West Hartford Singer-Songwriter Kelsey Wiggin Competing for iHeart Radio’s ‘Next Music Star’ Title
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Kelsey Wiggin in Boston. Courtesy photo
A West Hartford teen is part of a national competition to earn a Grammy-winning mentorship, LA performance, and $10,000.
By Ronni Newton
A West Hartford native is hoping for hometown support as she competes nationally for iHeartRadio’s Next Music Star title – and pursues her ultimate goal of a career as a singer-songwriter.
Kelsey Wiggin has already been gaining national attention, and made it through the first round of the iHeartRadio contest ended on Nov. 4. She is currently second in her group for the round that ends at 10 p.m. EST on Nov. 8, 2026, and must finish in first place to reach the next phase of the competition.
Wiggin is a 2026 graduate of Watkinson School, and currently in her first year at Berklee College of Music in Boston. The emerging singer-songwriter is known for her powerful vice and fresh perspective which explores the challenges of being a teen in today’s world through lyrics that are honest and relatable.
On her webpage, she notes that she has been performing and writing music for a long time, but recently realized how much she loves performing even if it’s not easy. “This past year I performed more than I have in my entire life and slowly that fear went away and I started to truly enjoy the feeling of being up on stage and connecting with the people in the audience. If I had to say my favorite thing about performing it would probably be watching everyone who is watching me and connecting with them on another level. Writing music is my happy place. There is nothing quite like writing a lyric or melody and instantly falling in love with it. Writing music is my outlet for all my feelings and always makes me feel better when I’m feeling down. I’ve always known I would pursue a life in music because it’s something that makes me happy and excites me,” she wrote in her bio.
The winner of the iHeartRadio Next Music Star competition will receive not only $10,000 but also a mentorship from Grammy Award-winning producers, and will have the opportunity to perform at iHeartRadio’s KIIS FM Jingle Ball Village in Los Angeles.
“I’m so excited to be participating in the Next Music Star Competition,” said Wiggin. “I hope my music is resonating with other teenagers going through similar challenges. This competition will give me a platform for more people to hear my music and feel seen and understood.”
Upcoming voting deadlines include:
- Group finals – Nov. 8
- Wildcard – Nov. 9
- Quarterfinals – Nov. 19
- Semifinals – Nov. 24
- Finals – Nov. 29
Click here to vote for Kelsey Wiggin in the iHeartRadio Next Music Star competition: https://thenextmusicstar.com/
Wiggin released her debut single, “Lucid Dream,” on Nov. 18, 2025, and her four-song EP, “Not So Young,” was released on June 5, 2026. The EP features “Lucid Dream,” “My Best,” “What It Takes,” and “Independent Woman In Love” on Spotify. For more about her musical journey, follow Kelsey Wiggin on Instagram.
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Nice to see. I was a friend of Jack Wiggin and played trumpet in the Talcott Jr High band and orchestra and the Conard High School band. (We were in the same grade.) And obviously with Jack on trombone. We both were also in the school orchestra, dance band, marching band, musical orchestra, and Connecticut All-State bands. Jack also made All-Eastern band. We even had a few performances at non-school events. Spent a bit of time at his home in Elmwood CT, basically taking a break on my way home from Talcott Jr. High, hopefully not disturbing his father, mother, and brother very much! I recall that he had a young sister born around that time.
Congratulations Kelsey! I hope you win! I’ll be praying you do! Such a nice accomplishment!
Congratulations!
Good job!