And just like that, Season 2 of the Creator Contest comes to a close- and what a season it was! New creators, a bigger community supporting them, and a larger winnings pool made for a remarkable 16-week season.
The Season 2 All-Stars competition wrapped up on Monday, December 19, in which three past contestants were once again awarded. Photographer/Filmmaker Adeel Shabir won first place, Musician James Hepburn won second, and Musical Theatre Performer Elena Rosales won third!
Congratulations to our three winners, and the entire group of diverse and ultra-talented creators who participated in this All-Stars competition. Each of you earned a place in this final contest by winning a top 3 spot in one of the Season 2 general contests, which is a great accomplishment!
Thank you to every member of the Apollo community for casting a combined 2608 vote points throughout this competition – whether you are an Apollo holder, someone who has never interacted with cryptocurrency before casting your vote for one of our creators, or somewhere in the middle, your contribution to this contest was vital!
Adeel Shabir’s Entry – 1st Place
Hi! I am Adeel Shabir! I am a Photographer/Filmmaker. Since a very young age, I have developed a passion for taking photos and making videos. I love watching movies and getting inspired by these amazing film directors creating these masterpieces of movies. Photography is something that I love the most because it captures the moment and I can look back at them and feel the same moment over and over again.
I love to travel. I would definitely travel and make more amazing videos and take photos. I always wanted to travel to Iceland and capture those black sand beaches and mountains with waterfalls. Iceland has always been a dream and with Apollo, I am hoping it will come true. Also, I’ll be upgrading my gear for the travels.
James Hepburn’s Entry – 2nd Place
Hi Everyone! This is James and he’s a musician, writer, record producer, artist, and CEO of his own record label, Whiteroad Productions. James has been in the music industry for a long time now, some 25-plus years. He has traveled the world to work with some great artists and musicians globally. Music is truly the joy of James’ life besides his family and loved ones. Creating beautiful melodies and motifs that touch people’s hearts, and move others’ emotions is the lifeblood that drives the consistent passion that keeps James going. James released his first solo album in 2014 entitled “The Way, The Truth, The life” which was enjoyed by people worldwide. James has also worked with Grammy-winning producers and artists such as Arron Lindsey, Jabari Johnson, Phillip Lassiter, Cece Winans, and many others. Now, James is looking to expand his record label and catalog in order to reach a broader demographic of people and help new artists develop their gifts and talents to take to the world.
If I were to win the funds I would use them to sign and develop new artists for Whiteroad Productions, our record label.
Elena Rosales’s Entry – 3rd Place
Hi everybody! Thank you so much for your votes and support in Contest 3, let’s keep it going! For those that don’t know me yet, my name is Elena Rosales and I am a 20-year-old Musical Theatre Performer from Dallas, Texas. I will be graduating from college with my Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre this May and then it will officially be time to get out in the real world and start making my dreams come true! I discovered my love for performing at a young age and have been running toward Broadway, Film, and TV ever since. There is nothing that makes me happier than being able to escape my reality for a few hours and tell someone else’s story instead!
As an artist, there are so many hidden financial obligations that can inhibit your dreams. Travel to auditions, equipment for filming auditions, agency fees, voice (dance and acting) lessons to continue growing, backing tracks for virtual/filmed auditions, yearly subscriptions to platforms such as Backstage and Casting Networks so I can view upcoming auditions, and the cost of sheet music. Because of the help from the Apollo Community, the financial burden has decreased significantly and I am now focusing the funds on my next step… moving to the City of Angels. A little update in my story: I always knew that in my lifetime I wanted to be on a National Tour for a Broadway show, be a regular in a hit TV show, and star in someone’s favorite movie, I just didn’t know which would come first… but I have some exciting news. I have decided to pursue TV and Film head first after graduation as I have been feeling this powerful pull to the camera lately. Don’t worry though, all I’ve decided to do is take my musical theatre training and be a part of something that can last forever on someone’s screen. Thank you so much for your continued support! Get those votes in (check out my website if you need some convincing), I need your help to win this thing! I’m so thankful to the Apollo Community for believing in me and can’t wait to make y’all proud!
Apollo Creator Contest
The Apollo Creator Contest is our way to give back and support creators. Each week, creators of all kinds—artists, musicians, writers, poets, etc—enter the Creator Contest. Apollo Community members vote for their favorite Creator and the winning creator receives a prize to fund their passion.
Visit the Apollo Creator Contest site to check out the contests and creators.
