Terms and Conditions: Mero Originals

Mero Originals Song Competition: Terms & Conditions

Please read these Terms and Conditions carefully before submitting your entry. By participating in the Mero Originals Song Competition, you agree to be bound by the following rules and guidelines.

1. Eligibility

• You must be a legal resident of Nepal.

• You must be at least 16 years of age at the time of entry. Participants under 18 may require parental or guardian consent to participate in the finale and to claim any prize.

• Your song must be in acoustic or semi-acoustic format.

2. Submission Requirements

• Originality: All submitted songs must be your own original composition. Any submission containing copyrighted material not owned by you will be disqualified.
• Performance: The competition is primarily for solo artists. However, since it is a purely acoustic session, participants who do not play an instrument may be accompanied by one supporting musician, either a guitarist or a keyboardist. No bands, duos, or additional backing vocalists are permitted.
• Acoustic Focus: While not explicitly stated as mandatory, the competition is described as “acoustic,” and entries will be judged on songwriting, vocal performance and music. Over-produced tracks with extensive electronic instrumentation may be at a disadvantage.
• Submission Format: You must submit your song via a Google Drive link as instructed in the official application form. The file should be of good audio quality.
• One Entry Per Artist: Each artist may submit only one original song for the competition.

3. Competition Phases and Consent

By entering, you agree to participate in all phases of the competition if selected:

• Phase 1 (Submission): You grant the organizers the right to review and judge your submitted work.
• Phase 2 (Studio Round): If selected for the Top 50, you agree to be available to travel to and record at Verside Productions Studio at the designated times. You consent to the audio and video recording of your performance.
• Phase 3 (Social Engagement): You grant Mero Originals the irrevocable right to publish, broadcast, and promote the recorded video and audio from the studio round on its YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook channels, and other platforms, for the purpose of public voting and promotion.
• Phase 4 (Grand Finale): If selected for the Top 20, you agree to perform your original song live at the final event.

4. Intellectual Property and License

• Grant of License: By entering the competition, you grant Mero Originals and its sponsors a non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide license to use, reproduce, distribute, and publicly perform and display your submitted and recorded performance for the competition and for promotional purposes related to the competition in perpetuity. This includes, but is not limited to, using your name, likeness, and performance in advertising, social media, press releases, and highlight reels.
• Sponsor Promotion: You specifically agree that your performance may be branded with sponsor logos and mentions (e.g., “This performance brought to you by [Sponsor Name]”) as part of the video content.
• Social Media Requirement: As a condition of participation, especially in the Social Engagement Round, you agree to update your social media bios (Instagram, TikTok, etc.) to mention your participation in “Mero Originals” and include the official competition/sponsor hashtags and tags as provided by the organizers.

5. Judging and Voting

• The decision of the judges in the Submission, Studio, and Finale Rounds is final and binding.
• Advancement to the Top 20 (Social Engagement Round) will be based on a combination of digital engagement metrics (views, likes, shares, comments) and judge review.
• The Grand Finale winners will be determined by a combined scoring system: Judges’ Score, Live Audience Vote (via ticket drop), and Social Media Engagement on finale performance videos. The organizers reserve the right to determine the exact weighting of these factors.

6. Prizes

• The prizes are as listed: Cash prizes and professional recording/music video production services.
• Prizes are non-transferable and cannot be exchanged for their cash value, except at the discretion of the organizers.
• The provision of the music video and audio recording prizes will be scheduled by Verside Productions, and winners must cooperate to claim these prizes within a specified time frame.

7. Conduct

• You agree to conduct yourself in a professional and respectful manner throughout the competition. Any behavior deemed inappropriate, abusive, or harmful towards organizers, judges, fellow contestants, or the public will be grounds for immediate disqualification.
• You agree not to make any social media posts or public statements that could damage the reputation of Mero Originals, its partners, or sponsors.
• Anyone violating this clause will face legal implications as per the national law.

8. Liability

• Participation is at your own risk. The organizers are not responsible for any lost, late, misdirected, or damaged entries.
• The organizers are not liable for any technical failures that may affect your submission or the voting process.
• The organizers are not responsible for any injuries or losses occurring during travel to or participation in the studio round or live finale event.

9. Changes to the Terms

Mero Originals reserves the right to modify these Terms and Conditions or the structure of the competition at any time. Any changes will be communicated to the participants.

By submitting your entry, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to all the above Terms and Conditions.

Good luck!