The Song Academy Young Songwriter 2024 live showcase

/in , , /by

A must see event to inspire musical & creative young people! The top finalists of The Song Academy Young Songwriter 2024 competition and special VIP guests will perform their original songs at the iconic Tabernacle in Notting Hill, London. The winners will be announced on the night. Don’t miss out, book your tickets soon!


The inspirational Song Academy Young Songwriter 2024 live showcase will be held on Saturday 21st September 7pm – 9:45pm at The Tabernacle, 34-35 Powis Square, Notting Hill, London W11 2AY. The Young Songwriter 2024 competition top finalists plus VIP guests will be performing their original songs live.

The showcase celebrates the inventiveness & creativity of young people and the power of songwriting to help young people find their voice and find their tribe. The future is bright and diverse!

We are delighted that the showcase will be compered by radio star Jodie Bryant and Song Academy team member, Lexi Du Buclet. Jodie is a leading figure in the UK’s music scene, known for her consistently sold-out events ‘Discover Live’ and her continuously expanding social media presence. She passionately champions the most promising emerging artists. Lexi is an R&B and soul singer-songwriter from Chicago. She has caught the attention of music industry leaders, landing her on stages and records and fostering her passion for writing music and singing from the heart. Lexi runs some of the Song Academy songwriting club, holiday workshops & songwriting workshops in schools.

The list of Young Songwriter 2024 young songwriters performing on the 21st September is shown below.

How to book your tickets

To book your seats at this unique event send an email to contact@songacademy.co.uk. Seats in the tiered seating cost £22.50 and for seats in the gallery are £17.50. All seats have an excellent view of the stage. There is limited availability so we suggest you book soon. E-tickets will be sent out the week before.

About The Young Songwriter 2024 competition

The Song Academy Young Songwriter competition is the leading international songwriting competition for young people aged 8-22. This year attracted over 1,000 high quality entries. Song Academy gives the unheard youth a voice and platform to express themselves and be heard. The standard of finalist songs entered this year was exceptionally high. To select the top songs we listened for inventiveness, creativity & bravery with lyrics & melodies illuminating our imaginations. Young people have a unique way of expressing themselves, they are a new generation experiencing life in the most vivid and visceral way.

SAYS24 Star Judges include Cathy Dennis, Lost Boy, MNEK, Eg White, Jimmy Napes, Naughty Boy, Emily Phillips, Plested, Jon Maguire, Nina Nesbitt, Connie Talbot, Kenny Barber and Dan Gillespie Sells.

Official sponsors of The Song Academy Young Songwriter 2024 competition are Shure, PRS for Music, YouTube Music, Focusrite, Soundtrap and ICMP.

Official partners are Ditto Music, IK Multimedia, Amazing Radio,First News, MUSIC:ED, songhouse, and Music News.

The winners will receive trophies designed & created by Finnian Feez a designer, musician, songwriter and graduate of Central Saint Martins.

SAYS24 prizes include a Focusrite Scarlet studio bundle (all-in-one studio recording set-up with Scarlett Solo interface, microphone and headphones) and Novation keyboard, Shure legendary SM58 and new MVX2U interface, a recording studio session with the top producer Charlie Thomas, one year membership of the Song Academy mentoring programme and performing at The Young Songwriter 2024 showcase.

Naughty Boy (songwriter, producer, DJ and SAYS24 judge) says “Young songwriters are the future of music. A great song will always stand the test of time far beyond our years. I think this competition is important because every songwriter I’ve worked with was always waiting to be discovered.”

Tom Odell (singer songwriter and Young Songwriter judge) said “When I was 13 years old I started writing songs, and over the following years I became more and more obsessed with it. But the thing that always kept me awake at night was how to get them out there for people to hear them. This is why I think the Song Academy Young Songwriter competition is a great way to inspire and help through this process, and it’s something I wish had been around when I was starting out.”

Many of our past finalists are now making waves in the industry, including Gayle, Matilda Mann, Oscar Lang, Lexie Carroll, Wasia Project, Cassa Jackson, Oscar Welsh, Natalie Shay, Joshua Shea, Tom A. Smith, Andrea Turk, Cathy Jain, Sebastian Croft, Miriam Nyarko, Sophie Griffiths, Rosie Sullivan, Melanie Baker, Alien Blaze, Sweet Mylo, Hetta Falzon, Conor Marcus, Sophie DeMasi & Mullally.    

Past Young Songwriter Live Showcase Performers

Dylan Roberts | Dylanroberts.co.uk

Young Songwriter 2024 Live Showcase Performers (not in running order)

FIRST KISS – BETHAN TUDOR

HEARTBREAK MELODIES – BEN M MANSELL

SORRY FOR YOUR LOSS – TESS GOODFELLOW

STARLIGHT OF MY LIFE – LEONORA SIMMONDS-HEINS

U AND I – REY

FELL FOR YOU – SAMUEL KHANNA

MAKE IT SLOW – LOIS BROOKS

PRINCESS – STORM HENSHAW

SHE KNOWS – THE MONUMENTALS

TEARING AT THE AIR – STRING ‘N’ BONE

WE NEVER SAW IT COMING – JOHNNY BEAU

A LETTER TO THE MOON – ISLA MAE

SCREEN SURRENDER – TAMSIN HENDIN

FRIO – CHUKSY AND DREAMM

GOD’S STARGIRL – SUFEEYAH

HIT REWIND – SAFFRON

LITTLE MAJOR – MIA WHITE

SERIOUS – SOPHIE FERIANI

SUMMER FEELING – JUST THE BRAVE

ALBATROSS – FREDDY GILLMORE

BO PEEP – JEM WAX

BREAKFAST ON THE ROOF – ELLIE EVANS

GIRL ON A WALK – HAMISH OGILVY

RIGHT HANDS – BORRELLE

SECONDS – JAS RATCHFORD

To book your seats at this unique event send an email to contact@songacademy.co.uk.

NOTES TO EDITORS:

SONG ACADEMY – The Sound Of Youth Empowement

Founded 15 years ago, Song Academy is the leading songwriting platform for young people aged 8-22. Our vision is for every young person, across all backgrounds to have faith in themselves.  Song Academy uses the power of songwriting and community to empower young people to express themselves, finding their voice and their tribe.

Song Academy programmes include weekly songwriting clubs, holiday workshops, summer camps, song feedback reports, school songwriting workshops, mentoring programme and The Young Songwriter competition.

We nurture the next generation of creative leaders (young songwriters, artists, musicians, producers & creative thinkers) who will be shaping the future. We believe that Song Academy makes a significant addition to the pipeline of new talented songwriters/artists/producers – creating a diverse and equal music industry where mental health is a priority.

The Young Songwriter 2025 competition is open for entries from the 1st February until the 31st March 2025. Get your songs ready!

TOP 5 SONGS OF THE YOUNG SONGWRITER 2024 COMPETITION

/in , , , /by

The Young Songwriter 2024 judges include: Eg White, Naughty Boy, MNEK, Lost Boy, Dan Gillespie Sells, Cathy Dennis, Plested, Jimmy Napes, Jon Maguire, Kenny Barber, Connie Talbot, Emily Phillips & Nina Nesbitt.

Drumroll please! The top 5 songs of the hotly contested Song Academy Young Songwriter 2024 competition, in its 14th year, have now been revealed. This year’s competition attracted over 1,000 high quality entries (a 20% increase on 2023) from aspiring young songwriters aged 8-22 across the world, both experienced young songwriters and those who’ve written their first song.  Song Academy is turning up the volume on empowering & uniting youth across the world!

The judges wanted to make a special note of how impressed they were with all top 10 songs and how all should be unbelievably proud. One judge saying “The creativity it takes at their age to have concepts and structures and composition, is outstanding”.

Emily Phillips, songwriter and lead judge of The Young Songwriter 2024 competition said “The judges final zoom meeting is the final frontier of judging. I as chair am faced with a panel of some of the most successful songwriters and producers in the world, some of whom I’ve had the honour of writing with myself! It is quite something to hear everyone’s thoughts on the songs, knowing they have paid their full attention to the finalists. Everybody’s reasons and feelings are aired and discussed, and between us we make the most democratic decisions possible. That said, there is an unquantifiable wildcard of a process going on, where intuition over judgement often wins the day, and on that basis, some unexpected songs push through at the last minute. It is an exciting meeting to have, and testament to Rowena’s (the founder of Song Academy) incredible energy, commitment and perseverance to ensure that the best young new songwriters are given a chance to be heard, enjoyed and admired.”

Past Young Songwriter finalists have included: Gayle, Matilda Mann, Oscar Lang, Lexie Carroll, Wasia Project, Cassa Jackson, Tom A. Smith, Natalie Shay, Joshua Shea, Andrea Turk, Oscar Welsh, Cathy Jain, Sebastian Croft, Sophie Griffiths, Rosie Sullivan, Melanie Baker, Sweet Mylo, Hetta Falzon & Conor Marcus.

