SoFi, Kelsea Ballerini, and CMA Launch Amplify Your Ambitions Contest to Empower America’s Next Generation of Emerging Artists

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04/15/2026 - 09:00 AM

Emerging artists can win up to $200,000 and take the stage at an exclusive CMA Fest concert, as SoFi helps turn ambitions into financial realities

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- SoFi, the one-stop shop for digital financial services, is launching the “Amplify Your Ambitions” Contest, a nationwide search to discover emerging artists as they pursue their ambitions and advance their careers, in partnership with the Country Music Association (CMA) and multi-platinum songwriter, producer, and author Kelsea Ballerini, a five-time GRAMMY® Award nominee and multiple ACM and CMA Award winner.

SoFi Amplify Your Ambitions Contest

Starting today through April 30, artists can enter for a $200,000 grand prize or one of two $50,000 runner-up prizes. Three finalists will be selected by SoFi. From there, a panel of judges across music and finance will weigh in alongside a public vote to help determine the grand prize winner. Judges include Kelsea Ballerini, Vivian Tu, SoFi’s Chief of Financial Empowerment and New York Times bestselling author, founder and CEO of Your Rich BFF; and Shane McAnally, four-time GRAMMY® Award-winning singer-songwriter. The winner will be revealed on June 4, when all three finalists perform in front of the judges at an intimate concert in Nashville.

“I know firsthand how much it takes to build a career in music, especially when you’re funding it on your own,” said Kelsea Ballerini. “That’s why I’m excited to partner with SoFi on this. We’re looking for artists with passion, determination, and a strong sense of who they are, artists who are not only committed to their craft but thoughtful about how they invest in themselves and their music.”

For many artists, the path to success isn’t defined by talent alone, but by access to resources. Financial barriers remain one of the biggest challenges facing emerging musicians, with 75% self-funding their careers¹ and more than half carrying debt tied to their creative pursuits.² Through the Amplify Your Ambitions Contest, SoFi is putting a spotlight on the financial tools and resources that can help artists nationwide move forward and achieve financial independence.

“At SoFi, we’re focused on helping people take control of their financial futures,” said Lauren Stafford Webb, Chief Marketing Officer at SoFi. “Our partnership with Kelsea and CMA reflects a shared commitment to investing in the next generation of artists and the fans who support them. As the presenting sponsor for CMA Fest, we’re extending our commitment by empowering SoFi members with the financial tools and support they need to build stability, grow their money, and make meaningful progress towards their long term goals.”

How To Enter SoFi Amplify Your Ambitions Contest

SoFi is inviting members who are aspiring artists to share how they would use the grand prize to elevate their music careers. Entrants will be judged on the originality of their sound, the creativity of their storytelling, the strength of their performance, and how they plan to effectively use this opportunity to grow and advance as artists.

Artist Submissions: Entries must be submitted at AmplifyYourAmbitions.com between April 15, 2026 and April 30, 2026 at 11:59 pm ET.

Requirements: Musicians, both soloists and groups, are invited to enter by detailing how they would use $200,000 from SoFi to help them achieve their music career ambitions. All entrants must provide:

Prompt Video: A video, up to 3 minutes long, responding to the prompt above
Performance Video: A 30 - 60-second recording of contestant/s performing an original song
Written Essay: A brief essay (1000 characters or less) responding to the prompt above

Entrants, including all group members, must be 18+ and legal residents of the United States. To enter, contestants, or the designated representative of a group, must have a registered SoFi account. If you don’t have one, it’s free to sign up at SoFi.com.

For official rules, please visit amplifyyourambitions.com/rules

As the returning presenting sponsor of CMA Fest, SoFi is supporting fans both on and off the stage, with perks like 25% cash back on eligible purchases, access to the members-only SoFi Studio lounge, and ticket giveaways. SoFi Plus members can go further with benefits designed to help them get their money right, including high-yield savings, 1% investment matches, and one-on-one sessions with SoFi Wealth Financial Planners.

To stay up to date on SoFi member CMA Fest perks follow SoFi on X and Instagram. For more information and to join SoFi Plus, visit sofi.com/sofi-plus.

About SoFi

SoFi Technologies (NASDAQ: SOFI) is a one-stop shop for digital financial services on a mission to help people achieve financial independence to realize their ambitions. 13.7 million members trust SoFi to borrow, save, spend, invest, and protect their money and buy, sell and hold their crypto – all in one app – and get access to financial planners, exclusive experiences, and a thriving community. Fintechs, financial institutions, and brands use SoFi’s technology platform Galileo to build and manage innovative financial solutions across 128 million global accounts. For more information, visit www.sofi.com or download our iOS and Android apps.

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About the Country Music Association

Founded in 1958, the Country Music Association is the first trade organization formed to promote a type of music. CMA created the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1961 to recognize artists and industry professionals with Country Music’s highest honor. Music industry professionals and companies across the U.S. and around the globe are members of CMA. The organization serves as an educational and professional resource for the industry and advances the growth of Country Music around the world. This is accomplished through CMA’s core initiatives: the CMA Awards, which annually recognize outstanding achievement in the industry; CMA Fest, which benefits the CMA Foundation and music education and is taped for a three-hour network television special, “CMA Fest”; and “CMA Country Christmas." All of CMA’s television properties air on ABC.

Disclosures

SoFi Plus: Terms and conditions <https://www.sofi.com/terms-of-use/#sofi-plus> apply. To learn more about SoFi Plus, please see the SoFi Plus <https://www.sofi.com/sofi-plus> page.

*Open only to legal residents of the 50 US/DC, 18+ who are SoFi registered users and the designated representative of a Music Act. Void where prohibited. Enter by 11:59 p.m. ET on 4/30/26. See Official Rules for details, including Music Act requirements, entry instructions, prizes, limits, and judging criteria.

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¹ Ditto Music, “82% of global independent artists can’t afford to tour in 2025” (January 24, 2025)

² Hyperallergic, “Debt Plagues Artists Regardless of Career Stage, Survey Finds” (December 18, 2025)