LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Local musician Quinn Ayers is making waves as one of the top 16 contenders vying for a headline spot at the upcoming Life is Beautiful Music Festival, which is hosting the prestigious Rising Stars competition.
Out of more than 200 submissions, Ayers expressed his excitement, stating, "I made it in the top 16 of 200 submissions — pretty cool."
Despite originally pursuing a career in college baseball, Ayers found himself at a crossroads when he was playing at the highest level before turning professional.
"I wasn't happy with where I was," he revealed. "Maybe a mid-life crisis because I was in my 20s."
During this introspective period, he turned to journaling about his feelings and decided to explore a new path by ordering a microphone. Ayers recalled, "I ended up making some songs that people related to and found comforting…and eventually turned that into a career."
As an alternative hip-pop artist, Ayers has already opened for several artists, and now, he finds himself competing in the Life is Beautiful Rising Stars competition. For the contest, participants were required to submit a comprehensive press kit, akin to a resume for a job application, along with email song links and notable achievements. Expressing his enthusiasm, Ayers shared, "They made us submit a press kit which is essentially a resume for a job application. Our email song links and any notable things we've done."
Having secured a spot in the semi-finals, Ayers is eagerly preparing for the next stage of the competition. He is now contending for the grand prize - a 30-minute set on the main stage of the Life is Beautiful Music Festival. "I was super stoked because Life is Beautiful is easily the biggest festival that Vegas throws," Ayers admitted.
You can catch Quinn Ayers' performance during the Rising Stars semi-finals on August 12 at The Space in Las Vegas.
