Where Stars Are Born — Christmas Edition 2026
An international online vocal competition for singers aged 5 and above. Perform two songs, celebrate the festive season and compete for a £500 Grand Prix and invitations to the live competition in England in 2027.
Key dates
Applications, both videos and entry fee: 6 December 2026
Results announced: 24 December 2026
Entry fee: £50 per act, covering both required songs — the same for solo, duo and trio entries.
Applications received after the deadline will not be accepted.
How to enter
Send the application form, both videos and the entry fee by 6 December 2026.
- Complete the online application form.
- Upload a separate video for each song to YouTube as “Unlisted” (viewable only by people with the link) and add both links to the application form. Do not set videos to “Private”, as the jury will not be able to watch them. Videos sent as files or via other platforms will not be accepted.
- Submit your application and pay the £50 entry fee securely through Stripe using the payment section of the form. For payment enquiries, email contact@wherestarsareborn.co.uk. Payment is due by 6 December 2026.
By submitting an application, the participant (or the parent or guardian of a participant under 18) accepts these rules.
Age categories
There are six age categories, and places are awarded in each one. Age is counted as of 6 December 2026.
| Group | Category | Age |
|---|---|---|
| Kids | Kids | 5–7 years |
| Junior | A | 8–9 years |
| Junior | B | 10–11 years |
| Teens | C | 12–14 years |
| Teens | D | 15–17 years |
| Seniors | Seniors | 18+ years |
Repertoire
Each solo, duo or trio act performs two songs, each no longer than 4 minutes:
- A Christmas or New Year song.
- A song of free choice.
Video requirements
Videos that do not meet these requirements may not be accepted.
- Record the videos specially for Where Stars Are Born — Christmas Edition. Recordings from other festivals or competitions will not be accepted.
- Record in landscape (horizontal) mode on any device.
- Record each song in one continuous take, without editing, auto-tune or other vocal processing.
- Sing live, with live accompaniment or a backing track without lead vocals.
- Place the camera at least 1 metre away. Your face must be clearly visible and well lit.
- Dress smartly and choose a tidy, pleasant background.
- Before each song, introduce yourself in English: “Hello, my name is [name], I am [age] years old and I am from [country]. I am performing for Where Stars Are Born — Christmas Edition.”
Jury and judging
An international jury of 10 members scores every performance. Jury members do not score participants from their own country.
Each jury member awards up to 10 points per performance, based on two criteria:
- Vocal technique
- Performance
The final result is the average jury score across both songs. Averages are used because the number of jury members scoring each participant may differ.
The jury may share places between participants with equal scores. The jury’s decision is final.
HEAD OF VOCAL JURY
BADRI BAGRATION-GRUZINSKI
Composer, Musicologist and Cultural Figure
Badri Bagration-Gruzinski is a distinguished Georgian composer, musicologist and prominent cultural figure with over four decades of leadership across creative, educational and public sectors in Georgia. Head of the Royal House of Georgia, Prince Badri Bagration-Gruzinski represents a prominent legacy within the Bagrationi line.
He is a member of the Union of Composers and the Theatre Society of Georgia. Over the course of his artistic career, he has composed original music and designed the sound for more than 40 theatre productions, while authoring, organising and directing numerous major cultural initiatives, arts festivals and institutional programmes across the country.
More jury members to be confirmed.
Prizes and awards
First, second and third places are awarded in each age category, plus one Grand Prix across all categories.
| Award | Prize |
|---|---|
| Grand Prix (one winner from all categories) | £500 and an invitation straight to the final of the live competition in England in 2027, without the semi-final |
| 1st place | Diploma and an invitation to the live competition in England in 2027, with the participation fee waived |
| 2nd and 3rd place | Diploma and an invitation to the live competition in England in 2027 |
Second and third places may be shared between participants with equal scores. The jury may decide not to award the Grand Prix. Together with the organising committee, the jury may also award special prizes.
Participation diploma. Every participant receives a specially designed digital diploma.
Invitations from other festivals. International producers of other festivals and competitions may invite participants to their events with the participation fee waived.
Travel, accommodation and other costs of attending live competitions are paid by participants.
Entry fee
The entry fee is £50 per act for the two required songs, the same for solo, duo and trio entries. Fees are charged per song, not per performer. It includes judging, administration and digital diplomas. The fee is non-refundable.
Consent and personal data
Participants under 18 must be entered by a parent or legal guardian, who gives consent for the child to take part.
Personal data is used to administer and judge the competition. The application form asks separately for optional permission to publish participant profiles, photographs and performance videos, and for optional future competition news.
Questions?
Email contact@wherestarsareborn.co.uk about the Christmas Edition.