2021 International Songwriting Comp Aussie and Kiwi winners

Congrats to First Place finishers Joey Cirillo, Dylan Nash, Bree Rusev, Sahara Beck, Tony Buchen, Damon Syme, Mabel Windred-Wornes & Ivy-Windred Wornes

An additional 48 Aussie and Kiwi entries took home 2nd place, 3rd place and Honourable Mention accolades.

Australian songwriters took home the most wins of any country, second only to the USA

Our friends at the prestigious International Songwriting Competition (ISC) announced the 2021 winners of the competition last week, which included four First Place entries by Aussie songwriters. Additionally, 48 Australian and Kiwi entries took home accolades across the Second Place, Third Places and Honourable Mention categories.

This year continues the amazing winning streak by Australian songwriters, once again taking home the most wins of any country second only to the USA. ISC is the world’s largest and most prestigious international songwriting competition, receiving more than 21,000 entries from 150 countries.

“The number of wins by Australians is impressive but not surprising...the entries we receive from Australians have a sound that is fresh and inspired. Perhaps this is partially due to Triple J and their mandate to play (and break) local artists. This offers such a unique and valuable outlet for Aussie artists to be heard nationally in their country and allows for a lot of musical freedom and creativity. We always look forward to hearing what Aussie songwriters produce, and we are often blown away by what we hear.” - Candace Avery, ISC Founder and Director

Throughout the years, many Australian artists have been honored in ISC, including four Grand Prize winners: Tones And I; Kate Miller-Heidke; Kasey Chambers; and Vance Joy. Additional winners have included Amy Shark; Augie March; Big Scary; Birds of Tokyo; Dean Lewis; Eskimo Joe; Flight Facilities; Gang of Youths; Gotye; Guy Sebastian; Jebediah; Matt Corby; Missy Higgins; Ocean Alley; Ruel; Sarah Blasko; Shane Nicholson; The Living End; Troy Cassar-Daley; Vera Blue; Washington; and many, many more.

Check out the full list of Australian and New Zealand hounourees

Australia Winners

Second Place Winners

• “Bad Decisions” – Emmy Mack, Craig Wilkinson, Stevie Knight (RedHook) – Sydney, NSW – Rock
  
• “Nothing Wrong With That” – Sahara Beck, Tony Buchen, Damon Syme (Sahara Beck) – Brisbane, QLD - AAA (Adult Album Alternative)
  

Third Place Winners

• “Air” – Phebe Starr, Alister Wright (Phebe Starr) – Dorrigo, NSW – AAA (Adult Album Alternative)
  
• “Good For A Girl” – Georgia Germein, Ella Germein, Clara Germein (Germein) ­ Adelaide, SA – Unsigned
  
• “Ode To A Guitar (In My Hands)” – Jessie Che – Adelaide, SA, – Lyrics Only
  
• “This Is Our Time” – Jack Gray, Robert Conley (Jack Gray) – North Queensland, QLD – AC (Adult Contemporary)
  
• “Window Shopping” – Grace Hughes, Louis Schoorl (Yorke) Bangalow, NSW –Pop/Top 40

Stocking Stuffer Winner

• “How To Write A Song” – Shane Nicholson – Brisbane, QLD, Australia – Americana

Honorable Mentions

• “99 Ways” – Kav Temperley, Stuart MacLeod, Joel Quartermain (Eskimo Joe) – Melbourne, VIC – Rock
  
• “Awe! ” – Anna Beaden – Melbourne, VIC – Christian
  
• “Beautifully Broken” – Jediael – Brisbane, QLD – Teen
  
• “Blink Twice” – Joey Cirillo, Dylan Nash (San Joseph) – Melbourne, VIC – Unpublished
  
• “Bloom” – Nicholas de la Hoyde, Timothy de la Hoyde (D.E.L) – Sydney, NSW – AC (Adult Contemporary)
  
• “Born Yesterday” – Kevin Mitchell (Bob Evans) – Melbourne, VIC – AAA (Adult Album Alternative)
  
