason Derulo.
The initiative highlights TikTok’s efforts to bolster its LIVE streaming capabilities.
“TikTok LIVE is one of the most exciting spaces for artists right now as a launchpad for musical talent. It’s where fans can connect with music in real time, share moments, and support their favorite performers directly.”
Shen Gao, TikTok Live
Shen Gao, Head of LIVE Operations at TikTok LIVE, said: “TikTok LIVE is one of the most exciting spaces for artists right now as a launchpad for musical talent. It’s where fans can connect with music in real time, share moments, and support their favorite performers directly.”
“Music On Stage takes that energy global, and with Sam Ryder and Jeon Somi as our hosts, we’re so excited to be bringing inspiration and opportunity to creators everywhere.”
Nichal Sethi, Head of SoundOn EMEA at TikTok, added: “Music On Stage is about more than a competition – it’s about giving talented creators the platform, tools, and audience to build long-lasting careers.”
“At SoundOn, we’re passionate about supporting emerging artists from their very first release through to global recognition, and we can’t wait to see the incredible talent that takes the stage this year.”
“Music On Stage is about more than a competition – it’s about giving talented creators the platform, tools, and audience to build long-lasting careers.”
Nichal Sethi, TikTok
TikTok has been doubling down on its music discovery and artist promotion offerings. Earlier this year, TikTok released its second annual Music Impact Report, carried out in conjunction with market monitor Luminate. The report shows that 84% of the songs that reached Billboard’s Global 200 last year went viral first on TikTok. Another 12% went viral on TikTok after hitting the Global 200 chart, and only 4% of tracks on the chart didn’t experience a viral moment on TikTok.
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