Despite SoundCloud’s apparent imminent downfall in 2017, it persevered and continues to be a bastion of new and experimental music. On that note, SoundCloud has partnered with Bacardi and Major Lazer on their “Music Liberates Music” initiative to discover new artists and give them a platform for success.
With the new partnership, SoundCloud will host a competition. According to Digital Music News, “In a nutshell, artists from the U.S., Puerto Rico and the Bahamas will be asked to submit music on SoundCloud. After a review period, Major Lazer will critique one dozen finalists, specifically using SoundCloud’s commenting functionality. At the end, four artists will emerge as winners.
“The ‘final four’ will actually be crowd-selected, based on fan engagement. Specifically, those with the most plays, likes, and shares on SoundCloud will be plucked to shoot a music video, with Bacardi footing the bill.” 
Major Lazer has typically had far more success on Spotify and YouTube, so it’s curious why they partnered with SoundCloud on this initiative, but the streaming platform isn’t concerned.
“We’re excited to work with Bacardi on Music Liberates Music because it showcases the incredible emerging talent on our platform and aligns with our mission to empower the world’s audio creators,” explained Chris Blackburn, Head of Global Sales and Partnerships at SoundCloud.
“SoundCloud is where creators go to build and grow their careers first, and our goal is to bring brands like Bacardi opportunities to support creator growth, and connect them with our unique audience who’s at the forefront of music discovery and culture.”
Specific details on the competition are still to be released.