The Young Songwriter 2024 competition attracted a diverse group of aspiring young songwriters, helped this year by the bursary from UK Music, the collective voice of the UK’s world-leading music industry. Gender breakdown was: 62% of entrants were girls, 32% boys, 6% preferred not to say or had a unique gender identification. Entries were from across the entire UK/Ireland (71%) and around the world (29%).  Age breakdown was: 11% aged 8-12, 21% aged 13-15, 41% aged 16-18 and 27% aged 19-22. 75% were from across the UK/Ireland (62% outside of London) and 25% internationally.

Listen to the finalist songs on the Song Academy SoundCloud account!  Plus the top 5 songs and young songwriters are SHOWN BELOW.

The top 5 finalists will be invited to perform at The Young Songwriter 2024 live showcase held at The Tabernacle, Notting Hill, London, on Saturday 21st September 2024.  In addition to these 20 finalists we’ve chosen another 5 finalists across the categories to perform. The winners will be announced on the night of The Young Songwriter 2024 showcase. Tickets to the showcase will be on sale from the 12th July. Click here for all information on The Young Songwriter 2024 live showcase and the invited line-up of performers.

The top 5 finalists of the international categories will be part of our online international showcase on Sunday 22nd September at 2pm GMT, with the winners being announced at the international showcase.

Stay tuned to our social channels to hear the announcements first!

Naughty Boy (songwriter, producer, DJ and SAYS24 judge) says “Young songwriters are the future of music. A great song will always stand the test of time far beyond our years. I think this competition is important because every songwriter I’ve worked with was always waiting to be discovered.”

The next opportunity for young songwriters aged 11-18 is joining one of our residential songwriting summer camp from 7-10th August, in Surrey. There are a limited number of places available so please contact us soon! Click here for more info on our songwriting summer camps.

In addition, we offer an insightful song feedback service at a discounted price for all SAYS24 entrants. Plus there are fantastic opportunities of joining our songwriting clubs and holiday workshops in the Autumn and our exclusive mentoring programme, Ad Lib. Click here for more information on how we can help you develop your songwriting talents. . Check out our website for all opportunities.

Official sponsors of The Song Academy Young Songwriter 2024 competition are Shure, YouTube Music, PRS for Music, Focusrite, Soundtrap and ICMP.

CATEGORY:  UK/IRELAND, 19-22 YEAR OLDS * TOP 5

ALBATROSS – FREDDY GILLMORE

BREAKFAST ON THE ROOF – ELLIE EVANS

GIRL ON A WALK – HAMISH OGILVY

RIGHT HANDS – BORRELLE

SECONDS – JAS RATCHFORD

CATEGORY:  UK/IRELAND, 16-18 YEAR OLDS * TOP 5

A LETTER TO THE MOON – ISLA MAE

FRIO – CHUKSY AND DREAMM

GOD’S STARGIRL – SUFEEYAH

LITTLE MAJOR – MIA WHITE

SCREEN SURENDER – TAMARA HENDIN

CATEGORY:  UK/IRELAND, 13-15 YEAR OLDS * TOP 5

FELL FOR YOU – SAMUEL KHANNA

MAKE IT SLOW – LOIS BROOKS

PRINCESS – STORM HENSHAW

TEARING AT THE AIR – STRING ‘N’ BONE

WE NEVER SAW IT COMING – JOHNNY BEAU

CATEGORY:  UK/IRELAND, 8-12 YEAR OLDS * TOP 5

FIRST KISS – BETHAN TUDOR

HEARTBREAK MELODIES – BEN M MANSELL

SORRY FOR YOUR LOSS – TESS GOODFELLOW

STARLIGHT OF MY LIFE – LEONORA SIMMONDS-HEINS

U AND I – REY

SELECTED UK/IRELAND FINALISTS TO ALSO PERFORM AT THE YOUNG SONGWRITER 2024 LIVE SHOWCASE

BO PEEP – JEM WAX

HIT REWIND – SAFFRON

SERIOUS – SOPHIE FERIANI

SHE KNOWS – THE MONUMENTALS

SUMMER FEELING – JUST THE BRAVE

CATEGORY:  INTERNATIONAL, 19-22 YEAR OLDS * TOP 5

I WROTE THIS SONG – LINDSAY LIEBRO

MY ????!!?!?? THERAPY – LAST MINUTE

OVERTHINK – MARLON VICENTINI

SERIOUS – QUEEN MAHORO

THIRTY SECONDS – ALEXINE

CATEGORY:  INTERNATIONAL, 13-18 YEAR OLDS * TOP 5

ETERNAL – EDEN

JUST A PHASE – SUMMER BENNETT

MATCHBOOK – SUMMER BRENNAN

WILDFLOWER – ZACHARY ZWELLING

WISHING STAR – DERE ARAT

CATEGORY:  INTERNATIONAL, 8-12 YEAR OLDS * TOP 5

HAPPILY EVER AFTER – LILIA ASHA WHEELER

HARD TO BREATHE – LEYLA SABO

THE TOP – MUTSAWASHE CHIPOYI

THIS IS ME – ANLI STRYDOM

WITHOUT YOU – ELLIE VERTIACHIKH

Paul Crognale, Associate Director, Global Marketing at Shure said “We are thrilled to join SAYS24 and empower the next generation of songwriters, producers, and musicians. While Shure has maintained its position as a leader in professional audio technology on the world’s biggest stages, we also want to recognize and support those starting out in their careers. By partnering with Song Academy, we have the chance to directly engage with young individuals, encouraging them to express themselves, be heard, and sound extraordinary.”

Kenny Barber, Relationship Manager – Black Music, PRS for Music, said: “In supporting the voices that will shape our future industry, PRS for Music is investing not just in music but in the dreams, aspirations, and boundless potential of the next generation of songwriters and composers. We look forward to hearing the unique melodies, harmonies and lyrics that are entered and encourage all young people to seize this opportunity and submit their original songs!”

Rowena Atkins, Founder & CEO of Song Academy said “The Young Songwriter 2024 competition is a golden opportunity for young people to not only get recognition for their creative talent but also connect and be inspired by other aspiring young songwriters writing songs in their bedrooms around the world. We vision a world where all young people feel confident in who they are, celebrating their individuality, feeling empowered by sharing what’s important to them and creating their united future.”

NOTES TO EDITORS:

SONG ACADEMY – The Sound Of Youth Empowement

Founded 15 years ago, Song Academy is the leading songwriting platform for young people aged 8-22. Our vision is for every young person, across all backgrounds to have faith in themselves.  Song Academy uses the power of songwriting and community to empower young people to express themselves, finding their voice and their tribe.

Song Academy programmes include weekly songwriting clubs, holiday workshops, summer camps, song feedback reports, school songwriting workshops, mentoring programme and The Young Songwriter competition.

We nurture the next generation of creative leaders (young songwriters, artists, musicians, producers & creative thinkers) who will be shaping the future. We believe that Song Academy makes a significant addition to the pipeline of new talented songwriters/artists/producers – creating a diverse and equal music industry where mental health is a priority.

TOP 10 SONGS OF THE YOUNG SONGWRITER 2024 COMPETITION

/in , , , /by

The Young Songwriter 2024 judges include: Eg White, Miranda Cooper, Naughty Boy, MNEK, Lost Boy, Dan Gillespie Sells, Cathy Dennis, Hannah V, Plested, Jimmy Napes, Jon Maguire, Connie Talbot, Emily Phillips & Nina Nesbitt.

Drumroll please! The top 10 songs of the hotly contested Song Academy Young Songwriter 2024 competition, in its 14th year, have now been revealed. This year’s competition attracted over 1,000 high quality entries (a 20% increase on 2023) from aspiring young songwriters aged 8-22 across the world, both experienced young songwriters and those who’ve written their first song.  Song Academy is turning up the volume on empowering & uniting youth across the world!

Emily Phillips, songwriter and lead judge of The Young Songwriter 2024 competition said “Each year, the hardest part of judging is selecting the top 10 from the top 30. By this point there is an attachment to all the chosen songs and therefore letting any go can be painful! The top 10 are carefully chosen to reflect the eclectic genres and the myriad qualities we are looking for within the songs. Originality, lyrical depth, melody, concepts, energy, confidence…the list goes on! The process of judging is not an exact science and given that the Beatles were turned down by 7 record companies, I hope the infallibility of the judges will give those whose songs haven’t made it to the top 10, even more confidence to continue writing. It is great fun judging the competition and I am so excited to have uncovered some wonderful talent and amazing new young writers. Good luck to everyone!”

Past Young Songwriter top 10 finalists have included: Gayle, Matilda Mann, Oscar Lang, Lexie Carroll, Wasia Project, Cassa Jackson, Tom A. Smith, Natalie Shay, Joshua Shea, Andrea Turk, Oscar Welsh, Cathy Jain, Sebastian Croft, Sophie Griffiths, Rosie Sullivan, Melanie Baker, Sweet Mylo, Hetta Falzon & Conor Marcus.

