Lizzy Plapinger, co-founder of Neon Gold Records and a curatorial consultant for All Things Go, called TikTok a perfect collaborator because the platform already conditions artists to perform with a crowd watching in real time. The algorithm can push an artist to hundreds of thousands, or even millions, around the world overnight.
“TikTok was such an interesting partner to do this with because obviously they have their own music scene,” Plapinger said. “A lot of these creators are used to performing to their audiences, but don’t often have a path to get to a live performance avenue.”
That’s where the competition via TikTok LIVE came in. The goal wasn’t just to find a creator who could generate views, but also an artist who could hold the room.
“When shaping the competition, I was interested in people who have a real distinct perspective and a unique voice,” Plapinger said. “Am I curious to find out more about them? Is there a world that exists around them? How do they interact with their fans? What’s their songwriting like? What are they doing that’s uniquely their own?”
Plapinger and TikTok found the answers in Las Hermanas Machado, the USA regional winner for the inaugural competition.
A Cuban sister trio based in Miami, Las Hermanas Machado consists of Cesia, Keren, and Jemimah Machado, who grew up singing in church, playing instruments, performing at local events, and developing the tight harmonies that now define their sound. Their music blends faith, heritage, and sisterhood to make their listeners feel seen.
“Music has been part of our lives for as long as we can remember,” the group told ADWEEK. “No matter where we were, music was always something we shared as sisters.”
They credited TikTok LIVE specifically, not just TikTok broadly, with expanding what felt impossible: “After leaving Cuba and experiencing more of the world, we discovered TikTok LIVE,” the group said. “It completely changed our lives and opened possibilities we never imagined.”
