Question 1

Can a parent come into the room for the audition?

Accepted Answer

No! Our auditions are set up exactly like a professional audition so contestants can experience what this is like, therefore we ask parents to wait in the waiting room. Friends and family are able to watch in future rounds!

Question 2

When do we find out the result of the audition?

Accepted Answer

After your audition, you will receive an email with your written feedback and results within 2 weeks. Everyone will receive this whether they've got through to the next round or not!

Question 3

What if someone has the same song as me?

Accepted Answer

This happens all the time in the industry - don't worry! In the heats and semi-finals, we do allow duplicates of songs, however we try to let contestants know if someone else is singing the same song to give the option to change.

Question 4

How many people get through each round?

Accepted Answer

Each heat and semi-final will see 1 person go through by audience vote. The judges choose the remaining contestants to progress through.In the heats, the total number of people going through normally averages 4.

Question 5

If I bring more than one song, will I get to sing them all?

Accepted Answer

It's always good to be over-prepared and it never hurts to bring more than one song into an audition. In this competition, we only require one song per round so there is no need to bring more!

Question 6

What happens if I forget my words?

Accepted Answer

EVERYONE gets nervous!
 
If you forget your words, the best thing to do is to keep going. Most of the time the audience won't even notice so keep in character and sing whichever words come to your head whether that means singing a different verse or making up some words. Just keep going!

Question 7

How much does it cost to enter the competition?

Accepted Answer

To enter the competition and take advantage of our workshops, you will need to pay a one off membership of £35 when you sign up. This includes an hour long audition workshop, your individual workshop and access to the other workshops throughout the year.Optional additional costs are:- Headshots - Workshops - Video of your performance in the live shows- Tickets to watch the heats and semi-finals- Tickets to the Grand Final We also have bursaries available for low income households - more information on the Enter Now page!

Question 8

How old do you have to be to take part?

Accepted Answer

Contestants should be between 7 and 21 on the day of their audition to take part!

Question 9

Can I repeat a song in different round?

Accepted Answer

You will need a different song for the heat and the semi-final but can repeat songs from the audition and for the Grand Final.

Question 10

Do we need to stay with our child if they are under 16?

Accepted Answer

Once you leave your child with us at the beginning of a round, they will be looked after by our DBS checked chaperones until they sign out at the end. If they have any problems, there are always lots of people around who can help and of course we will have your contact details if we need them! In the audition, you will need to return for the end of the group workshop as there may be some time before their individual audition.

Question 11

Can I use a backing track?

Accepted Answer

At West End Calling we want to give an accurate experience of a professional audition which means you need to bring in sheet music for your chosen song with any cuts marked in for our pianist! In the heats, semi-finals and Finals we use backing tracks!

Question 12

How long should the song be for each round?

Accepted Answer

For the audition, you will need to cut down your song to about 1.30. In professional auditions, panels only ask for this 'audition cut' as it is usually enough to hear what your voice is like and to see how you perform. It's good practice to be able to cut your music and our panel can help advice on choosing the best sections.  For other rounds, we ask songs to be about 3.00 minutes long.  *When cutting music, you want to mark on the music in pen or pencil where you want to cut from and to, and explain this to the pianist when you first get into the room!

Question 13

Is the competition split into age categories?

Accepted Answer

YES!  For the heats and semi-finals, we split the contestants by age evenly based on the ages we have in the area. This will mean that the age cut offs are different at each city. The judges always know the ages of the contestants so can judge them fairly. We have 3 Grand Finals - The Junior Final, The Teen Final and The Senior Final!

Question 14

Why should I enter the competiton?

Accepted Answer

There is simply nothing else out there like us. The opportunities we provide are unique and we will always give you an experience you won't forget. We have seen so many young performers gain confidence and skills in such a short space of time and will continue to support every contestant, past and present. You will not regret being a part of this competition!

Frequently asked questions