The Young Songwriter 2024 competition attracted a diverse group of aspiring young songwriters, helped this year by the bursary from UK Music, the collective voice of the UK’s world-leading music industry. Gender breakdown was: 62% of entrants were girls, 32% boys, 6% preferred not to say or had a unique gender identification. Entries were from across the entire UK/Ireland (71%) and around the world (29%).  Age breakdown was: 11% aged 8-12, 21% aged 13-15, 41% aged 16-18 and 27% aged 19-22. 75% were from across the UK/Ireland (62% outside of London) and 25% internationally.

Listen to the top 10 songs on the Song Academy SoundCloud account!  Plus the top 10 songs and young songwriters are SHOWN BELOW.

This year, since there are four age groups in the UK/Ireland category, we’ll be announcing the top 5 finalists in each category on the 11th July. These top 5 finalists will be invited to perform at The Young Songwriter 2024 live showcase held at The Tabernacle, Notting Hill, London, on Saturday 21st September 2024.  In addition to these 20 finalists we’ll choose another 5-10 other finalists across the categories to perform. The winners will be announced on the night of The Young Songwriter 2024 showcase. Tickets to the showcase will be on sale from the 12th July.

The top 5 finalists in each age group of the international category will also be announced on the 11th July. These top 5 finalists will be part of our online international showcase on Sunday 22nd September at 2pm GMT, with the winners being announced at the international showcase.

Stay tuned to our social channels to hear the announcements first!

Naughty Boy (songwriter, producer, DJ and SAYS24 judge) says “Young songwriters are the future of music. A great song will always stand the test of time far beyond our years. I think this competition is important because every songwriter I’ve worked with was always waiting to be discovered.”

The next opportunity for young songwriters aged 11-18 is joining one of our residential songwriting summer camps from 7-10th August, in Surrey and 14-17th August in North Yorkshire, UK. There are a limited number of places available so please contact us soon! Click here for more info on our songwriting summer camps.

In addition, we offer an insightful song feedback service at a discounted price for all SAYS24 entrants. Click here for more information on how we can help you develop your songwriting talents.

Official sponsors of The Song Academy Young Songwriter 2024 competition are Shure, YouTube Music, PRS for Music, Focusrite, Soundtrap and ICMP.

CATEGORY:  UK/IRELAND, 19-22 YEAR OLDS * TOP 10

ALBATROSS – FREDDY GILLMORE

BO PEEP – JEM WAX

BREAKFAST ON THE ROOF – ELLIE EVANS

CLOSE – LYDIA SHUTE

FREAK! – SHE’S MINE

GIRL ON A WALK – HAMISH OGILVY

MIRROR IMAGE – HARRY LUKE

RIGHT HANDS – BORRELLE

SECONDS – JAS RATCHFORD

YOU DON’T WANT ME ENOUGH – DAISY PEACOCK

CATEGORY:  UK/IRELAND, 16-18 YEAR OLDS * TOP 10

A LETTER TO THE MOON – ISLA MAE

BACK TO SOHO – BILLY HOWARD

DARKNESS OF DECEMBER – ALEX LYONS

FRIO – CHUKSY AND DREAMM

GOD’S STARGIRL – SUFEEYAH

HIT REWIND – SAFFRON

LITTLE MAJOR – MIA WHITE

SCREEN SURENDER – TAMARA HENDIN

SERIOUS – SOPHIE FERIANI

SUMMER FEELING – JUST THE BRAVE

CATEGORY:  UK/IRELAND, 13-15 YEAR OLDS * TOP 10

DROWNING IN LOVE – ARÑAV

FELL FOR YOU – SAMUEL KHANNA

MAKE IT GO SLOW – LOIS BROOKS

OH, THE SIMPLE THINGS – JOSEPH DAVIS

PRINCESS – STORM HENSHAW

SHE KNOWS – THE MONUMENTALS

SUPERNOVA – SAMMY ATTOUCHE

TEARING AT THE AIR – STRING ‘N’ BONE

WASTE OF TIME – CORA HARKIN

WE NEVER SAW IT COMING – JOHNNY BEAU

CATEGORY:  UK/IRELAND, 8-12 YEAR OLDS * TOP 10

BOOM BOOM NO – YAELLE PRELI

DAVE IN THE BUSH – DJANGO EVANS COHEN

FIRST KISS – BETHAN TUDOR

HEARTBREAK MELODIES – BEN M MANSELL

HEDGEHOGS – GRETA RAWSON-COURAGE

HELLO – GEORGE HILTON

PICK UP THE PHONE – MICHELE LEVINSKI

SORRY FOR YOUR LOSS – TESS GOODFELLOW

STARLIGHT OF MY LIFE – LEONORA SIMMONDS-HEINS

U AND I – REY

CATEGORY:  INTERNATIONAL, 19-22 YEAR OLDS * TOP 10

ALONE – TDM

CALIFORNIA – ALLY CRIBB

DIRECTIONS – MAYA

I WROTE THIS SONG – LINDSAY LIEBRO

LANDLINE – BENJAMIN LEUNG

MY ????!!?!?? THERAPY – LAST MINUTE

OVERTHINK – MARLON VICENTINI

POURING INTO YOU – ANGE-BELLA

SERIOUS – QUEEN MAHORO

THIRTY SECONDS – ALEXINE

CATEGORY:  INTERNATIONAL, 13-18 YEAR OLDS * TOP 10

DELUSION – EDIE YVONNE

ETERNAL – EDEN

JUST A PHASE – SUMMER BENNETT

LOST – ORYAN BOROCHOV

MATCHBOOK – SUMMER BRENNAN

PILE OF DOLLS – INDI-LEE

RAGNAROK COMES – LILIAN VAN WYK

TELL ME – CASSIA YAP

WILDFLOWER – ZACHARY ZWELLING

WISHING STAR – DERE ARAT

CATEGORY:  INTERNATIONAL, 8-12 YEAR OLDS * TOP 10

CHOOSE LOVE – REMY ADAIR

EVERYTHING IN THE WORLD – HARLEY DOW

HAPPILY EVER AFTER – LILIA ASHA WHEELER

HARD TO BREATHE – LEYLA SABO

NINE ONE ONE – SAGA

REALLY LIKE THE DAY – SIERRA

SHINE – AASTHA VAKIL

THE TOP – MUTSAWASHE CHIPOYI

THIS IS ME – ANLI STRYDOM

WITHOUT YOU – ELLIE VERTIACHIKH

Paul Crognale, Associate Director, Global Marketing at Shure said “We are thrilled to join SAYS24 and empower the next generation of songwriters, producers, and musicians. While Shure has maintained its position as a leader in professional audio technology on the world’s biggest stages, we also want to recognize and support those starting out in their careers. By partnering with Song Academy, we have the chance to directly engage with young individuals, encouraging them to express themselves, be heard, and sound extraordinary.”

Kenny Barber, Relationship Manager – Black Music, PRS for Music, said: “In supporting the voices that will shape our future industry, PRS for Music is investing not just in music but in the dreams, aspirations, and boundless potential of the next generation of songwriters and composers. We look forward to hearing the unique melodies, harmonies and lyrics that are entered and encourage all young people to seize this opportunity and submit their original songs!”

Rowena Atkins, Founder & CEO of Song Academy said “The Young Songwriter 2024 competition is a golden opportunity for young people to not only get recognition for their creative talent but also connect and be inspired by other aspiring young songwriters writing songs in their bedrooms around the world. We vision a world where all young people feel confident in who they are, celebrating their individuality, feeling empowered by sharing what’s important to them and creating their united future.”

NOTES TO EDITORS:

SONG ACADEMY – The Sound Of Youth Empowement

Founded 15 years ago, Song Academy is the leading songwriting platform for young people aged 8-22. Our vision is for every young person, across all backgrounds to have faith in themselves.  Song Academy uses the power of songwriting and community to empower young people to express themselves, finding their voice and their tribe.

Song Academy programmes include weekly songwriting clubs, holiday workshops, summer camps, song feedback reports, school songwriting workshops, mentoring programme and The Young Songwriter competition.

We nurture the next generation of creative leaders (young songwriters, artists, musicians, producers & creative thinkers) who will be shaping the future. We believe that Song Academy makes a significant addition to the pipeline of new talented songwriters/artists/producers – creating a diverse and equal music industry where mental health is a priority.

TOP 30 SONGS OF THE YOUNG SONGWRITER 2024 COMPETITION

/in , , , /by

The Young Songwriter 2024 judges include: Eg White, Miranda Cooper, Naughty Boy, MNEK, Lost Boy, Dan Gillespie Sells, Cathy Dennis, Hannah V, Plested, Jimmy Napes, Jon Maguire, Connie Talbot, Emily Phillips & Nina Nesbitt.

Drumroll please! The top 30 songs of the hotly contested Song Academy Young Songwriter 2024 competition, in its 14th year, have now been revealed. This year’s competition attracted over 1,000 high quality entries (a 20% increase on 2023) from aspiring young songwriters aged 8-22 across the world, both experienced young songwriters and those who’ve written their first song.  Song Academy is turning up the volume on empowering & uniting youth across the world!

