Young Songwriter Competition 2013
About
The Song Academy Young Songwriter competition seeks the next generation of songwriters with new fresh music from across the UK and aims to inspire 6-18 year olds to be creative & self-expressed through songwriting.
The competition is an exciting platform for aspiring young songwriters to have their songs heard by industry professionals, with a chance to release their own single. Both young people with previous songwriting experience and those who will be writing their first song are encouraged to enter.
We received hundreds of entries from across the UK of an extremely high calibre. The judges were hugely impressed by the high standard of entries to our Young Songwriter 2013 Competition and spent much time discussing entrants songs and passionately standing up for their favourites! Congratulations to our 2013 winners and runners up.
Eg White “Normally upon listening to the results of a songwriting competition, what comes across is how the competitors are trying to write commercial sounding music or impress with their cleverness or catchiness, but listening to these songs, I just really enjoyed the music, and could actually feel the people behind the songs, which has to be pretty close to the whole point of writing!”
Amy Studt “I think this is a fantastic way of young talent getting recognised and showcasing some of their work. I was in a songwriting competition when I was 12 and it really boosted my confidence and my belief in what I was doing. The talent this year had been fantastic and I have loved being a part of it”.
Denzyl Feigelson “I found the quality of songwriting to be surprisingly creative and quite advanced, yet refreshingly young and vibrant. The general and combined subject matter also gives one an indication of what 6-18 year olds are experiencing in their lives, and also the challenges they are having in today’s modern society. I also found some of the musicianship and raw talent to be exceedingly good. What a wonderful outlet for communication”.
Tom Robinson “It was most impressive to hear young writers singing or rapping about their own lives without any outside input or help from adults. It bodes well for the future of music in this country.”
6-12 YEARS OLD CATEGORY
WINNER
CRAZY LIFE – TYLAA FLEMING Listen to Tylaa’s recording at Universal Music’s studio
Runners up
You never said goodbye to me – Zada Dzihan
Luck Down – Eillis Cohen
13-18 YEARS OLD CATEGORY
WINNER
BLACKFIRE – ARCHIE FAULKS Listen to Archie’s recording at Universal Music’s studio
Runners up
Small Talk – Rebecca Clements
Utopian World – Malory Torr
Click here to listen to the finalists in the 6-12 years old category
Click here to listen to the finalists in the 13-18 years old category
MOST IMPRESSIVE VOCALISTS AWARDS
6-12 years old category
Winner
Kiera Osment with Become a little wiser
Highly Commended
Zada Dzihan with You never said goodbye to me, Eve Walker with Break Apart and Madeleine Hill, Yasemin Manisali & Maria Jose Hayaux du Tilly with Scars
13-18 years old category
Winner
Hannah MacLeod with Hunted Love
Highly Commended
Archie Faulks with Blackfire, Zoe Hodkinson with Atlantis, Saachi Sen with Dollhouse, Hannah Ellen Philips with Right at Home, Hannah Taylor with Broken Sticks, Harrison Bruce with Darker Shade, Benjamin Pavitt with Lights, Louis Coupe with The lonely days of a superman, Rebecca Clements with Small Talk and Charlie Leavy with Player 2.
2013 Judging Panel
Our 2013 judging panel includes the award winning songwriter & producer Fraser T Smith, responsible for such hit songs as Adele’s “Set Fire to the Rain”, James Morrison’s “Broken Strings”, and Taio Cruz’s “Break Your Heart”, other artists he has produced include Britney Spears, Kylie Minogue, Leona Lewis and Keane. Award winning songwriter and producer Eg White, primarily known for his work with successful commercial pop acts such as Rebecca Ferguson, Adele, Duffy, Will Young, James Blunt, Joss Stone, Natalie Imbruglia and James Morrison. Rob Davis, one of the most successful professional songwriters in Britain, writing Spiller’s ‘If This Ain’t Love’ and Kylie’s ‘Can’t Get You Out Of My Head’, co-written & co-produced with Cathy Dennis. Lyn Goddard hailed as a child prodigy Lyn at a young age was working the professional circuit making numerous television appearances impressing the likes of Yehudi Menuhin. She has written and produced for several pop acts including JLS and is currently working with Rebecca Knight and radio ones’ best newcomer Random Impulse, Barry Mason, one of the world’s leading songwriters, writing for Tom Jones, Rod Stewart, Barbara Streisand, The Drifters, The Fortunes and Elvis Presley, Denzyl Feigelson, advisor to Apple and iTunes and founder of AWAL (Artists without a label), Jamie Theakston, Heart FM, Tom Robinson, broadcaster and songwriter, hosting BBC Radio 6 Music, BBC Introducing and his own Saturday Night Music Show, Nicky Cox editor of First News, the leading children’s newspaper and the successful recording artist Amy Studt. Studt released her first single “just a Little Girl” in July 2002, to international success. The Mercury Prize nominated singer songwriter Lou Rhodes.
Prizes
The winners will be whisked away to Universal Music’s recording studio in London to record their winning songs with one of their top producers. In addition, a pair of tickets to the 2013 X Factor final or a pair of tickets to a secret gig before the final, courtesy of the show’s sponsor TalkTalk. Plus all entrants receive a 25% discount voucher from Roland. Runners up will receive certificates and constructive feedback on their songs by an industry professional.
Marketing Partners
Universal Music, First News, The Telegraph, Audioboo, Roland, The Education Company, Youth Music, Sing Up, TalkTalk, Rhinegold Publishing and Music Teacher Magazine.
