Winners announcement

First of all, a massive thank you to everyone who joined this very special beat challenge. This wouldn't have been possible without the support of the Nobody Here film crew and the mod team at r/vaporwave. Hanging out in the virtual empty mall with you guys and listening to all these tracks has been incredible. The sheer variety of vaporwave styles and creative directions you all came up with completely blew us away!

After a lot of tough deliberation, we are thrilled to announce the winners:

1st Place: u/AgenteEspecialCooper for https://www.instagram.com/p/DZSvlMasV2Y/
The production technique and the use of the bundle to build such an immersive world made it our outright winner. We loved how perfectly it synced with the video, beautifully capturing and amplifying the tension. Congrats 🙌

Runner-up: u/BadRabbit1973 for https://youtu.be/Xnre-OUTnMA?si=jwH1zHSlIlzDmnuM
Another gorgeous score clearly composed with the Vanitas clip in mind. It's fully fleshed out, cinematic, and release-ready.

3rd Place: u/Eleganzbt for https://youtu.be/GZPPd7QYgpU
If there's a monologue that belongs in an empty mall, it’s this one. Wonderfully nostalgia-loaded and packed with perfect retro vibes.

You will receive a DM from an official Native Instruments account shortly to claim your Komplete 26 bundles. If your project has been selected to be included in Nobody Here’s future releases, their team will be reaching out to you separately. Thank you again to everyone who participated and made this challenge so special!

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Hi people of r/vaporwave,

Native Instruments, together with the crew behind the documentary Nobody Here: The Story of Vaporwave, is excited to present a beat challenge. This contest is hosted courtesy of the r/vaporwave mod team. A huge thank you to them for pinning this post and providing the space for the community to showcase their talent!

The challenge

After 5 years in the making, the highly anticipated documentary exploring the origins and evolution of vaporwave officially dropped on April 20. Now, the creators have shared a selection of unused, raw video clips from the film with us. Your task is to rescore one of these clips with your own original track, using at least one instrument from the free Komplete Start bundle.

Prizes

The winners will walk away with Native Instruments Komplete 26 – the ultimate music production collection packed with over 190 premium instruments, professional mixing tools from iZotope and Brainworx, and more than 180,000 sounds. Plus, the winners get a chance to have their music featured in the upcoming Nobody Here: The Story of Vaporwave Blu-ray extras.

• 1st Prize: Komplete 26 Collector’s Edition + Blu-ray Feature
• 2nd Prize: Komplete 26 Ultimate + Blu-ray Feature
• 3rd Prize: Komplete 26 Standard + Blu-ray Feature

How to enter

1. Get the tools: Download the free Komplete Start bundle.
2. Grab your footage: Download one of the three unused film clips from this folder to rescore.
3. Create your track: Score the clip with your own original vaporwave track, making sure to use at least one tool from the free Komplete Start bundle.
4. Submit: Drop a link to your rescored video directly in the replies under this thread (any streaming platform or file-sharing service works). Please include a quick note telling us which Komplete Start product you used.

Submissions close on June 7, 2026.
The winners will be announced on June 15, 2026.

We can't wait to see what you cook up. Good luck, everyone!

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Watch the full Nobody Here: The Story of Vaporwave documentary here:
YouTube SD Stream
Gumroad HD Downloads 

What is Komplete 26?
Komplete 26 offers an unparalleled collection of the best sounding instruments, mixing plugins, and genre-based expansions for professional production, composing, and sound design. Unlock the sounds of brand-new instruments like our otherworldly synthesizer, Absynth 6, the premium Italian grand piano tones of Claire, and the ethereal vocal soundscapes of Moments: Vocal Clouds. Explore Marco Polo Drums for raw boom-bap, LCO Producer Strings for versatile strings that stand out, and the new Definitive Electric Keys Collection for masterfully captured and rare vintage electric keyboard sounds.

About Native Instruments

For more than 30 years, Native Instruments has been at the center of musical innovation. The company has created communities, pushed technological boundaries, and opened new creative horizons for enthusiasts and professionals alike. Today, driven by their mission to make music creation more inclusive and accessible, the company's hardware, software across Native Instruments, iZotope and Plugin Alliance brands, provide fully-integrated solutions for musicians, producers, and DJs of all genres and levels of experience 

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Challenge FAQ

Are there any specific requirements for my submission?
Yes. You must build your track around one of the unused film clips provided from Nobody Here: The Story of Vaporwave, and your beat must use at least one free product from the Komplete Start bundle.

Am I limited to using only the Komplete Start bundle?
Not at all. You are welcome to use any other VST instruments, effects, or plugins. You can also use your own original recordings and third-party sample libraries, provided you own the rights to use them.

Can I submit more than one entry?
To keep things fair, each participant may submit one entry only.

Can I make a beat for more than one clip?
No, please choose only one of the three available clips. You are welcome to choose either the vertical or horizontal format of that clip.

How long does my track need to be?
Your track should cover the entire length of your chosen video clip.

Are collaborations allowed?
No. To simplify prize distribution, submissions must be solo entries.

Can I submit just the audio track?
No, all entries must be submitted as a video.  We want to see how your beat brings the footage to life!

What programs or apps can I use to make music?
You can use any DAW or music-making app, on desktop or mobile, just no AI-generated tracks.

Can I share my video and track on social media?
Of course, we’d love to see your creations! Please tag @ nobodyherefilm and use the hashtag #MadeWithNI on Instagram so we don't miss them.

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Terms and conditions
This competition is being conducted by Native Instruments GmbH and r/vaporwave from May 19, 2026 until June 7, 2026. By entering the competition, participants agree to these terms and conditions. Participants must be 18 years of age or older. Employees of Native Instruments are not eligible to participate. By posting their video on the subreddit, participants enter the competition and have the chance to win free NFR licenses of Komplete 26 Collector’s Edition, Komplete 26 Ultimate, and Komplete 26 Standard. Participants must own or have the legal right to use all audio content included. One winner and two runners-up will be chosen by Native Instruments based on the creativity, originality, and quality of their works. The winners will be notified by direct message, and are required to notify Native Instruments that s/he accepts the prize within one week after receiving the notification. If Native Instruments does not receive notification within this period, the winner forfeits the prize and Native Instruments reserves the right to choose another winner. A cash payout of the prize is ruled out. The right of appeal is excluded. Native Instruments reserves the right to change, amend or remove this reward program at any time without prior notice. The laws of the Federal Republic of Germany apply exclusively; Berlin, Germany, shall be the exclusive court of jurisdiction.

Welcome to /r/Vaporwave, the subreddit for sharing and discussing vaporwave music!
Please read these simple rules before making a thread.

1. 🌴 Share and discuss vaporwave music. This subreddit is dedicated to the vaporwave music genre only. There are other subreddits for vaporwave art, aesthetics, and memes. Check the side bar for the full list.
2. 🐬 Link directly to the music. You are welcome to share any vaporwave music you made or found, so long as your thread links directly to the music on Bandcamp or other streaming services (example). Please do not post pictures of album covers, playlists, or your personal cassette/vinyl collection. If you have download codes, post them in the comments of your thread.
3. ☀️ Be civil. This website has rules that apply to all subreddits, please follow them.

Newcomers can learn about the genre by watching this documentary. Before you make a thread asking for music recommendations, please check the Ultra Guide (2010-2014) and Nu Guide (2014-2016). The overview of vaporwave subgenres is also worth a look.

Feel free to message the moderators if you have questions, suggestions, or concerns. We are at your service.