Emily Phillips, songwriter and lead judge of The Young Songwriter 2024 competition said “Over 1,000 songs were submitted this year to The Young Songwriter 2024 competition. Once again I have had the privilege of discovering new talent in the next generation of young songwriters. It is the most amazing feeling to come across songs written by children, teenagers and young adults that make you stop and think, or lose yourself. The imagination of children knows no bounds and channelling this energy into songs is a wonderful and creative vehicle for self expression. The Song Academy is one of the leading platforms in the world for young people to find an audience for their songs, and also, for the young writers to benefit from a panel of experienced judges to help feedback and reflect on their work.

This year, as usual, the topics vary from the deeply personal, to family, to love, to anguish, to existential crises such as war or climate, to pure eccentric fun, and also to serious teenage issues. I get a real insight into the preoccupation of a generation, and sometimes I find that these feelings and ideas are written and recorded into something of great beauty. The production on some of the songs can be distracting from the pure analysis of a song, although at other times the production supports and makes the song. There are many variables at play when judging, so although I am listening out for great melodies, lyrics, concepts, structure, originality and musicality, there are other intuitive factors at play when I judge, which may lead me to choose a song which defies any logic or explanation, such is the enigmatic power of Music.

I, along with Song Academy, encourage all young songwriters to collaborate with other songwriters. Collaboration is a great way to increase the skillsets required to write, by giving songwriters instant feedback, more objectivity on ideas, the chance to share ideas and build upon them, to have fun while writing and also to learn from each others strengths and weaknesses. Despite songwriting and collaborating professionally for the last 17 years, I still look forward to every session and always learn from my co-writers.

I’d like to sum up by thanking Rowena who runs Song Academy for giving so many young writers the chance to have their songs shared and listened to, and for helping support and encourage the next generation of songwriters.”

The Young Songwriter 2024 competition attracted a diverse group of aspiring young songwriters, helped this year by the bursary from UK Music, the collective voice of the UK’s world-leading music industry. Gender breakdown was: 62% of entrants were girls, 32% boys, 6% preferred not to say or had a unique gender identification. Entries were from across the entire UK/Ireland (71%) and around the world (29%).  Age breakdown was: 11% aged 8-12, 21% aged 13-15, 41% aged 16-18 and 27% aged 19-22. 75% were from across the UK/Ireland (62% outside of London) and 25% internationally.

Listen to the top finalists’ songs on the Song Academy SoundCloud account!  Plus the top finalists’ songs and young songwriters are SHOWN BELOW. The International 8-12 year olds and 19-22 categories will wait until the top 10 announcements as they had fewer entries.

The top 10 finalists of all categories will be announced on the 11th June.  The UK/Ireland winners will be announced on Saturday 21st September 2024 at The Young Songwriter 2024 live showcase held at The Tabernacle, Notting Hill, London.  The International winners will be announced at the online showcase on Sunday 22nd September at 2pm GMT. Stay tuned to our social channels to hear the announcements first!

Naughty Boy (songwriter, producer, DJ and SAYS24 judge) says “Young songwriters are the future of music. A great song will always stand the test of time far beyond our years. I think this competition is important because every songwriter I’ve worked with was always waiting to be discovered.”

The next opportunity for young songwriters aged 11-18 is joining one of our residential songwriting summer camps from 7-10th August, in Surrey and 14-17th August in North Yorkshire, UK. There are a limited number of places available so please contact us soon! Click here for more info on our songwriting summer camps.

In addition, we offer an insightful song feedback service at a discounted price for all SAYS24 entrants. Click here for more information on how we can help you develop your songwriting talents.

Official sponsors of The Song Academy Young Songwriter 2024 competition are Shure, YouTube Music, PRS for Music, Focusrite, Soundtrap and ICMP.

