PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. ALL FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL, AND MUNICIPAL LAWS AND REGULATIONS APPLY. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED.

1. Eligibility

Northwest Indiana's Superstar - Singing Competition (the "Contest") is open to legal residents of the fifty (50) United States and the District of Columbia who are at least eighteen years of age or older at the time of the competition held on October 5, 2025. Participants must sign up with a valid form of government-issued photo identification. The Competition will be held at locations listed online at www.nwisuperstar.com (locations subject to change).

Employees of Northwest Indiana’s Superstar and other companies associated with the promotion of the Contest, and their respective parents, subsidiaries, affiliates, and advertising and promotion agencies, as well as the immediate family (spouse, parents, siblings, and children) and household members of each such employee, are not eligible.

Contestants represent that they are not under a local, major, or nationally known record label contract. Each contestant must be able to produce valid government-issued identification. Failure to do so will result in disqualification.

2. Sponsors

The Contest is sponsored by Northwest Indiana’s Superstar, located at 3799 Central Ave, Suite C, Lake Station, IN 46405.

3. Agreement to Official Rules

Participation in the Contest constitutes the entrant’s full and unconditional agreement to and acceptance of these Official Rules and the decisions of the Sponsor, which are final and binding. Winning a prize is contingent upon being compliant with these Official Rules and fulfilling all other requirements set forth herein.

4. Contest Period

The Contest begins on August 1, 2025, at 12:00 AM CST and ends on February 9, 2026, at 12:00 AM CST (the "Contest Period"). Entries submitted before or after the Contest Period will be disqualified. The Sponsor reserves the right to extend or shorten the Contest Period at its discretion due to inclement weather, venue changes, or other unforeseen circumstances.

5. Audition Process & Entry

Online: This method of entry is available by visiting www.nwisuperstar.com and completing the registration (Sign Up) form. The registration fee is $20.00, paid at the time of audition or at the time of registration if submitting a video audition.

In Person: Registration may also be completed during live audition events if space is available.

Only one (1) audition is permitted per contestant per season. Duplicate video entries will result in disqualification. Audition order is first-registered, first-served.
There is a suggested limit of 500 contestants (subject to change). The Sponsor is not responsible for any late or incomplete applications. All applications become the property of Northwest Indiana’s Superstar. Any false information provided on the application, or in connection with the Competition, may result in disqualification.

Live Auditions:

• September 14, 2025 | 12 PM – 6 PM

• September 15, 17 & 18, 2025 | 5 PM – 9 PM

Video Auditions:

• Submission Window: September 19–21, 2025

• Videos must be uploaded to YouTube and submitted via link at registration.

Video auditions must be uploaded to YouTube with the link submitted at registration. Auditions are first-registered, first-served.

6. Competition Winner

There will be one (1) grand prize – first place winner and one (1) team prize for this competition. On the final night of the competition (The Finale), the Sponsor will select potential winners in the competition from among all eligible entries received. The odds of being selected depend on the number of entries received. The potential winners will be notified in person on the night of the Finale. The winners and winning team representative will be required to complete, electronically sign, and or submit a Declaration of Compliance within five (5) days of the date notice or date the attempted notice is sent, to claim the assigned prize. If the potential winner cannot be contacted or fails to submit the Declaration of Compliance within the required period (if applicable), or the prize is returned as undeliverable, the potential winner forfeits the prize. Potential winners must continue to comply with all terms and conditions of these Official Rules, and winning is contingent upon fulfilling all requirements. In the event that a potential winner is disqualified for any reason, the Sponsor will award the applicable prize to the second-place winner. Only two (2) alternate award issuings will be held, after which the prize will remain un-awarded. Prizes will be fulfilled approximately 2-5 weeks after the conclusion of the Contest.

7. Prizes

One (1) finalist competing at the Grand Finale will win the Grand Prize package. The package includes the Grand Prize of $5,000 USD, official Northwest Indiana’s Superstar gear, and an automatic invitation to participate in the next season’s Elimination Round, pending confirmation of availability and eligibility. The invitation does not guarantee progression beyond the elimination round. One (1) overall team competing will win the Team Prize package of $500 USD. Prizes are not transferable. Prizes are subject to availability, and we reserve the right to substitute any prize without providing notice.

Northwest Indiana’s Superstar is not responsible for any additional personal costs incurred by contestants, including but not limited to travel, lodging, food, costumes, makeup, or music preparation, unless explicitly stated in writing.

8. General Guidelines

These guidelines related to all performance and preparatory events include:

• Contestants must be able to attend all necessary rounds of the Competition. No substitutions will be allowed.

