Maurices, the leading hometown specialty store and fashion authority, today announced Katrina Stone as the winner of Maurices "Hometown Sound" nationwide band search.

This past January, Maurices partnered with PlayNetwork and Sonicbids for the second year in a row to search for the hottest up-and-coming band in the country. After several months of competition among more than 800 bands, fans selected Denver native Stone. Her prize package includes opening for Hometown Sound partner artists Graffiti6 and Ximena Sariñana in an official SXSW daytime showcase on Thursday, March 15, at the Speakeasy.

The pop singer, who has been called "one of the most unique and inventive acts of tomorrow," has released one album.

"The Maurices Hometown Sound competition has been an incredible adventure for me and my fans," Stone said. "When I entered, I never imagined I would be the one musician who would walk away with such an extraordinary prize. My friends, family and fans made this possible for me and I cannot thank everyone enough."

In addition to her SXSW performance, Stone will receive a trip to Los Angeles to shoot a music video with PlayNetwork and will enjoy additional gifts from Maurices.

This year at SXSW, Maurices is launching its first-ever fully functional pop-up store, hosting the Maurices Artist Gifting Lounge at Terrace59, and serving as the presenting sponsor for the Girls Rock Camp Austin evening showcase. This official SXSW evening showcase on Friday, March 16, at Easy Tiger will benefit Girls Rock Camp Austin, a weeklong summer program for girls ages 10 to 18.

"We are thrilled to have completed another successful music contest and be back at SXSW for the second year in a row," said Lisa Bartlett, Maurices associate vice president of marketing. "It is very important for us as a brand to continue to look for ways to build strong connections with our customers through relevant media, including music. Katrina Stone has an amazing voice and we're excited to offer her the chance to further her career at one of the leading music festivals in the country."

Listen to Katrina Stone's music.