CATEGORY:  UK/IRELAND, 19-22 YEAR OLDS * TOP 30

ALBATROSS – FREDDY GILLMORE

ALL MY GHOSTS ARE BLEEDING – RUBY COOKE

AMBIVALENT LOVE – CHARLIE HEWLETT

BEAUTIFUL CLOUD – LEO MAIN

BO PEEP – JEM WAX

BREAKFAST ON THE ROOF – ELLIE EVANS

CLOSE – LYDIA SHUTE

COMFORT CHAOS – ROMY TAYLOR

DOWN LOW – ED GENT

EVERYBODY NEEDS SOMEBODY – JAKE ST ANGE

EVERYDAY PEOPLE – NAT DEMPSEY

FREAK! – SHE’S MINE

GIRL ON A WALK – HAMISH OGILVY

GRACEFUL TOUCH – ANNEKA SHELLEY

GREENER – CONNIE CLAXON

LANDMINES – ISOLABELLA

LIFE LINE – JAKE THOMPSON

MIRROR IMAGE – HARRY LUKE

PHOEBE – BEA PENGELLY

POINT OF VIEW – FLINTZ AND T4YLOR

RIGHT HANDS – BORRELLE

SECONDS – JAS RATCHFORD

SPACEMAN – TABLE 4 1

STILL ASKING WHY – DANNY CLEMENT

TANGLED – EVE CHRISTINA

THIS TOO SHALL PASS – HOLLY LAWLESS

VILLAIN – MALAIKA

VOID – CHESS

WHAT’S A GIRL GONNA DO – MARIANNE LEIGH

YOU DON’T WANT ME ENOUGH – DAISY PEACOCK

CATEGORY:  UK/IRELAND, 16-18 YEAR OLDS * TOP 30

A LETTER TO THE MOON – ISLA MAE

ADDICTED – SAMUEL HANN JONES

AFTERLIFE – OSCAR BROWN

AUTUMN OF ADOLESCENCE – ASHER SAIPE

BACK TO SOHO – BILLY HOWARD

BRUNETTE EXPERIMENT – LYLA FOREMAN

CASINO – GAIA & ANNIE

DARKNESS OF DECEMBER – ALEX LYONS

DOLLS HOUSE – SASHA FORD

FRIO – CHUKSY AND DREAMM

GOD’S STARGIRL – SUFEEYAH

GOOD GIRL BAD – LARA, GEORGIE & VERSHANTI

GOODBYE – LAUREN HOBBS, BETHAN ESDAILE

HEADLIGHTS – NOT SO CLEVER BAND

HIT REWIND – SAFFRON

HOPELESS – FLO WILKES

I BET YOU KNOW – LAUREN ROSE

I’LL LOVE YOU JUST THE SAME – BENJY SAIA

KNIVES – DAISY

LITTLE MAJOR – MIA WHITE

LITTLE THINGS – LIZZIE HILL

MOON EYES – SHAAN BHASKAR

PIECES – TERI OFON

SCREEN SURENDER – TAMARA HENDIN

SERIOUS – SOPHIE FERIANI

SUMMER FEELING – JUST THE BRAVE

TEMPORARY REMEDY – ETHAN LAW

THE GOLDEN DAYS – CARA FLYNN

THIS LIFE TODAY – THE CHYNES

WRONG PLACE WRONG TIME – KITTY CROCKER

CATEGORY:  UK/IRELAND, 13-15 YEAR OLDS * TOP 30

BEING YOU – NAD

CANDLES – JAYDEN M

CARBON MONOXIDE – OLIVIER DANTE

DESPERATE – MAYA MARTIN

DROWNING IN LOVE – ARÑAV

FELL FOR YOU – SAMUEL KHANNA

FORGIVENESS – ISLA JADE

HELPING HAND – NOAH BEHAN

HYMN FOR YOUR TOWN – KIT BOTTOMLEY

JOURNEY – JOSIAH CASTRO

LIFE LIKE THIS – SHANELLE AND MICHELLE

LIFE WORTH LIVING – ROBBIE HOPE

LOOK UP HIGH – SHANELLE RUDRIGO

MAKE IT SLOW – LOIS BROOKS

MARY – LILY-MAE

NOT ENOUGH – ROBYN JONES

OH, THE SIMPLE THINGS – JOSEPH DAVIS

OLD SOLDIER – JOEL WOODSHORE

PRINCESS – STORM HENSHAW

SAVE YOU MONEY – SHOEHORN

SHE KNOWS – THE MONUMENTALS

SOMEONE IN TUNE – JACK STRICKLAND

SUBMERGED – WILLOW WHITLEY

SUPERNOVA – SAMMY ATTOUCHE

TATTOOED SKIN – ROMY WOODWARD

TEARING AT THE AIR – STRING ‘N’ BONE – BEN GUTHRIE AND HUGO GUTHRIE

TYPE OF DAYS – THE HEIGHT

WASTE OF TIME – CORA HARKIN

WE NEVER SAW IT COMING – JOHNNY BEAU

WHY DO WE WHISPER – BENEFIT OF THE SHOUT

CATEGORY:  UK/IRELAND, 8-12 YEAR OLDS * TOP 30

‘CAUSE I LOVE YOU – AMBER RUSHER

ALONE – ELENI VAROUTSI

BACK UP SINGER – ELISA MCEVOY

BETTER WORLD – MAYA DICKIE KEDAR

BOOM BOOM NO – YAELLE PRELI

CLOSED DOORS – WILLOW LLEWELYN

DAVE IN THE BUSH – DJANGO EVANS COHEN

FIRST KISS – BETHAN TUDOR

FOUR SEASONS – MICHELLE GOSSEN

HEARTBREAK MELODIES – BEN M MANSELL

HEDGEHOGS – GRETA RAWSON-COURAGE

HELLO – GEORGE HILTON

I DON’T THINK YOU’RE ANYWHERE – BETTY ABLETT

IT TAKES LOVE – LEO NADARAJAH

OCEAN – CHARLEY

PICK UP THE PHONE – MICHELLE LEVINSKI

PLANE – AYONA ELLORA

RAT-A-TAT TAT – ALANNAH GEORGE

REBORN – GEORGIA RUSSELL

REGRET – HARRIS HUNTER

SORRY FOR YOUR LOSS – TESS GOODFELLOW

STARLIGHT OF MY LIFE – LEONORA SIMMONDS-HEINS

THE BEACH  – HORATIO WILMOTT

THE POWER – HELENA NISSAN

THINK OF YOU – EDITH UNDERHILL

U AND I – REY

WALLS – JAHNEL MARSEGLIA MENDY

WEDNESDAYS – LILY CLARKE

WRITTEN IN THE COSMOS – MILO DELLAL

YOU WANNA LOOK AT STARS – MAX OVENDEN

CATEGORY:  INTERNATIONAL, 13-18 YEAR OLDS * TOP 30

10 YEARS – ZIPZ

ALL OF US – MASON TRUEBLOOD

AVALANCHE – RENYI LIU

BETTER DAY – MONIQUE RASO

CALL IT LIKE IT IS – ORION OVERSTREET

DELUSION – EDIE YVONNE

DON’T WANNA KNOW – CHARLOTTE MOORE

DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY – ADDILY 

ETERNAL – EDEN

FAH – PREMCHAI SNIPER

HAPPY DAYS – SONG SISTERS

HE’S ABLE – JANESSA SMITH

HELEN – SARAH PARMET

HOW DO YOU KNOW – NÚRIA FOREMAN

JUST A PHASE – SUMMER BENNETT

LIKE A HAIRPIN – SIAN

LOST – ORYAN BOROCHOV

MATCHBOOK – SUMMER BRENNAN

MY BEST – TINA LAROSA

PICTURE ME – MEGAN CHIPOYI

PILE OF DOLLS – INDI-LEE

RAGNAROK COMES – LILIAN VAN WYK

SUGARPILL – CORA BURCH

TELL ME – CASSIA YAP

WATCHING YOU BE YOUNG – KIRRA ALEXIS

WILDFLOWER – ZACHARY ZWELLING

WILL YOU BE MINE – ELKA VANEVSKI

WISHING STAR – DERE ARAT

WISHING YOU LOVE – TRIOFECTA

YOU ALREADY GOT MY HEART – SARAH MAY

Paul Crognale, Associate Director, Global Marketing at Shure said “We are thrilled to join SAYS24 and empower the next generation of songwriters, producers, and musicians. While Shure has maintained its position as a leader in professional audio technology on the world’s biggest stages, we also want to recognize and support those starting out in their careers. By partnering with Song Academy, we have the chance to directly engage with young individuals, encouraging them to express themselves, be heard, and sound extraordinary.”

Kenny Barber, Relationship Manager – Black Music, PRS for Music, said: “In supporting the voices that will shape our future industry, PRS for Music is investing not just in music but in the dreams, aspirations, and boundless potential of the next generation of songwriters and composers. We look forward to hearing the unique melodies, harmonies and lyrics that are entered and encourage all young people to seize this opportunity and submit their original songs!”

Rowena Atkins, Founder & CEO of Song Academy said “The Young Songwriter 2024 competition is a golden opportunity for young people to not only get recognition for their creative talent but also connect and be inspired by other aspiring young songwriters writing songs in their bedrooms around the world. We vision a world where all young people feel confident in who they are, celebrating their individuality, feeling empowered by sharing what’s important to them and creating their united future.”

NOTES TO EDITORS:

SONG ACADEMY – The Sound Of Youth Empowement

Founded 15 years ago, Song Academy is the leading songwriting platform for young people aged 8-22. Our vision is for every young person, across all backgrounds to have faith in themselves.  Song Academy uses the power of songwriting and community to empower young people to express themselves, finding their voice and their tribe.

Song Academy programmes include weekly songwriting clubs, holiday workshops, summer camps, song feedback reports, school songwriting workshops, mentoring programme and The Young Songwriter competition.

We nurture the next generation of creative leaders (young songwriters, artists, musicians, producers & creative thinkers) who will be shaping the future. We believe that Song Academy makes a significant addition to the pipeline of new talented songwriters/artists/producers – creating a diverse and equal music industry where mental health is a priority.

No barriers to entering The Young Songwriter 2024 competition

/in , , /by

Break barriers, break beats: UK Music offers 100 bursary entries to The Young Songwriter 2024 competition 

Exciting news for equal opportunity!  UK Music, the collective voice of the UK’s world-leading music industry, is offering a bursary to support 100 aspiring young songwriters from the UK to enter The Young Songwriter 2024 competition!

Thanks to UK Music’s support, these 100 sponsored song entries are exclusively for aspiring songwriters aged 8-22 who are facing obstacles in participating in The Young Songwriter 2024, yet are passionate about songwriting and sharing their voices with the world.

To take advantage of this offer please send an email to contact@songacademy.co.uk asking for a free entry.

In its 14th year The Song Academy Young Songwriter 2024 (SAYS24) competition is the world’s leading songwriting competition for young songwriters to get their songs heard by leaders in the industry, get recognition & connect to a talented tribe of young songwriters across the world – as well as winning some incredible prizes. Prizes include a Focusrite Scarlet studio bundle (all-in-one studio recording set-up with Scarlett Solo interface, microphone and headphones) and Novation keyboard, Shure legendary SM58 and new MVX2U interface, a recording studio session with a top producer, one year membership of the Song Academy mentoring programme and performing at The Young Songwriter 2024 showcases. SAYS24 is aimed at both aspiring young songwriters who already have some experience, and those writing their first song!

The Young Songwriter 2024 judges include: Eg White, Miranda Cooper, Naughty Boy, MNEK, Lost Boy, Dan Gillespie Sells, Cathy Dennis, Hannah V, Plested, Jimmy Napes, Jon Maguire, Connie Talbot, Emily Phillips & Nina Nesbitt.

We’re looking for pure, fresh songwriting talent. Songs will be judged on their originality, lyrics, melody, composition, and potential to be a smash hit! Songs can be across all music genres and be about anything. There’s no need to enter professional recordings, however a good recording can help to enhance the impact of songs.

You can enter up to 5 individual songs and up to 5 songs written as a group. To enter you’ll need to submit an mp3 audio recording and your lyrics for each song. Entry is via an online form on our website. The entry fee per song without the bursary is £10 per song. Click here for all information and how to enter.

The official sponsors of The Young Songwriter 2024 competition are Shure, PRS for Music, Focusrite, Soundtrap and The Institute of Contemporary Music & Performance (ICMP).

NOTES TO EDITORS:

SONG ACADEMY – The Sound Of Youth Empowement

Founded 15 years ago, Song Academy is the leading songwriting platform for young people aged 8-22. Our vision is for every young person, across all backgrounds to have faith in themselves.  Song Academy uses the power of songwriting and community to empower young people to express themselves, finding their voice and their tribe.

Song Academy programmes include weekly songwriting clubs, holiday workshops, summer camps, song feedback reports, school songwriting workshops, mentoring programme and The Young Songwriter competition.

We nurture the next generation of creative leaders (young songwriters, artists, musicians, producers & creative thinkers) who will be shaping the future. We believe that Song Academy makes a significant addition to the pipeline of new talented songwriters/artists/producers – creating a diverse and equal music industry where mental health is a priority.

The Young Songwriter 2024 competition is OPEN for entries!

/in , , /by

Song Academy champions the next generation of creative leaders. Our mission is to inspire and connect the millions of young people across the world already writing songs in their bedrooms, as well as encourage all musical & creative young people who haven’t started writing their own songs, to write their first song!

The Young Songwriter 2024 judges include: Eg White, Miranda Cooper, Naughty Boy, MNEK, Lost Boy, Dan Gillespie Sells, Cathy Dennis, Hannah V, Plested, Jimmy Napes, Jon Maguire, Connie Talbot, Emily Phillips & Nina Nesbitt.

Good news! The Young Songwriter 2024 competition #SAYS24 is now open for entries!  We’re calling all aspiring young songwriters, artists, musicians & producers aged 8-22 to get their original songs ready and enter via our website at https://www.songacademy.co.uk/says24/

In its 14th year The Young Songwriter 2024 (SAYS24) competition is the world’s leading songwriting competition for young songwriters to get their songs heard by leaders in the industry, get recognition & connect to a talented tribe of young songwriters across the world – as well as winning some incredible prizes. Prizes include a Focusrite Scarlet studio bundle (all-in-one studio recording set-up with Scarlett Solo interface, microphone and headphones) and Novation keyboard, Shure legendary SM58 and new MVX2U interface, a recording studio session with a top producer, one year membership of the Song Academy mentoring programme and performing at The Young Songwriter 2024 showcases. SAYS24 is aimed at both aspiring young songwriters who already have some experience, and those writing their first song!