• “Bottle It Up” – Riley Pearce – Hilton, WA– Folk/Singer-Songwriter
  
• “Clown” – Janaki Easwar – Melbourne, VIC – Teen
  
• “DISC0VR” – Trent-Jean Michel (Trent-Jean) – Perth, WA – Rock
  
• “Fred The Frog” – Joshua Arnold – Newtown, QLD– Children's Music
  
• “Good For A Girl” – Georgia Germein, Ella Germein, Clara Germein (Germein) – Adelaide, SA – Lyrics Only
  
• “Goodbye” – Bree Rusev – Newcastle, NSW – Folk/Singer-Songwriter
  
• “Goodbye” – Bree Rusev – Newcastle, NSW – Unsigned
  
• “Home” – Sally Jefferys, Aidan Hogg (JEFFE) – Brisbane, QLD – AC (Adult Contemporary)
  
• “How To Write A Song” – Shane Nicholson – Brisbane, QLD – Americana
  
• “How Would It Feel” – LT – Cairns, QLD – AAA (Adult Album Alternative)
  
• “How Would It Feel” – LT – Cairns, QLD – Unpublished
  
• “I Am Released” – Andy Zarins (L.I.D.) – Candelo, NSW – Lyrics Only
  
• “I Can't Let It Go” – Angus Brill Reed – Adelaide, SA – EDM
  
• “I Can't Let It Go” – Angus Brill Reed – Adelaide, SA – Teen
  
• “I'm Closed” – Aidan Whitehall (Aodhan) – Tullimbar, NSW – Teen
  
• “Just For You” – Grace Newton-Wordsworth, Aaron Birch (Joan & The Giants) – Perth, WA – AC (Adult Contemporary)
  
• “Just For You” – Grace Newton-Wordsworth, Aaron Birch (Joan & The Giants) – Perth, WA – Music Video
  
• “Just For You” – Grace Newton-Wordsworth, Aaron Birch (Joan & The Giants) – Perth, WA – Unsigned
  
• “Let Me Go” – Mitchell Curley, Lenny Pearce (RUMOR) Sydney, NSW – EDM
  
• “Life Ain’t Fine” – Shane Nicholson – Brisbane, QLD – Folk/Singer-Songwriter
  
• “Little Too Late” – Lachlan Edwards – Newcastle, NSW – Folk/Singer-Songwriter
  
• “Oil & Water” – Mitchell King, Mark Lizotte (Mitch King) – Gold Coast, QLD – AAA (Adult Album Alternative)
  
• “Read” – Zoe Marshall, Kyran Daniel, Richelle Cox (Zoe A'Dore) – Melbourne, VIC – Pop/Top 40
  
• “Rescue Me” – Andy Golledge, Caitlin Harnett, Leigh Boland, Joshua Piltz, Nick Ryan, Aaron Ballantyne (Andy Golledge) – Tamworth, NSW – Americana
  
• “Shoosh! ” – Nadia Sunde, Simon Howe (Nadia Sunde) – Annerley, QLD – Children's Music
  
• “Superglue Ft. Stand Atlantic” – Ian Kenny, Adam Spark, Adam Weston, Ian Berney, Bonnie Fraser – (Birds Of Tokyo) – Sydney, NSW – Pop/Top 40
  
• “Trainwreck” – Rachael Brady, Cameron Kinsey (Rachael Brady) – Katoomba, NSW – Americana
  
• “Trawler” – Nick Milwright, Damian Cazaly, Tristan Courtney, Guy Kable (Blackchords) – Collingwood, VIC – AAA (Adult Album Alternative)
  
• “When The Machine Starts – Melissa Higgins (Missy Higgins) – Sydney, NSW – AC (Adult Contemporary)
  
• “Window Shopping” – Grace Hughes, Louis Schoorl (Yorke) – Bangalow, NSW – Music Video

New Zealand Winners

Second Place Winners

• "Brave" - Michal Bush,Victoria Knopp, Andrew Knopp (Music with Michal) - Christchurch, New Zealand - Children's Music

Honourable Mentions

• "Everyone Needs Someone To Hate" - Jeremy Elwood - Auckland, New Zealand - Comedy/Novelty
  
• "Girl Who Cried Wolf" - Anabel Jamieson, Jonny Avery (Annie J) - Wellington, New Zealand - Folk/Singer-Songwriter