From Atlantic City to the World: Kathleen Elle Wins Hard Rock Rising!

Hey Folks,

How cool is this, folks? A New Jersey singer-songwriter who won the Hard Rock Rising competition right here in Atlantic City has been named the 2026 Hard Rock Rising Global Champion! And here’s what makes this especially exciting for me: I had the pleasure of hosting the Atlantic City competition where Kathleen Elle earned her spot on the international stage. What started as a local music competition became a worldwide victory. That’s something worth celebrating!

A Jersey Girl Takes on the World

Kathleen Elle is a singer-songwriter from East Brunswick, New Jersey, whose music blends pop, rock, folk and soul. She’s known for her vocals, original songwriting and live looping performances, where she builds layers of music right in front of an audience. Her latest album, Memory Lane, was recorded at Blackbird Studio in Nashville. In our interview, Kathleen said she has been making original music for more than 16 years. This victory reflects years of developing her craft, writing songs and pursuing opportunities.

On September 23, Kathleen won the Atlantic City round of Hard Rock Rising, a worldwide competition organized by Hard Rock Cafe and Coca-Cola. In our interview, I recalled more than 80 entries for the Atlantic City portion of the competition. Kathleen advanced through the Atlantic City competition and earned the chance to represent our city on a much bigger stage. And she didn’t stop there.

From Atlantic City to Global Champion

This was no small competition, folks. Hard Rock Rising brought emerging artists together from 64 Hard Rock Cafes across 34 countries, giving talented musicians a shot at taking their careers to another level. Kathleen came out on top! Her global grand prize includes:

• $10,000 in prize money
• A professional recording session at Coke Studio L.A. Live in Los Angeles, plus distribution of her music across major streaming platforms
• A performance at Hard Rock Orlando — with Mike highlighting the exciting prospect of appearing as an opening act for a major performer
• Additional career-building opportunities through the competition

For an independent musician working to get her original music heard, that’s a tremendous opportunity.

Watch: My Interview with Kathleen Elle

I caught up with Kathleen at Hard Rock Cafe in Atlantic City to talk about the win, the work behind it and what comes next. Watch our four-minute conversation below.

Watch the interview on YouTube

The Stories Behind Her Songs

Kathleen described the win as validating after years of hard work, and said competing with original music gave her a chance to connect with other bands. She named Taylor Swift, Carole King and James Taylor among her songwriting influences, and shared a moment that helped her understand the power of lyrics: after she wrote a song at 16 that became an anti-bullying anthem, someone reached out online to tell her how much those words meant to them. That response helped convince her to pursue music and pay close attention to what her songs convey.

She also talked about the many jobs an independent musician handles, from social media and songwriting to recording technology. Working with industry professionals offers the chance to focus on being the artist. Kathleen said she has visited the Hard Rock stage in Orlando, making the prospect of performing there and sharing her music with a larger audience especially exciting.

Why This Is Such a Great Atlantic City Story

One thing I love about Atlantic City is that there’s always something happening here that reaches far beyond the Boardwalk. We talk about the major concerts, casinos, restaurants and entertainment, but sometimes the biggest stories start on a smaller stage with someone chasing a dream. That’s why competitions like Hard Rock Rising matter. Hard Rock Atlantic City provided a stage, local fans helped choose a winner, and a New Jersey musician carried that opportunity all the way to a global title.

Congratulations, Kathleen Elle! You’ve made New Jersey and Atlantic City proud!

Check Out Kathleen’s Music

If you haven’t heard Kathleen yet, now’s a great time to discover her. Visit the official Hard Rock Rising winner page to learn more about Kathleen and find her music on Spotify. Kathleen told us listeners can find her music on Spotify and Apple Music, and follow Kathleen Elle on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok for original songs, covers and a look at life as a full-time musician.

There are also more photos from her Atlantic City celebration in the Hard Rock Rising event gallery.

What’s Coming Up?

The 2026 Hard Rock Rising competition has wrapped up, but Hard Rock is already inviting artists and fans to sign up for news about the next competition. Check the official Hard Rock Rising website for upcoming announcements, registration dates and locations as they’re released. We’ll keep an eye on Kathleen’s next chapter, too.

Help Us Grow The AC Mike Community

Know someone who loves great music or a feel-good New Jersey success story? Share this newsletter with friends, family or coworkers! Every share and subscription helps us spotlight more of the people, places, businesses and positive stories that make South Jersey special.

If someone forwarded this newsletter to you, subscribe to the AC Mike newsletter here so you don’t miss what’s happening in our community. Thanks for being part of the AC Mike family!

Live-Work-Play-AC!
See you on the 48

AC Mike