American Songwriter’s 2026 Road Ready Talent Contest has officially concluded. On March 31, fans packed The Basement East in Nashville to watch finalists Gabe Baker, Ava Valianti, and Moga Family Band battle out for the title.
Host Chris Killian got the crowd amped up before welcoming Baker, the night’s first performer, to the stage. Baker lit up the stage up with charisma and his signature soul-inspired sound. He particularly got the crowd going when he pulled out his cello and wowed with his skills.
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Next, Valianti, who’s just 16, impressed with a voice and songwriting skills that far exceed her age. Her first trip to Nashville was certainly one to remember, as the teen mesmerized the crowd with deeply personal songs and a stage presence to match.
The performances came to an end with Moga Family Band, a six-person grouping made up of Dekar Baker, Eric Fortaleza, Emme Cannon, Owen Fader, Jake Baynes, and Cav Mims.
The band got the crowd energized, particularly with their last song of the night, “What You Do When You Can’t.” The rollicking track showed off each member’s musicality and got the audience fired up to epic proportions.
And the Winner Is…
After the performances, Killian returned to the stage to announce the winner.
Baker was named the second runner up and Valianti the first. As such, Moga Family Band declared the winner of the 2026 Road Ready Talent Contest. Both runners up received checks for $5,000, while the victors walked away with $20,000.
“We always said that, where we want to be, we don’t wait till we get there. We want to act as if we’re already there,” Fortaleza said after the band’s big win. “We’ve been trying to do this for a very long time, and regardless if we won this or not, we want to be road ready anyway. We want to tour, and we’re gonna tour regardless, and now this helps. This makes it so much easier.”
Read on to see the best pics from the grand finale of the 2026 Road Ready Talent Contests.
2026 Road Ready Talent Contest Photos
Photos by Orchee Sorker