Woodfin helping Ronald McDonald House through Project Wild

He says Project Wild gives artists a much bigger perspective on different areas of the music industry that might get overlooked.

“When it comes to your brand identity and your social media presence, how are people connecting with you online?” asks Woodfin. “Does that align with your brand and your music and does it all work together?”

Woodfin says he’s ecstatic to take what he’s learned through Project Wild so far and apply it to his career.

“Every artist in the program has a different direction or different path that we’re trying to achieve and no two artists are the same,” he explains. “We might be competing per say in the contest but we have a lot of different objectives and goals. I’m really excited to be able to take that knowledge and start infusing it into what I’m doing and try to think a little bit more strategically on more of a 12 month or 24 month plan.”

Project Wild has artist applicants competing for significant music grants, with each of the Top 12 finalists awarded $5,000 to go towards career development. A committee then judges how effectively each artist uses their money.

In addition during the five-month process, the Top 12 artists are given four other career-enhancing challenges, including creating an amazing online introduction video, a unique merchandise item, detailed marketing plan and establishing a set of goals and a plan to increase their audience engagement.

The highlight challenge however, requires artist applicants to create and implement a charitable fundraising campaign that means something to them.

Woodfin chose to pair up with Ronald McDonald House of Central Alberta, an organization he’s had experience working with before.

“A couple of years ago I was in the program with Project Wild and I was able to pair up with Ronald McDonald House and Dreams Take Flight and we were able to raise a few thousand dollars and we split it in half and divvied it up,” recounts Woodfin. “Since then, my wife and I have spent time cooking meals at the Red Deer House for some of the families and I’ve gotten to know some of the families.”

Artists who finish in the top three will be announced on WILD 95.3 on Thursday, November 8, with first place receiving $100,953. Second place receives $75,000, while the third place finisher will be awarded $50,000.

If he should finish first, Woodfin says he would like to release an EP.

“That would be a major milestone that I would like to achieve. I would also like to do a western Canadian small-scale tour in smaller communities so I can get out there and meet new fans and really spread our music around and show people what we’re up to.”

For more information on how to support Woodfin in his charitable endeavours with Ronald McDonald House of Central Alberta, visit his Facebook page here.

Project Wild’s awards night finale will be held Saturday, November 24, at Knoxville’s in Calgary where the top three artists will also be showcased.

In the meantime, you can catch Woodfin on stage during the upcoming Canadian Finals Rodeo in Red Deer on October 30 and November 3.

by Sheldon Spackman

Woodfin helping Ronald McDonald House through Project Wild

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