Round 1 Brief: Open Signal

Round 1 is the qualifying round for Vanguard Music Championship — Season 1: Open Signal.

Submit one original audio track between 60 and 90 seconds.

This does not need to be a full song. It can be a verse, battle-style track, concept piece, structured excerpt, or short original performance.

The assignment

Create a track that represents your signal.

Your submission must clearly connect to:

  • Open Signal;
  • Vanguard Music Championship — Season 1;
  • your own voice, position, style, or message.

This track must be created for this Event.

Do not submit a random old song, catalogue track, freestyle, or unreleased record that was not written for Vanguard Music Championship — Season 1: Open Signal.

Two ways to approach the brief

You may choose either direction.

Open Signal

Create a track that directly responds to the Open Signal theme: your signal, your message, your position, your voice cutting through the noise.

Vanguard M.C.

Represent yourself as an M.C. Show your identity, presence, style, skill, and intent.

Even if you choose the Vanguard M.C. direction, your submission must still clearly connect back to the Round 1 brief. At minimum, the Event name, the Open Signal theme, or the idea of sending a signal must be referenced in the lyrics in a way that shows the track was created specifically for this competition.

What we are looking for

Judges will look for:

  • clear connection to the brief;
  • originality;
  • writing and message;
  • rhyme work and technique;
  • flow and delivery;
  • vocal presence;
  • structure and control;
  • ability to hold attention;
  • overall impact.

Studio polish is not the main point.

A clean idea with strong delivery can beat an expensive recording with no presence.

Technical requirements

  • Audio only.
  • 60 seconds minimum.
  • 90 seconds maximum.
  • One participant, one submission for this round.
  • Submit through the official Vanguard submission flow before the deadline.

Need help uploading your track? See: How to Submit Your Track.

AI voice rule

AI-generated or artificial vocal performance is not allowed.

This includes AI rap delivery, AI singing, AI speech, text-to-voice, text-to-rap, voice cloning, voice conversion, voice replacement, artificial vocals, artificial backing vocals, artificial ad-libs, artificial vocal doubles, and any simulated vocal performance.

Non-vocal tools may only be used where allowed by the Event rules. You remain responsible for originality, rights, credits, disclosures, and permissions.

Rights and originality

You are responsible for everything in your submission.

This includes beats, samples, loops, collaborators, lyrics, vocals, credits, names, likenesses, artwork, and any third-party materials.

Do not submit stolen, plagiarized, uncleared, misleading, infringing, unsafe, unlawful, or restricted content.

If you did not create it yourself, make sure you have the right to use it.

Outcome

Eligible Round 1 submissions are reviewed under the published judging criteria.

The strongest eligible submissions may advance to the knockout stage.

The number of advancing participants depends on the final number and quality of eligible Round 1 submissions.

The knockout stage may include 32, 64, or another appropriate bracket size if the submission pool supports it.

Advancement is not guaranteed.

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