• The order of contestant performances for auditions and during the competition will be scheduled by the planning staff according to the needs of the competition. Every contestant must be ready to perform when it is his/her turn. Contestant schedule during the competition will be determined by Northwest Indiana’s Superstar Staff.

• Contestants must submit song choices in advance and be approved by the Contest Sponsor to ensure the song is not prohibited by decency standards and/or copyright laws.

• All participants must keep in mind that versions of certain songs may vary. Contestants must ensure they are confident in their song selection. A contestant may sing the same song as other contestants on a given night with prior approval from the Sponsor..

• If, for any reason, a contestant feels ill or unable to take the stage during the competition, the Staff must be notified immediately.

• The Sponsor, Venues, or Judges are not responsible for any injuries or audience comments/behavior. However, any members of the audience who are deemed unruly or disruptive may be asked to leave at the Sponsor’s or Venue’s staff discretion.

• Every effort will be made to rectify any technical issues that may arise during a performance. They will be addressed immediately, and all sponsor-provided equipment issues, human error, or technical error will be taken into consideration. However, Sponsor will not be responsible for the outcome/scoring based on a performance where such an issue may occur.

• Contestants must sing using the equipment provided for the Competition by Northwest Indiana’s Superstar and the venue hosting the event. Alternative equipment must be approved one week before a performance in writing to Northwest Indiana’s Superstar Executive Director. In the case of personal equipment malfunction, Northwest Indiana's Superstar is not liable for a reduction in score, and judges will not adjust scores in favor of the contestant.

• At no point in the Competition will contestants/participants be allowed to promote, sell, or endorse any product or service, including their own promotional materials, without written consent from the Sponsor in advance. The participants must not accept any monetary compensation for the entire competition length through affiliates as a contestant.

• The competition is for single/individual performers ONLY.

• Song choice must be approved by the sponsor.

9. Audition Judging & Notifications

Audition songs must not exceed 2 minutes. Judges have the right to cut performances short or request a second song to evaluate range and versatility. Judges may extend performance time at their discretion. Contestants approved to join the Elimination Round will be notified by September 22, 2025.

Only one (1) audition is permitted per contestant per season. Duplicate entries will result in disqualification. Audition order is first-registered, first-served.

Contestants must submit a link to their performance track 24 hours before their scheduled audition. If not submitted, a pre-approved alternate version will be provided. A submission link will be emailed 48 hours prior. Backing vocals are allowed, but lead vocals are not permitted.

10. Conduct and Content

Songs for performances must not contain profanity, sexually explicit content, discriminatory language, or profanity beyond the lyrics allowed. No nudity, flashing, obscene gestures, political stances, political promotion to include clothing promoting a political party. Contestants may be disqualified for inappropriate behavior. Contestants who behave inappropriately may be disqualified. No alcohol or smoking is allowed on stage. A contestant may be asked to withdraw from the competition if they are believed to be too intoxicated to perform.

11. Attendance and Performance Order

Contestants must be in the staging area at least 30 minutes before showtime. Failure to appear on time may result in the contestant being moved to the end of the performance lineup or disqualified. Performance order will be randomized on the first night and follow a team-based rotation thereafter.

12. Competition Phases

Elimination Round:

• October 5, 2025 | Top 50 reduced to Top 25

Warrior Rounds:

• Round I: January 9, 2026 | 7 PM – 10 PM

• Round II: January 16, 2026 | 7 PM – 10 PM

• Round III: January 23, 2026 | 7 PM – 10 PM

• Round IV: January 30, 2026 | 7 PM – 10 PM

Grand Finale:

• February 6, 2026 | 7 PM – 10 PM

13. Competition Breakdown

Elimination Round: The top 50 contestants will perform one song. The top 25 contestants will proceed to the Warrior Rounds, while the others will be eliminated.

Warrior Round I: The top 25 contestants will perform one song. The 5 contestants with the lowest points will have their points eliminated. The audience will save one of the contestants by vote. Two teams will perform their team song.

Warrior Round II: The top 25 contestants will perform one song. The 5 contestants with the lowest points will have their points eliminated. The audience will save one of the contestants by vote. Two teams will perform their team song.

Warrior Round III: The top 25 contestants will perform one song. The top 10 contestants will advance to the Warrior Round III, while the 15 contestants with the lowest points will be eliminated. The audience will vote for their favorite singers to allocate more points. One team will perform their team song. The top 3 Teams will advance to Warrior Round IV.

Warrior Round IV: The top 10 contestants will perform one song and one duet. The top 5 contestants will advance to the Grand Finale, while the 5 contestants with the lowest points will be eliminated. The top 3 teams will perform one song. The top 2 Teams will advance to the Grand Finale.