We’re looking for pure, fresh songwriting talent. Songs will be judged on their originality, lyrics, melody, composition, and potential to be a smash hit! Songs can be across all music genres and be about anything. There’s no need to enter professional recordings, however a good recording can help to enhance the impact of songs.

You can enter up to 5 individual songs and up to 5 songs written as a group. To enter you’ll need to submit an mp3 audio recording and your lyrics for each song. Entry is via an online form on our website. We’ve created some excellent songwriting resources for beginner to advanced young songwriters at https://www.songacademy.co.uk/songwriting-resources-for-young-people/

The official sponsors of The Young Songwriter 2024 competition are Shure, PRS for Music, Focusrite, Soundtrap and The Institute of Contemporary Music & Performance (ICMP).

The stars align for Song Academy with SAYS24 judges including: MNEK – ‘Head & Heart’, ‘Where Did You Go?’ (written for: Zara Larsson, Dua Lipa, Joel Corry, Jax Jones, Beyoncé, Jess Glynne, Anne-Marie, Stormzy, Becky Hill, KSI, Mabel, Sigala, Rudimental, Jonas Blue, Little Mix, Selena Gomez, Olly Alexander, Craig David), Lost Boy (written for: Calvin Harris, Kylie Minogue, Tate McRae, Jung Kook, Ava Max, Sabrina Carpenter, Zedd/Kehlani and Bebe Rexha, Griff, Tom Grennan,  Lewis Capaldi, Ellie Goulding, Rita Ora and K-Pop stars IVE), Naughty Boy – ‘La La La’ feat Sam Smith,  ‘Runnin’’ (‘Lose It All) feat Beyoncé (written for: Emeli Sandé, Chipmunk, Tinie Tempah, Alesha Dixon, Professor Green, Tinchy Stryder, Rihanna, Cheryl Cole, Bastille). Eg White (written for: Adele, Sam Smith, Florence + The Machine, Dua Lipa, Pink, Olivia Dean, Tom Odell, Natalie Imbruglia, Ellie Goulding, Tom Misch, Jason Mraz, Joss Stone, James Blunt, John Legend, Tom Grennan, Paloma Faith, Celiné Dion James Morrison, Sigrid, Nick Jonas, Stormzy), Jimmy Napes (written for: Sam Smith, Disclosure, Clean Bandit, Taylor Swift, Tori Kelly, Mabel, Alicia Keys, Jessie Ware, Ellie Goulding), Miranda Cooper (written for: Girls Aloud, Sugababes, Alesha Dixon, Pet Shop Boys, Griff, Maisie Peters), Emily Phillips (written for: Florence + The Machine, Sigrid, John Newman, Rizzzle Kicks, Nicole Scherzinger, SOAK, Ruti, Connie Talbot), Cathy Dennis (written for: Kylie Minogue, Katy Perry, Britney Spears, Kelly Clarkson, Clay Aiken), Plested (written for: Lewis Capaldi, Little Mix, Anne Marie, Niall Horan, Dermot Kennedy, David Guetta, Marshmello, Kygo, The Chainsmokers, Bastille, Clean Bandit, Mimi Webb, Calum Scott, James Bay), Nina Nesbitt, – ‘The Best You Had’  (written for: Ronan Keating, The Shires, Sigala, Jessie Ware). Dan Gillespie Sells, The Feeling band, – ‘Fill My Little World’, Connie Talbot – ‘Growing Pains’, Jon Maguire (written for: Calum Scott, Kodaline, Jax Jones, Rita Ora, The Stickmen Project, Scouting For Girls).

Amy Wadge (songwriter) ‘It’s been an absolute privilege to listen to so much young talent, this competition is so important not only to showcase young talent but to also give an opportunity to be heard by the music industry from a young age – I’m very confident that the future of music is in some of the songwriters I’ve listened to for this!”

Fraser T Smith (songwriter, & producer) says “With so much going on in the world, it’s never been more vital for young people to be able to channel their energy and emotions into something positive, which is what The Young Songwriter competition encourages and facilitates through songwriting. Every young person has something to say, a story to tell, or a message to share – that’s why Song Academy is so important to our community.”

Naughty Boy (songwriter, producer & DJ) says “Young songwriters are the future of music. A great song will always stand the test of time far beyond our years. I think this competition is important because every songwriter I’ve worked with was always waiting to be discovered.”

Tom Odell (songwriter) says “When I was 13 years old I started writing songs, and over the following years I became more and more obsessed with it. But the thing that always kept me awake at night was how to get them out there for people to hear them. This is why I think the Song Academy Young Songwriter competition is a great way to inspire and help through this process, and its something I wish had been around when I was starting out.”

Paul Crognale, Associate Director, Global Marketing at Shure said “We are thrilled to join SAYS24 and empower the next generation of songwriters, producers, and musicians. While Shure has maintained its position as a leader in professional audio technology on the world’s biggest stages, we also want to recognize and support those starting out in their careers. By partnering with Song Academy, we have the chance to directly engage with young individuals, encouraging them to express themselves, be heard, and sound extraordinary.”

Kenny Barber, Relationship Manager – Black Music, PRS for Music, said: “In supporting the voices that will shape our future industry, PRS for Music is investing not just in music but in the dreams, aspirations, and boundless potential of the next generation of songwriters and composers. We look forward to hearing the unique melodies, harmonies and lyrics that are entered and encourage all young people to seize this opportunity and submit their original songs!”

Rowena Atkins, Founder & CEO of Song Academy said “The Young Songwriter 2024 competition is a golden opportunity for young people to not only get recognition for their creative talent but also connect and be inspired by other aspiring young songwriters writing songs in their bedrooms around the world. We vision a world where all young people feel confident in who they are, celebrating their individuality, feeling empowered by sharing what’s important to them and creating their united future.”

NOTES TO EDITORS:

SONG ACADEMY – The Sound Of Youth Empowement

Founded 15 years ago, Song Academy is the leading songwriting platform for young people aged 8-22. Our vision is for every young person, across all backgrounds to have faith in themselves.  Song Academy uses the power of songwriting and community to empower young people to express themselves, finding their voice and their tribe.

Song Academy programmes include weekly songwriting clubs, holiday workshops, summer camps, song feedback reports, school songwriting workshops, mentoring programme and The Young Songwriter competition.

We nurture the next generation of creative leaders (young songwriters, artists, musicians, producers & creative thinkers) who will be shaping the future. We believe that Song Academy makes a significant addition to the pipeline of new talented songwriters/artists/producers – creating a diverse and equal music industry where mental health is a priority.

Get ready to enter The Young Songwriter 2024 competition (SAYS24)

/in , , /by

Not long until SAYS24 is open for entries on the 1st February until the 31st March 2024! If you’ve never written a song before we can help you write your 1st song, if you’re already writing your own songs we can help make them the best they can be! We are passionate about young people expressing themselves and getting their voices heard.

In its 14th year The Young Songwriter 2024 (SAYS24) competition is the world’s leading songwriting competition for young aspiring songwriters, aged 8-22 (under 23 years), to get their songs heard by leaders in the industry & connect to a talented community of young songwriters across the world – both aspiring young songwriters who already have some experience, and those writing their first song!

We are uplifting and empowering songwriters/creatives of the future.

What to write your first song?

Check out our songwriting for beginning short & fun video course.

Sign up to our holiday songwriting workshops at the end of December (online or in London)

Join our weekly songwriting clubs from January 2024

Want to make sure your songs are the best they can be to enter SAYS24?

Check out our insightful song feedback service

Sign up to our holiday songwriting workshops at the end of December (online or in London)

Join our weekly songwriting clubs from January 2024

Calling aspiring young songwriters aged 8-22 around the world!

SAYS24 has 6 categories for young people worldwide: UK/Ireland 8-12 year olds, UK/Ireland 13-15 year olds, UK/Ireland 16-18 year olds, UK/Ireland 19-22, International 8-12 year olds, International 13-18 year olds and International 19-22 year olds.

SAYS judges have included, Calum Scott, Tom Grennan, GRACEY, Janet Devlin, Grace Davies, Imelda May, Midge Ure, Tom Odell, Jamie Scott, Imogen Heap, Chris Difford, Conor Maynard , James Walsh, Jin Jin, Fraser T Smith (Adele, Stormzy, Dave, Sam Smith, Ed Sheeran, Aitch, Mabel, Lily Allen, Rag ‘n’Bone Man, Taio Cruz, Tinchy Stryder, James Morrison, Arlo Parks), Amy Wadge (Ed Sheeran, Janelle Monae, Keith Urban, Ella Henderson, Labrinth, Birdy, Jason Mraz, Jessie Ware, Sam Ryder), Miranda Cooper (Girls Aloud, Sugababes, Griff, Maisie Peters), Plested (Lewis Capaldi, Little Mix, Anne Marie, Niall Horan, Dermot Kennedy), Jimmy Napes (Sam Smith, Disclosure, Clean Bandit, Taylor Swift), Emily Phillips (Florence and the Machine, Rizzzle Kicks, SOAK, Connie Talbot), Hannah V (Stormzy, JP Cooper), Eg White (Adele, Sam Smith, Florence & The Machine, Dua Lipa, Pink, Olivia Dean, Sigrid, Nick Jonas, Stormzy), and Simon Aldred (Liam Gallagher, Rag’n’Bone Man, Celeste, Avicii, James Bay).

