Our Caster Emerge Winners Are Here!
After months of creativity and hustle, Play MPE is thrilled to announce the winners of our first-ever Caster Emerge contest!
Ten incredible indie artists stepped up to the plate. From promoting their releases, tracking listener engagement, and keeping a close eye on their airplay, their passion blew us away.
Following careful consideration by our industry rep panel, two extraordinary artists have been selected to receive the grand prize: a full year of free music promotion via Caster, plus real-time airplay tracking with MTR.
These aren’t just talented artists, they’re hard workers. They showed up consistently, executed smart, intentional campaigns, and demonstrated a genuine commitment to growth. We’re excited to help them elevate their careers by increasing their visibility and connecting them with key players in the music space.
Meet the two incredible winners below! We trust you’ll be hearing their names a lot more in the months to come…
🇨🇦 Anna Katarina – Canada Winner
Hailing from British Columbia, Anna Katarina blends indie pop, rock, and soul with a signature sound that feels like a modern take on Laurel Canyon meets ’90s FM radio. Her voice? Equal parts powerful and vulnerable, perfectly suited for her emotionally rich songs.
Named by Exclaim! Magazine as one of Canada’s most exciting emerging voices, Anna has been on a steady rise. She’s lit up stages at NXNE (Toronto), Woodstove Festival (BC), Sand & Strings (Mexico), and Your Roots Are Showing (Ireland), and played to sold-out crowds alongside Shawn Hook and Said The Whale. This year, she continues that upward momentum with sets at BreakOut West and more festival appearances in the pipeline.
Anna also has a growing international fanbase, especially across Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, and tours Europe twice a year. Her forthcoming album, While I Was Dreaming (arriving October 2025), promises a lush, retro-inspired sound layered with introspective lyricism.
Her single “Riptide” captured the attention of our judges and landed her the Wildcard pick back in March, with high praise from guest judge and SiriusXM WHOOOSH! co-host Katy Krassner. We’re so excited to play a part in her next chapter.
Reflecting on her progress with Caster, Anna shares her thoughts on what this accomplishment means to her:
“Winning the Caster Emerge Canada Contest is such meaningful encouragement as I prepare to release my new album, While I Was Dreaming. Knowing that so many programmers connected with the album’s first single, Riptide, is proof that my music has a home on North American radio and will reach the ears of many listeners across the US, Canada, and beyond!”
🇺🇸 Dualidy – U.S. Winner
Stephen Dewane, known as Dualidy, is the kind of artist who creates his own lane. With his distinctive style of spiritual soul, he’s able to connect deeply with listeners. Raised in the Deep South by his grandmothers and immersed in gospel, blues, soul, and R&B, it was his mother’s introduction to neo-soul that sparked his creative fire:
“For the first time I actually saw myself in the music instead of just simply admiring it,” he shares.
Before stepping into the recording booth, Dewane was penning poems, stories, and lyrics. His early singles show off his versatility, with the groovy warmth of “Generation” and “Glo Girl” sitting alongside the heartfelt honesty of “Dear Lord.” Between his unique tone and lyrical depth, it’s clear that Dewane is just getting started. Themes of love, faith, personal growth, and emotional insight run through his music.
“I love to make women feel sexy, seen, heard, and understood,” he says. “I also feel a responsibility to represent the modern man of God—with masculinity that’s rooted in genuine love, protection, obedience, and grace.”
Looking back on his experience with Caster, Dewane reflected:
“With many of my spins coming from the tremendous support of a single station (WUSM)—it reminded me that the quality of your fans matters more than the quantity. Radio helps you find the listeners who really believe.”
His track “Glo Girl” made a strong impression on both the Play MPE team and radio programmers, earning him well-deserved recognition as our U.S. winner. Big congrats, Dualidy!
What’s Ahead
Both Anna Katarina and Dualidy will release and promote three new singles over the next 12 months through Caster. Their airplay across Canada and the U.S. will be tracked live using MTR. These campaigns will help connect them with new listeners and opportunities across the industry!
A huge thank-you goes out to all ten finalists who took part in this exciting first chapter of Caster Emerge. This is just the beginning and we’re already looking forward to the next round.
Ready to elevate your own music?
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