An unsigned musician will get an opportunity to feature in Janet Jackson's upcoming concert documentary after winning a competition to open the singer's 40th-anniversary show in Florida.
The competition, titled Open for an Icon, will give one emerging artist a performance slot at Jackson's December 12, 2026, concert at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Florida.
The winner will also record three original tracks with Grammy-winning producer Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins and receive VIP travel and accommodation for the event.
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The performance will be filmed for Janet Jackson: Control 40, a documentary scheduled for release in 2027. Directed by Leslie Small, the project will revisit Jackson's 1986 album, Control, and its themes of independence and creative empowerment.
The initiative is being organised by Airtab Music in collaboration with Jackson and Jerkins.
Interested unsigned and emerging artists are required to submit an audition video and artist profile through the competition's official entry platform. Submissions close at midnight on November 13, 2026.
The contest offers more than a chance to perform before Jackson's audience, as the successful entrant will also be featured in a documentary celebrating one of the defining albums of the singer's career.
Released in 1986, Control marked a significant turning point in Jackson's musical career and became associated with her growing artistic independence.
The competition also extends the album's empowerment theme to emerging musicians by offering one of them an opportunity to gain international exposure and work with an established music producer.
Airtab Music has previously linked emerging artists with performance opportunities at SunFest and the iHeartRadio Jingle Ball tour.
However, the available announcement does not specify whether musicians outside the United States are eligible to enter or explain how the winner will be selected. Prospective applicants have been advised to confirm the entry conditions with the organisers.
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