Outstanding UK/Ireland finalists perform at The Young Songwriter 2024 showcase

And importantly, for all aspiring young songwriters to feel creative & inspired

Check out our new merchandise…hoodies, t-shirts, notebooks etc to express yourself with ease!

Latest information on The Young Songwriter 2024 competition

Check out our Young Songwriter 2024 competition page and stay tuned to our social media platforms – Instagram (song_academy) and Facebook, Twitter (SongAcademyUK).

Songwriting programmes for beginners to advanced young songwriters

/in , , , , , , , /by

We run songwriting programmes tailored for every stage of the songwriting journey – from total beginners to songwriting (Vol.1), those who’ve just started (Vol.2) and those who’ve been writing songs for a while (Vol.3). Check our which programmes are best for you and read our songwriting resources to make your songs the best they can be!

Click here to check out all songwriting programmes and resources.

Want to win The Young Songwriter 2024 competition?

/in , , , , /by

Every year we get asked the questions “what type of song should I enter into The Young Songwriter competition?” and “do you have any songwriting tips?” so we thought we would put together some ideas and guidelines to help you write a winning song!

The main things that we listen out for when judging The Young Songwriter competition entries are captivating melodies, evocative lyrics, a coherent structure, a catchy chorus, emotive performances, clever use of rhyme, a sense of anticipation, and strong concepts.

It’s important to say at the outset that songs which break all the rules and defy any expectation can be the biggest hits of all! Therefore, in as much as there are so called ‘rules’, feel free to bend and break them if you feel inspired to!

The power of songwriting is that no matter what inspired the songwriter to write a song, the listener interprets the song in their own unique way, and finds strength from the message and connection.

Here are some elements of the songwriting process which we think are important:

Have a strong theme/concept

One of the key components, and biggest challenges, of songwriting is trying to express common, relatable feelings in an original and interesting way. The more inventive you can be when describing your feelings or experiences (for example, the pressures and joys of growing up and living in our society), the better. It’s a great way to express yourself by talking about issues you are passionate about in an engaging way.

Young Songwriter competition entries always cover a huge spectrum of topics, from personal experiences and feelings, to wider issues involving the writer’s communities, or even the entire world. Looking back on prior years, a popular theme was the state of the planet and awareness of environmental issues such as climate change. Another theme that came up a lot was mental health, with songs exploring anxieties, depression, drugs, death and high expectations. We also received many entires that explored the need be who you are, embrace your individuality and go for your dreams. Many songs took a stand for equality and freedom from barriers. Love and heartbreak always feature highly in Young Songwriter entries, with many different spins: we broke up, we’re breaking up, we’re about to break up, we’re not going to break up, I wish I could break up with you, we didn’t break up, I wish I had someone to break up with. Also, songs about the pain of toxic relationships and unrequited love.

But not all songs have to be dramatic and poignant – many people wrote songs about aspects of everyday life, like nature, sunlight, boredom, society, the stars, anything! Through lyrics and harmony the seemingly banal can sometimes be lifted onto another plain. It is great to be able to find inspiration in ordinary things, and it’s an amazing skill to be able to present those things in a way that people find exciting.

Plested, one of the fabulous Young Songwriter competition judges gave a great songwriting tip ‘Try to find a word or a phrase that a lot of people say in everyday life but not many people have sung about”, then write a song about it.

Come up with an interesting song title

A song title is almost like a book cover, so make it interesting! Compare a heartbeat to a flashing light or the feeling of losing fear by roaring it away – the more inventive the concept around the ordinary, the better. Think of recent hits Dark Horse, Wrecking Ball, Pompeii – interesting titles and concepts talking about everyday feelings to do with fear, love and empowerment. It can also be a good way to start a song, having a strong title that sets the theme of the song can inspire more lyrics around it!

We’ve had many interesting song titles in The Young Songwriter competition past entries, including; Biting Into Ice, Concrete Sheets, Sneaks & Geeks, Dead Plants, Like Lava, T-shirt, Packet Full Of Noodles, Armour, Paperclips, Shine in the Darkness, Blue Fingertips, Burnt Peaches, Lies In Makeup, Sungrazer, Hijacked By Parasites, Reset, Little Alchemy, Dopamine, Me Myself and I, Mrs Ocean, Keyboard Warrior, Battlecry, Muddy Clear, Growing Gills, Swim Against The Stream, Muddy Boots & Messy Hair, Ode To Ego, Painting With Colour, Helvetica, Puppeteer, Head Full Of Clouds, Same Blood, Mindless Town, Can’t Buy Forgiveness, Cat And Mouse, Fading Rainbow, The Taste Of Dust.

Make the first four lines agree with your title

The great songwriter Ralph Murphy says it very well in his books on the laws of songwriting – if the first four lines of your first verse can link back to your title then you’re onto a winner. Take for example Roar by Katy Perry:

I used to bite my tongue and hold my breath,
Scared to rock the boat and make a mess,
So I sat quietly,
Agreed politely,

Now you’re gonna hear me roar.

You create an expectation, and then you fulfil it. By doing this, you never lose sight of the message of your song, you keep in mind what you’re trying to say by always referring back to the title, thus never losing your listeners’ attention or the concept you’re expressing in your song. It also helps emphasise the message of the song and helps people remember it!

Have a good song structure

Here’s an example of a great song structure:

Introduction — An opening passage, either instrumental or vocals without lyrics

Verse I — Introduces the song’s message and sets the scene

Pre Chorus — Link between the verse and chorus
— Builds up both melodically and lyrically

Chorus — Main message of the song
— Catchiest part and most memorable part of the song (normally includes a ‘hook’)
— Most dynamic part of the song

Verse II — Continuing the explanation of the song

— Solidifying the message and introducing new imagery

— Lyrics change, melody stays broadly the same as verse 1, but you can tweak it a bit to keep it interesting!

Bridge or Middle Eight — A contrasting section that brings the song to a new level

— Rhythmically and melodically the song changes

— Looking at the message from a different view point
— Can build up tension leading up to the climax of the song

Chorus — Repeat (can add hooks to the outro of it)
Outro — The closing passage. It can be instrumental or vocal

Write engaging lyrics

Young Songwriter finalists write lyrics that show the listener a scene unfolding rather than simply telling the listener how they feel. American songwriter Jason Blume, who has had hits with Britney Spears and the Backstreet Boys, says whilst there are no rules to songwriting, there are tools to help you craft that perfect hit. And all you need is a simple AID – action, imagery, detail.

Action:

Use verbs (action or doing words) to help illustrate what is going on in your song. For example, instead of saying ‘I miss you and I’m sad’, try and show what missing someone and being sad looks like :

  • ‘I wipe the tears falling from my eyes’
  • ‘I clutch a tear stained picture of you’
  • ‘I drove by where we first met’
  • ‘I couldn’t walk through the door where we said our last goodbye’

The action words are ‘wipe’ ‘clutch’ ‘drove’ ‘walk’.

And instead of saying ‘I love you’ or ‘I’m in love’, why not show what a person in love does?

  • ‘I wrote our names inside a heart, engraved upon a tree’
  • ‘I hand picked and carried home 100 flowers for you and put a vase in every room’
  • ‘I sing your name like a favourite song’

The action words are ‘wrote’ ‘picked’ ‘carried’ and ‘sing’.

Write a list of action words down before starting on your next song and try and use at least 5 of them in your next song to show what your feeling.

Imagery:

Blume says ‘whilst you cannot see heartbreak you can see the images and actions that convey that a person is heartbroken’:

  • ‘She fell to her knees, laying flowers on his grave’
  • ‘He kisses her photo’
  • ‘His tears hit the floor like a waterfall of pain’

The images are ‘knees’ ‘flowers’ ‘grave’ ‘photo’ ‘tears’ ‘floor’ ‘waterfall’. Blume also states that by including ‘tangible items’ and nouns in your lyrics like ‘furniture, clothing, a car, a house, a specific place, food’, you enable your audience to enter your song.

Along with your list of action words, try and write down a list of images and every day nouns to try and include in your next song.

Detail: 

This is the third part of AID that will help you to show your listener what is going on in your song. This time we’re searching for adjectives and adverbs to help the listener visualise your song more clearly. For example, if we were to go one step further with some of our examples from the Imagery section above and add a bit more detail to the floor, or the grave, you have something like this…

  • ‘She falls to her knees on the cold, muddy ground and lays white lilies on his grave’
  • ‘He tenderly kisses the photo of their wedding day in his old rocking chair’
  • ‘His bitter tears slowly hit the wooden floor of his kitchen, like a cascading waterfall of pain’

Even with a few additional adjectives and adverbs, the scenes are much clearer to visualise; you can hear the creak of the old rocking chair, you can taste the bitter tears that fall onto the floor and see him in the kitchen, you can feel the cold muddy ground that she falls to – instantly you have transported your listener directly into the scene of your song, as if they are there with the singer, watching over what is happening.