Grand Finale: The top 5 contestants will perform two songs and one duet. The top contestant will be awarded the title of NWI Superstar. The top two teams will perform one song. The top team will be awarded the NWI Superstar Team of the Year.

14. Judging Criteria

A panel of independent judges will be responsible for determining which competitors advance and win throughout the competition. Contestants will be judged individually based on the following weighted categories:

• Vocal Technique (30%) – Performer’s Tone Quality, Breath Support, Intonation, Diction, and Articulation.

• Vocal Ability (30%) – Performer’s Knowledge of Song Lyrics, Rhythm & Tempo, and Voice in relation to music.

• Song Delivery (25%) – How well the performer can express the meaning and mood of the song.

• Stage Presence (5%) – Music Selection, Effective use of Stage and Performance Area, Audience Engagement, Outfit, and style.

• Entertainment Value (5%) – The audience and judges’ reaction to the overall performance.

Each judge will assign a score in each category. The contestant's total score will be the sum of all judge scores, with a maximum possible total of 100 points per judge and 300 points overall each performance. Judgment criteria are subject to change. The final posting will be provided prior to the competition round.

15. Team Scoring

For team performances, the group will be judged as a single performing unit, not based on the sum or average of individual contestant scores. Judges will evaluate the team’s collective harmony, coordination, creativity, staging, and overall entertainment value.

Each team will receive a unified composite score, with all judges scoring the group based on how well the team performs as a cohesive act. Team scoring uses the same 5 categories above, but with a focus on group execution and synergy.

In the event of a tie, the judges, in their sole discretion, will determine the winner.
Judges may request a second song or cut the performance short during auditions.
All judging decisions are final and not subject to appeal or recalculation.

16. Audience Participation and Public Events

All performances will take place in front of a live audience. The public is encouraged to attend shows. Audience members may have the opportunity to vote to save eliminated contestants in designated rounds.

17. Winner Obligations

The Grand Finale winner must return to officially pass the title to the next winner in the following season. They may also be invited to participate in media appearances and promotional events hosted by Northwest Indiana’s Superstar.

18. Sportsmanship and Public Conduct

All contestants agree to conduct themselves with professionalism and good sportsmanship throughout the competition, even if they do not advance. Contestants may not engage in slander, public disparagement, or defamation—verbally, in writing, or on social media—toward the organization, judges, contestants, staff, venues, or affiliates.

Violation of this clause may result in immediate disqualification, revocation of awards, and legal action. All disqualifications are at the sole discretion of the Sponsor and Judges. Contestants may submit a written appeal within 48 hours to info@nwisuperstar.com. Appeals will be reviewed by a committee and responded to within 3 business days. All decisions following the appeal are final.

Contestants agree not to engage in defamation, slander, or libel against Northwest Indiana’s Superstar, its staff, judges, contestants, venues, or affiliates in any public or private forum, including social media

19. Protests and Judge Conduct

No contestant, guest, or associate may confront, argue with, or attempt to influence a judge at any point before, during, or after the competition. Doing so will result in immediate disqualification and a ban from events provided by the Sponsor.

20. General Conditions

In the event that the operation, security, or administration of the Contest is impaired in any way for any reason, including, but not limited to fraud, virus, bug, worm, unauthorized human intervention, or other technical problems, or in the event the Contest is unable to run as planned for any other reason, as determined by Sponsor in its sole discretion, the Sponsor may, in its sole discretion, either (a) suspend the Contest to address the impairment and then resume the Contest in a manner that best conforms to the spirit of these Official Rules, or (b) terminate the Contest and, in the event of termination, award the prize at random from among the eligible, non-suspect entries received up to the time of the impairment. The Sponsor reserves the right in its sole discretion to disqualify any individual it finds to be tampering with the entry process or the operation of the Contest or to be acting in violation of these Official Rules or in an unsportsmanlike or disruptive manner. Any attempt by any person to damage the website or undermine the legitimate operation of the Contest may be a violation of criminal and civil law, and should such an attempt be made, the Sponsor reserves the right to seek damages (including attorney's fees) and any other remedies from any such person to the fullest extent permitted by law. Failure by the Sponsor to enforce any provision of these Official Rules shall not constitute a waiver of that provision. Northwest Indiana’s Superstar is not responsible for any additional personal costs incurred by contestants, including but not limited to travel, lodging, food, costumes, makeup, or music preparation unless explicitly stated in writing.

21. Assumption of Risk

By submitting a contest entry form (application), the contestant grants Northwest Indiana’s Superstar a perpetual, royalty-free, worldwide license to use their name, image, likeness, voice, appearance, and performance footage for advertising, promotional, and marketing purposes in any and all media now known or hereafter developed, without additional compensation.

