The Song Academy launches Young Songwriter 2016 Competition

The Song Academy Young Songwriter 2016 Competition sponsored by PRS for Music is launched.

Now in it’s 5th exciting year, from February 1st, the prestigious Song Academy Young Songwriter Competition 2016 is officially open for entries from across the UK and Ireland.We are starting our search for the UK’s top young songwriters. Could this be you?

 If you’re aged between 7 and 18 and love writing your own original songs, then enter our Young Songwriter competition before the 9th April 2016 for the opportunity to:

• have your songs heard by industry professionals
• stand out from the crowd
• release your own professionally recorded single at a top recording studio in London
• win 4 tickets to Beautiful – The Carole King Musical in London
• win a Yamaha reface concept keyboard and Farida guitar & host of other fabulous prizes
• perform at Westfield London in our Young Songwriter 2016 showcase
• be part of a vibrant community of young songwriters who love writing their own songs

This year’s star-studded panel of judges includes:

Singer songwriters Tom Odell, Rumer, Lou Rhodes, James Walsh, Grammy award & Ivor Novello winning songwriters/producers Eg White, Fraser T Smith, Guy Fletcher, Nigel Wright & Barry Mason, Lyn Goddard (songwriter and producer), Jamie Theakston (TV and radio presenter) and Nicky Cox (editor of First News).

Watch our Young Songwriter 2016 trailer video now

Competition details: We’re seeking raw songwriting talent so there’s no need to enter professional recordings. Songs will only be judged on their originality, lyrics, melody, composition, and potential to be a smash hit!

However, a good recording can most certainly help to enhance the impact of your song (see the Song Academy blog post on recording tips).

This competition will be separately judged for 7-12 year olds and 13-18 year olds. Each entrant may enter up to 3 songs. The deadline to enter the competition is 9 April 2016. Entry fee is £5 per song to cover admin costs.

To help with the development of young songwriters, we also offer a service providing entrants with the opportunity of receiving written feedback from a music industry professional before entering their songs.

For more information, please visit www.songacademy.co.uk/says16

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. I can’t wait to hear the songs!

PRS for Music is delighted to be supporting the Song Academy Young Songwriter competition once again. This wonderful competition empowers young songwriters, enabling them to showcase their talent and offering them a ‘one of a kind’ opportunity to gain crucial feedback from some of the very best British songwriters. In the early stages of a career, this kind of help is like gold dust and really enables industry newcomers to build strong, sustainable careers. We wish all the nominees the very best of luck with the competition.

Comments from some of our Young Songwriter 2015 finalists:

Ultimately we are offered a life changing experience with the Song Academy Young Songwriter competition every year.

Being a self confessed bedroom musician the Young Songwriter competition has given me the opportunity to take my songs into the real world

Not only do professionals hear my music, but there's also a lot I can learn from the other young songwriters around me.

It encourages young people to believe in themselves.

I like how it is focused on songwriting and not particularly vocal or instrumental talent, especially in this day and age, where that's a critical factor for success. But if you can write a hit, it's arguably more impressive than if you can sing one, and I think this competition shows that.

NOTES TO EDITORS:

Who are we? A Song Academy overviewThe Song Academy champions young people aged 7-18 and is nurturing the next generation of songwriters & creative leaders.

We give young people a voice and help them express themselves powerfully. We celebrate their individuality. We unleash their creativity and inspire them with what’s possible. We also connect them to a vibrant community of their peers who love writing original songs, as well as exposing their songs to key players in the Music Industry.

Overall, we build young people’s confidence and self-belief.

The Song Academy runs after-school sessions, holiday workshops, school workshops, birthday parties and an annual nationwide Young Songwriter competition. As a result of our programmes, we have seen a direct correlation in the increase and advancement of confidence, self-esteem, creativity, motivation, well-being and technical songwriting ability in our members. More information is at www.songacademy.co.uk

Email: contact@songacademy.co.uk