So next time you’re stuck for lyrics, all you need is a little AID to help you on your way!

Play around with new melodies and chord sequences

Play around with different combinations until your find the melody you’re looking for. Choose a key for your song and then try out the I, IV and V primary chords as well as the  II III, VI and VII chords.

Hooks

It has been said that the most successful ABBA songs have 5 hooks in each of their songs. A hook is a musical idea, melodic instrumental part, rhythmic phrase or a vowel/consonant sound or word repeated, that catches the ear of the listener to draw them into the song and helps to create its ‘catchiness’. According to popular commercial music today, the more hooks you can introduce throughout the song, the catchier it will be, because it’s constantly enticing the listener and, most importantly, keeping them interested. Listen to the start of Dancing Queen and the vocal ‘ahh’s and piano part before the hooky first line of the chorus, or Jessie J’s Price Tag (It’s all about the money, money, money/We don’t need your money, money, money). Other songs with simple but strong hooks include One Kiss by Calvin Harris featuring Dua Lipa, or Call Me Maybe by Carly Rae Jepsen.

A lot of hooks are incredibly simple and may even be made by manipulating vocal parts, cutting them up or re-pitching them in an interesting way, songs that do this include Latch by Disclosure featuring Sam Smith, or Stay High (the Hippie Sabotage remix of Habits) by Tove Lo. Try and think about hooks for your own song, either lyrically, melodically or instrumentally. They can be incredibly simple and consist of a couple of notes, or a bit more interesting, just make sure they stick in your head!

Rhythm

Rhythm is an important part of many songs, it’s what makes people dance, or makes them nod their head and tap their feet. A solid rhythm can be a hook in itself, and it will lay the foundation on which to base the rest of your song around. It will also determine what kind of song it is, is it a fun, dancey song that makes you want to dance, like Get Lucky by Daft Punk? Or is it a slow, wistful song that people will sway along to, like Imagine by John Lennon? It could even be a fast, uptempo song that sounds exciting and triumphant, like Feel The Love by Rudimental ft John Newman.  If the aim is to make the listener dance, try writing a song to the BPM of 120. If you’re writing a romantic acoustic song, experiment with different time signatures like 6/8 as this will get people swaying along to your song!

Another thing to experiment with is using triplets, it can open up a whole new world of melodic and rhythmic possibilities! A good example that we mentioned in the previous section about hooks is Latch by Disclosure featuring Sam Smith, you’ll hear the hi hat doing triplet rhythms where traditionally for that genre you would expect an even number of hi hats (either quarter notes, eighth notes or sixteenth notes).

Beats and rhythms also don’t have to be perfectly on beat, and often a beat that makes you want to dance will be a ‘swing’ or ‘shuffle’ rhythm, this is a technique that changes the length of notes to create a more uneven but interesting rhythm. An example of a swung rhythm is Ex’s and Oh’s by Elle King, hear how some of the hits are slightly late which gives a driving feel to the song.

Production

The Young Songwriter competition entries are mainly judged on the song itself rather than the production, but there are some entries that use the production to help present their song in a stronger way. For example, a more pop/electronic entry might rely on solid drum sounds and more bass than an acoustic entry. Both are totally acceptable approaches and it’s important to note that you do not need incredible production skills and a top mix in order to submit a successful song, many of the best songs ever written would still be just as good whether they were produced fully or just played on one instrument!

Recording

We receive many different styles of recordings, many people record themselves at home, even in their bedroom with a phone! We understand that not everyone has access to recording studios or fancy equipment, and much like the production, if your song is strong it will shine even without an expensive or time consuming recording process. The most important thing is that the recording is clear enough for our judges to hear the individual parts, try to avoid recording in noisy environments that may make your recording difficult to hear, or distract from the song itself. You can record elements separately and combine them in a DAW (SoundTrap, Logic, Pro Tools, Reaper, Ableton or any other suitable software) or record with one microphone in one go, whichever you feel most comfortable with!  If recording onto voice memos be sure to sing as clearly as possible as the judges don’t want to miss out on hearing your amazing lyrics. That goes for all recordings.

THE POWER OF SONGWRITING IS THAT NO MATTER WHAT INSPIRED THE SONGWRITER TO WRITE A SONG, THE LISTENER INTERPRETS THE SONG IN THEIR OWN UNIQUE WAY, AND FINDS STRENGTH FROM THE MESSAGE AND CONNECTION.

Check out our insightful song feedback service to make sure your songs are the best they can be before entering The Young Songwriter 2024 competition!

More information on The Young Songwriter 2024 competition.

The Young Songwriter 2023 Live Showcase

/in , /by

The Song Academy’s nurturing community cultivates a supportive environment for budding young creatives navigating the demands of growing up in today’s world. The Young Songwriter 2023 showcase brought together a special community of young songwriters, all saying how important the competition is to them – important in building their confidence, levelling up their songwriting, giving them a platform to express themselves, building friendships with peers and a support network for their musical journey.

The sound of instruments. The golden glow of stage lights. The distant echoes of vocalists warming up, and the hustle and bustle of young creatives as one by one they climb the stage to sound check. 30 young songwriters (the top 10 young songwriters in each age category) of The Young Songwriter 2023 UK section (8-12, 13-15 and 16-18 year olds) are getting ready to perform their original songs.

There’s an extraordinary energy that fills the Tabernacle, Notting Hill, that only can be described as electric. Months of creating, producing, writing, fine tuning and rehearsing has led to this pivotal moment for the young performers.

Having made it into the final of The Young Songwriter competition 2023, a mixture of nerves, excitement and anticipation seem to be the overarching emotions felt by the finalists.

When asked how they wrote their songs, the answers seemed to reflect so accurately the spontaneous minds of budding creatives. Some wrote their songs in their bedroom on a whim at three in the morning! Others had been working away at lyrics and melodies they’d had stuck in their head for months.

However, regardless of how these songs were written, what was incredible was to see the final versions performed with such conviction. Especially for some of the younger finalists, where it was their first ever performance in front of a live audience. The confidence that they found, as they navigated each note, was inspiring and evoked a similar response from the audience who overflowed the auditorium as showtime drew closer.

A big thank you to The Young Songwriter 2023 sponsors, Yamaha, Focusrite, YouTube Music, ICMP, Soundtrap and PRS for Music for supporting us to inspire and nurture the next generation of songwriters/artists/producers/young creatives.

Despite the fact that they were technically each other’s competition, the supportiveness found within the conversation of the contestants was a true testament to the encouraging nature of the community that Song Academy has created. Having built strong connections within the music industry now for 14 years, Song Academy has its own identity which is all about nurturing the creative, and you can see that expressed in spades at this event.

This support system seems to be ever more important and relevant as the way art and information are now being digitally consumed is changing so rapidly, and the environment seems to be edging further and further away from protecting the quality of art itself.

With the age of performers ranging from 8-18 years old, the level of maturity across all age groups and subject matters discussed in each song, was a true testament to each writer. A particular stand out was a song written by Kacia aged 16 who created a track delving into the complexities and culture surrounding knife crime. ‘Doing it for clout’ was a mature and lyrically strong perceptive on a challenging topic. To hear young writers express and explore these heavy subject matters at such a young age, was an insight into a generation clearly aware and conscious of current affairs and their repercussions within a wider context of society.

The Young Songwriter 2023 winners are:

16-18 year old category: Matt Jones – ‘Beauty’

13-15 year old category: Macy O – ‘Love Rampage’

8-12 year old category: Agnes Bull – ‘Cat Laws’

As young creatives enter the industry, Song Academy looks to lay strong roots at the beginning of their musical journey. Nurturing and encouraging each creative, whether they develop into a writer, artist, musician or producer. We can’t wait to see what 2024 brings for Song Academy, as well as the young songwriters it supports.

Finnian Feez, designer/songwriter and graduate of Central Saint Martins said at The Young Songwriter 2023 showcase “Each trophy has a different graphic inside them, all similar – signifying your shared goal and love of music, but each is unique, because, you’re all unique, and that is something that needs to be celebrated and encouraged to filter into your songwriting.

These empty boxes are a metaphor. They stand for the fact that no physical object will be the reason for you creating a song. Whether a guitar, piano, drum, synthesiser, whichever instrument it is, they’re just empty boxes – it’s what you have within you that leads to the creation of a song. So these trophies are a token of that message.

The trophies are made from recyclable or compostable materials and can be dismantled and rebuilt to clean or replace parts if needed.”

“It feels incredible. I honestly can’t believe I’m here, and to think my song made it into the final just feels surreal. Thank you for putting this event on and giving young creatives the chance to express themselves.” Isla

GET LATEST NEWS FIRST. JOIN OUR MAILING LIST.

’SIGN

Media infoPrivacy policyChild protection & safeguarding policyTerms & conditionsCookie policyContact

our sponsors

 

© Copyright 2024 Song Academy. All rights reserved