Contestants grant Northwest Indiana’s Superstar the right to broadcast, stream, sell, and otherwise distribute their name, image, likeness, voice, appearance, and performance, in whole or in part, for commercial, video, or online distribution as the Sponsor sees fit.

Contestants retain ownership of their original compositions and vocal performances unless a separate written agreement is signed. By entering, contestants grant all necessary permissions and clearances for the use of their name, image, likeness, and appearance as embodied in their performance or presentation.

22. Good Character

The contestant agrees that they may be disqualified from any level of the competition if they commit any act or become involved in any situation that would adversely reflect on the contest or any party furnishing a prize or tend to bring it into public disrepute. Participants must abide by the decision of the Judges and Northwest Indiana’s Superstar. Poor sportsmanlike conduct will not be tolerated!

23. Sponsor Reserves All Rights

Including the right to film, tape, and record any contestant’s performance. And to edit, publish, use, adapt, modify, or dispose of such film, tape, or recording online, in print, film, or in any other media for advertising and promotion, or any other purposes without compensation or notification to said contestant. By entering the competition, contestants agree to participate in any promotional events related to the competition. Sponsor reserves the right to cancel or modify these Official Rules for any reason whatsoever, or if fraud, technical failure, unauthorized intervention, or any other factor beyond Sponsor’s reasonable control that impairs the integrity of the Competition, as determined by Sponsor in its sole discretion. In such an event, Sponsor reserves the right to judge entries from among eligible, non-suspect entries received up to the time of impairment. By entering this competition, contestants accept and agree to abide by these Official Rules and the decisions of the judges and Northwest Indiana’s Superstar shall be final, binding, and conclusive on all matters related to the Competition.

24. Release and Limitations of Liability

By participating in the Contest, entrants agree to indemnify and hold harmless Northwest Indiana’s Superstar and all associated entities and personnel, the Sponsor, and each of their respective parents, subsidiaries, affiliates, advertising and promotion agencies, other companies associated with the Contest, and each of their respective officers, directors, employees, shareholders, representatives, and agents (the “Released Parties”) from and against any claim or cause of action arising out of participation in the Contest or receipt or use of the prize (including any travel or activity related thereto).

By participating, the entrant further agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Released Parties against any third-party claims, demands, actions, damages, losses, liabilities, costs, or expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) arising out of or relating to their participation in the Contest.

This includes, but is not limited to:

• (a) any technical errors associated with the Contest, including lost, interrupted or unavailable Internet Service Provider (ISP), network, server, wireless service provider, or other connections, availability or accessibility or miscommunications or failed computer, satellite, telephone, cellular tower or cable transmissions, lines, or technical failure or jumbled, scrambled, delayed, or misdirected transmissions or computer hardware or software malfunctions, failures or difficulties;

• (b) unauthorized human intervention in the Contest;

• (c) mechanical, network, electronic, computer, human, printing, or typographical errors;

• (d) application downloads,

• (e) any other errors or problems in connection with the Contest, including, without limitation, errors that may occur in the administration of the Contest, the announcement of the winner, the cancellation or postponement of the event and/or the flyover, if applicable, the incorrect downloading of the application, the processing of entries application downloads or in any Contest-related materials; or

• (f) injury, death, losses, or damages of any kind, to persons or property which may be caused, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, from entrants' participation in the Contest or acceptance, receipt, or misuse of the prize (including any travel or activity related thereto).

Entrant further agrees that in any cause of action, the Released Parties’ liability will be limited to the cost of entering and participating in the Contest, and in no event shall the entrant be entitled to receive attorney's fees. Released Parties are also not responsible for any incorrect or inaccurate information, whether caused by site users, tampering, hacking or by any equipment or programming associated with or utilized in the Contest. Entrant waives the right to claim any damages whatsoever, including, but not limited to, punitive, consequential, direct, or indirect damages.

25. Disputes

Except where prohibited, each entrant agrees that any and all disputes, claims, and causes of action arising out of, or connected with, the Contest or any prize awarded shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action, and exclusively by the appropriate court located in Indiana. All issues and questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation, and enforceability of these Official Rules, the entrant’s rights and obligations, or the rights and obligations of the Sponsor in connection with the Contest, shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of Indiana, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law rules, which would cause the application of the laws of any jurisdiction other than Indiana.

26. Privacy

Information collected from entrants is subject to the sponsor's privacy policy.

27. Agreement Clause

By participating in this Contest, each entrant agrees that they have read, understood, and agree to abide by these Official Rules and all decisions made by Northwest Indiana’s Superstar, which are final and binding in all respects.