Hard Rock Rising - R1

21 hours ago
3 min read

Competition can do funny things to musicians. It can sharpen them, focus them, push them into the red — or, occasionally, get inside their heads before they have even walked through the door.

That was the slightly surreal starting point for Round One of Hard Rock Rising at Hard Rock Cafe Valencia last night, with Nohe and Sita Rizzi eventually taking to the stage after Jhay Onex, scheduled as part of the opening battle, was unable to make it. The pressure had got to him before the first note was played and he didn't turn up, leaving the night with an unexpected twist before the competition had properly begun.

And perhaps that's the first lesson of Hard Rock Rising: this isn't just another gig. There is something very different about walking onto a stage knowing that the people standing in front of you aren't simply there to listen — they're there to judge. Every note, every vocal, every move and every moment of connection counts, with the audience given the final say through the public voting system.

Thankfully, Nohe and Sita Rizzi looked more than ready for the fight...

Nohe delivered a confident performance that showed exactly why artists like this belong in a competition designed to put emerging talent under the spotlight. There was plenty of personality in the set, but more importantly there was the sense that this was an artist who understood the value of the moment. No hiding behind the band, no waiting for the audience to come to them — the performance demanded attention.

Then came Sita Rizzi, who ultimately walked away with the biggest prize of the night: the public vote and a place in the final. The bands performance had the combination that these competitions are built around — musicianship, presence, personality and that indefinable quality that makes people in a room decide they want to see you again. The audience clearly agreed, and when the votes were counted, Sita Rizzi emerged as the winner of Round One.

The atmosphere throughout the night was one of the best parts of the whole thing. Fans had clearly come out in force for their respective artists, creating the kind of partisan but good-natured energy that makes a battle of the bands genuinely entertaining. Every cheer mattered. Every vote mattered. And suddenly the room wasn't just a venue — it was part gig, part competition arena, part very noisy democracy.

That's what makes Hard Rock Rising interesting. The audience isn't simply there to clap politely at the end. They're the jury. The voting system scores artists across areas including musicianship, vocal talent, originality, stage presence and fan support, meaning the bands have to bring considerably more to the table than a couple of decent songs.

For Sita Rizzi, that equation worked. They now moves forward to the Hard Rock Rising Final, carrying the momentum of Round One with her and knowing that the stakes will only get higher. For Nohe, there is plenty to take away from a strong performance, while Jhay Onex is left with the rather brutal reality that sometimes the toughest opponent isn't standing on the other side of the stage — it's the pressure in your own head.

Round One, then, belonged to Sita Rizzi. But more importantly, it showed that Hard Rock Rising has the potential to be something genuinely worthwhile for Valencia's emerging music scene. Give hungry artists a proper stage, put their fans directly into the equation and make the result depend on what happens in the room rather than what happens on a streaming platform. Suddenly, things get interesting.

Round One is over. Sita Rizzi is through. The microphone is now officially a weapon.

Check out Sita Rizzi here: Sita Rizzi

And for more information: Hard Rock Cafe Valencia