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Aussies win big in International Songwriting Comp 2020

Media Published Friday 7 May 2021
Clockwise from top: Mercedes Thorne, Joel Quartermain, Edwin White (Merci, Mercy), Jarred Taylor X Crawford Brothers, Golden Features x Presets, Birds of Tokyo, Mia Rodriguez, Lucy Parle

Congrats to First Place finishers Lucy Parle, Merci, Mercy, Birds of Tokyo, Jarred Taylor X Crawford Brothers, Golden Features x Presets, Mia Rodriguez

The most Aussie First Place wins in the competition's 20 years

An additional 45 Aussie and Kiwi entries took home 2nd place, 3rd place and Honourable Mention accolades


Our friends at the prestigious International Songwriting Competition (ISC) announced the 2020 winners this week and it marks the most Aussie First Place wins in the competition’s twenty-year history with six top finishers.

ISC is the world’s largest and most prestigious international songwriting competition, receiving more than 26,000 entries from 158 countries. More than USD$150,000 in cash and merchandise is awarded to 71 winners in 23 categories covering all genres of music.

Check out the full list of Australian and New Zealand hounourees.

Australia Winners

Second Place Winners

  • Come Home, Du0: Ryan Dobbrick, James Vincent, Emily Coulston - Brisbane, QLD (EDM)
  • Say Something, Eskimo Joe: Kavyen Temperley, Stuart MacLeod, Joel Quartermain - Melbourne, VIC (Rock)
  • Work For Me, Mia Wray: Mia Wray - Melbourne, VIC (Performance)

Third Place Winners

  • Die Young, Sheppard: George Sheppard, Jason Bovino, Amy Sheppard, Jon Hume - Sydney, NSW (Pop/Top 40)

Honorable Mention

  • All Glory & Honour, Ida Maree: Billy Smiley, Ida Maree - Melbourne, VIC (Christian)
  • Better, Winterbourne: James A.T. Draper, Jordan D. Brady - Sydney, NSW (AAA)
  • Better, Winterbourne: James A.T. Draper, Jordan D. Brady - Sydney, NSW (Unpublished)
  • Breathing To Prove That I Can, Georgie Raft: Georgie Raft - Unley Park, SA (Teen)
  • Come Home, Du0: Ryan Dobbrick, James Vincent, Emily Coulston - Brisbane, QLD (Unsigned Only)
  • Crinkle Cut, Asha Jefferies: Asha Jefferies, Chris Collins - Brisbane, QLD (Folk/Singer-Songwriter)
  • Drift, Bree Rusev: Bree Rusev - Newcastle, NSW (Teen)
  • Gasoline, Georgi Kay: Georgina Kingsley - Perth, WA (AC)
  • Gasoline, Georgi Kay: Georgina Kingsley - Perth, WA (Unsigned Only)
  • Grasping At The Water, Chuditch: Leigh Gardiner, Andrew Atthowe, Erin Gordon, Rebecca Erin Smith - Perth, WA (Lyrics Only)
  • Gravity, Yorke: Yorke, Gab Strum - Bangalow, NSW (Pop/Top 40)
  • How Do You Sleep At Night, Anya Alchemy: Anya Alchemy - Melbourne, VIC (Teen)
  • I Woke Up With The Hiccups, Emily Who: Emily Mcknight, Robin Gist, Peter Bailey - Sydney, NSW (Children's)
  • I Won't Sleep Tonight, Jarred Taylor X Crawford Brothers: Zac Crawford, Ben Crawford, Jarred Taylor - Hinton, NSW (Unsigned Only)
  • Lay Low, Nick De La Hoyde: Nick De La Hoyde, Joseph De La Hoyde - Sydney, NSW (Pop/Top 40)
  • Manchester By The Sea, Trent-Jean: Trent-Jean Michel - Perth, WA (AAA)
  • Manchester By The Sea, Trent-Jean: Trent-Jean Michel - Perth, WA (Unsigned Only)
  • My Opera Career's Over, Nurseratched: Robert Macfarlane, Kanen Breen - Melbourne, VIC (Comedy/Novelty)
  • Off To One Side, Steve Seaton: Steve Seaton - Hope Island, QLD (Lyrics Only)
  • Old Crow Feather, Gareth Leach: Gareth Leach - Melbourne, VIC (Americana)
  • Paper Dragon, Dami Im: ELKI, Dami Im - Sydney, NSW (Unpublished)
  • People You Know, Alt Fiction: Will Tyler, Matt Tyler, Mitch Tyler, Chris Collins - Gold Coast, QLD (Unpublished)
  • Ready To Live, Cole Phoenix: Cole Phoenix, Cameron Stymeist - Brisbane, QLD (Christian)
  • Recovery, Mason Watts: Mason Watts, Edd Holloway - Sydney, NSW (AC)
  • Runaway, Safia: Michael Bell, Harrison Sayers, Benjamin Woolner-Kirkham - Canberra, ACT (AAA)
  • Shadows, Du0: Ryan Dobbrick, Ryan Courtney - Brisbane, QLD (EDM)
  • Somebody Like You, Falls: Simon Rudston-Brown, Melinda Kirwin - Sydney, NSW (Americana)
  • Sparks Fly, Casey Barnes: Casey Barnes, Samuel Gray, Kaci Brown - Sydney, NSW (Country)
  • Speed, Jordyn: Jordyn Richards - Ryde, NSW (Teen)
  • Symphony, Sheppard: George Sheppard, Amy Sheppard, Jay Bovino - Brisbane, QLD (AC)
  • Tell Me It's Over, Aminah Hughes: Aminah Hughes - Perth, WA (Performance)
  • The Good Ones, SANNIA: Jackie Sannia - Frankston South, VIC (Performance)
  • Tick Tock, Loren Kate: Loren Kate - Aldinga Beach, SA (Unpublished)
  • Two Of Us, Birds of Tokyo: Ian Berney, Ian Kenny, Glenn Sarangapany, Adam Glenn, Adam Weston - Sydney, NSW (Pop/Top 40)
  • You + Me, Joe Mungovan: Joe Mungovan - Kiama, NSW (Unpublished)

New Zealand Winners

Third Place Winners

  • Ease My Mind, Arlo Mac: Harry Mason - Hastings NZ (Teen)

Honorable Mention

  • All For You, Seth Haapu: Seth Haapu, Nick Down, Marley Sola, Alex Wildwood - Whanganui, NZ (R&B/Hip Hop)
  • Chihuahua, FleaBITE: Robin Nathan - Auckland, NZ (Children's)
  • Mittens Official Song, Chris Sanders: Chris Sanders, Natalie Conaty - Auckland, NZ (Children's)
  • One For, Arjuna Oakes: Arjuna Oakes - Wellington, NZ (Performance)
  • We Know The Way (With Intro Of Tulou Tagaloa), Te Vaka: Opetaia Foai, Lin-Manuel Miranda - Auckland, NZ
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