Kate Brady is the winner of Guitar Center’s fifth annual singer-songwriter contest. On March 4, the Boulder, Colorado-native surpassed the other four finalists with performances of her two original songs, “August” and “Sailing Ships,” and was awarded the top prize by award-winning producer Ariel Rechtshaid.
“Thank you so much again to Guitar Center and everyone involved for making this possible,” Brady said. “I feel incredibly fortunate to have been selected by such a team of musical geniuses and with their help, I can’t wait to make my artistic goals a reality.”
Among the prizes awarded to Brady is the opportunity to record a four-song EP with Rechtshaid, who won a Grammy as the producer of Vampire Weekend’s Modern Vampires of the City and has worked with artists such as Adele, Sky Ferreira and HAIM. In addition to studio time, Brady will receive a songwriting session with City and Colour, a performance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, $25,000, new gear, and a write up in American Songwriter.
The evening also featured performances by Singer-Songwriter 4 winner Lanita Smith and American Idol season 11 winner Jessica Sanchez, as well as a special performance by City and Colour.
Be on the look out for Brady’s performance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! In the meantime, check out her song “August” below.
More Latest Music News & Stories
-
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE – JUNE 02: Ella Langley performs during Stars for Second Harvest with ERNEST & Friends at the Ryman Auditorium on June 02, 2026 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images) -
Photo by Dingena Mol / ANP / AFP via Getty Images -
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON – JULY 12: Singer Barry Manilow performs onstage during the "Manilow: The Last Seattle Concert" at Climate Pledge Arena on July 12, 2025 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Mat Hayward/Getty Images) -
MADRID, SPAIN – MAY 16: Glenn Hughes performs Classic Deep Purple Live at La Riviera on May 16, 2023 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Javier Bragado/Redferns) -
THE VOICE — "The Playoffs Premiere" Episode 2815 — Pictured: Carson Daly — (Photo by: Casey Durkin/NBC via Getty Images) -
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – JULY 23: Shania Twain performs a special one-night-only performance for SiriusXM to launch exclusive channel at Racket NYC on July 23, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for SiriusXM) -
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – JULY 10: Lainey Wilson performs during the Windy City Smokeout on July 10, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Barry Brecheisen/Getty Images) -
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 29: (L-R) Bruce Watson and Luis Maldonado of Foreigner perform onstage during The Buoniconti Fund to Cure Paralysis 39th Annual Great Sports Legends Dinner on September 29, 2025 at the New York Hilton Midtown raised millions of dollars to support the pioneering work of The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, a designated Center of Excellence at the University of Miami’s Miller School of Medicine and the world’s premier research center targeting spinal cord and brain injury and other neurological disorders and diseases. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images for The Buoniconti Fund To Cure Paralysis)