Submit your music to Elevate The Underground

Hello! I am Clara Kent, an Afro-Indigenous artist from Homewood, entrepreneur, visual artist, live performance artist, and NOW a Radio Host at 91.3 WYEP 🖤. 

More Bounce is focused on R&B/Soul and Alt-R&B but also touches on Hip-Hop, Afro-Beat, Funk, and other genres adjacent to it. It’s no secret that R&B has been grossly under-supported in recent years, so much so that people are saying it’s “dead.” Notable stars in music and art feel strongly against this notion and I follow suit! There are so many beautiful works of art in the R&B world that are buried under the monotony of mainstream media, it’s unfair to lay such a bold claim on its legacy.

If you feel you create music within this world or know of an artist that does, please submit it. I prioritize promoting BIPOC artists & Pittsburgh artists, but I am also looking for talent outside of our city too.

I air on Fridays between 6 PM-8 PM every week and on the WYEP app. Submissions are ongoing until further notice.

How do I submit my music to be considered for airplay?

• Please upload one song for consideration. I will send a request email for further details and info if I feel your music fits the segment.

• You can email a link to your music (SoundCloud, Spotify, YouTube, Dropbox, etc.) to [email protected] or mail a hard copy to:

WYEP
ATTN: Clara Kent/Liz Felix
67 Bedford Square
Pittsburgh, PA 15203

• Include contact information, let me know where you’re from, and tell me a bit about yourself or your band.

• Due to the volume of submissions, I won’t be able to provide feedback for everyone. Keep in mind that due to having limited slots available for on-air airplay, this is a competitive process. I am very intentional, purposeful, and heartfelt towards musicians.

How do songs get on the air at WYEP?

• Music submitted to WYEP is chosen for the Elevate the Underground feature (or slotted into WYEP’s new music rotation) by WYEP’s Host, Clara Kent. She reviews submissions every other Thursday and will send confirmations on a rolling basis twice a month. Songs will be reviewed by WYEP staff if it’s considered for new music rotation. This highlight primarily focuses on local talent but is also open to artists beyond the city limits.

Here are a few of the things that WYEP looks for when considering music for Elevate the Underground:

• Music that is of comparable quality (both technically and aesthetically) to professionally produced recordings played on WYEP. This does not mean we only accept professionally produced material, but that it must meet the high standards held for music played on WYEP.
• FCC-clean edits (no profanity). In addition to being compliant with FCC broadcast standards (broadly speaking, the “seven dirty words”), WYEP may not air content that deals with sensitive subjects using offensive or inflammatory language. While WYEP respects artist freedom, we are also stewards of the airwaves and must make the decisions we feel are correct based on the needs of our entire audience and the community at large. These content issues beyond FCC-language concerns are dealt with on a case-by-case basis, and you must use your best judgment when choosing which songs, you wish to submit for airplay consideration.
• Music that is easily available to our listeners, either as a physical/digital record for sale or streaming audio on Bandcamp, Spotify, etc.

What else should I know before I submit my songs to WYEP?

• Sending music to WYEP does not guarantee that it will be aired. WYEP’s format is diverse, but the music must meet the bar for quality and creativity set by our music staff. It is highly recommended to spend time listening to More Bounce on WYEP prior to submitting music. Would your songs make sense in More Bounce’s music mix?
• WYEP is a public radio station, but we are not an open platform. WYEP’s listeners expect station staff to provide them with a curated experience of the best music we can find.
• Due to the large volume of music to consider for airplay, WYEP staff cannot provide feedback on every submission. Additionally, please do not expect updates as to where your submitted music is in the process.
• Physical music submissions will not be returned.

If you have a question about the submission process, please email [email protected]

Thank you for supporting More Bounce and I wish you the best of luck!