Your Shot is doubling its footprint for its second U.S. season, expanding the DJ development program into Denver and Miami while bringing back its original editions in Los Angeles and New York. The announcement marks a significant step up for a program that only launched stateside last year but has already built a track record of turning bedroom producers into festival openers.
Your Shot is a training and mentorship initiative built specifically for aspiring DJs, pairing participants with industry mentors and gear before culminating in showcase weekends where a winner gets crowned in front of thousands. It’s part talent search, part crash course in the realities of playing out.
The program’s first U.S. run brought in more than 500 first-time DJs and wrapped with showcase weekends across LA and New York that drew a combined 10,000-plus attendees. Two female DJs, Jelly Bean and Punky Butter, came out on top of that inaugural class. Both are set to parlay that momentum into opening slots at Elements Music & Arts Festival and CRSSD Festival this year, real festival credits that go well beyond what most mentorship programs actually deliver.
Heading into 2026, Your Shot is leaning into that growth with some notable equipment upgrades. AlphaTheta, the company behind Pioneer DJ gear, is expanding its involvement by supplying mixers and controllers nationally, while Sony joins as a new partner through its ULT POWER SOUND speaker line and pro audio headphones. The idea is to get participants working with the same professional-grade gear they’d encounter in actual club and festival settings, rather than training on entry-level equipment and hoping the transition to a real stage works itself out.
Interest in the program has already outpaced last year’s numbers well before the new season even kicks off. More than 8,300 people have pre-registered nationally, a jump that lines up with the decision to add two new markets rather than simply repeat the LA/NYC format.
Registration for the 2026 season is open now, with in-person selection dates rolling out across all four cities starting in late August:
- August 22 – Bar Standard – Denver, CO
- August 29 – M2 Nightclub – Miami, FL
- September 12 – Catch One – Los Angeles, CA
- September 19 – Elsewhere – Brooklyn, NY
Prospective DJs interested in trying out can register through Your Shot’s official site ahead of their city’s selection date.
