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Vanda & Young Global Songwriting Competition Deadline Extended

Media Published Wednesday 15 February 2023

CLOSED!


1st place A$50,000 cash prize thanks to APRA AMCOS, Alberts and Sony Music Publishing

2nd - A$10,000 (courtesy Banki Haddock Fiora)

3rd - A$5,000 (courtesy Aon)

The AMPAL Emerging Songwriter Prize - A$5,000 (courtesy Australasian Music Publishers Association Limited)

American Songwriter Spotlight Award - A$1,500


This year the competition celebrates its 10th anniversary of championing songwriters and supporting Noro’s music therapy services.

Why do we support Noro? Noro Board Member, Milly Petriella, explains “At Noro, we know from deep experience that music has the power to change lives for the better, and that we have a responsibility to provide this opportunity to support and benefit as many people as we can.”

Songwriters globally have contributed more than $1.8m to help grow Noro’s capacity and make the services more accessible to its participants and their families.

With more than $70,000 in cash prizes on offer, songwriters do not want to miss out on entering their song in the Vanda & Young Global Songwriting Competition and provide this much needed support. All funds raised via the competition is solely used for charity and donated to Noro.

This final extension gives songwriters 8 days to enter – with final submissions closing on Friday 24th February @ 5:00PM AEDT.

The winning songwriter takes home a first-place cash prize of $50,000, courtesy of Australasian music rights management organisation APRA AMCOS, Alberts and Sony Music Publishing; and will follow in the footsteps of last year’s winner Genesis Owusu for ‘Gold Chains’.

Runners-up also win cash prizes, with a 2nd place amount of $10,000 thanks to legal experts Banki Haddock Fiora, and 3rd place receives $5,000 courtesy of Aon.

The AMPAL Emerging Songwriter Prize, awarded to an up-and-coming unpublished songwriter, comes with $5,000 cash for the recipient, courtesy of the Australasian Music Publishers Association Limited.

New to the competition is the American Songwriter Spotlight Award, which will see one songwriter from outside of Australia and New Zealand win $1,500 and a feature in the publication. American Songwriter has been exploring the craft of music by highlighting the world's greatest songwriters and artists for over 35 years.

A judging panel comprised of influential artists, producers, media and music industry professionals is set, including: Jenny Morris, Robert Conley, Dallas Frasca and reps from Universal Music Australia, EMI Music Australia, Amazon Music, OneLouder, Seismic Talent Agency, American Songwriter and more.

Stay tuned, a Top 40 shortlist will be announced in the weeks after the competition closes.

Named after the iconic songwriters and founding members of The Easybeats, Harry Vanda and the late George Young, the long-running competition has honoured a range of songwriting talent: Genesis Owusu in 2021, Thelma Plum (2020), Matt Corby and Dann Hume (2019), Amy Shark (2018), Gretta Ray (2016), Husky Gawenda (2014), Isabella Manfredi (2013), Kimbra (2011) and Megan Washington (2009), as well as top finishers including Baker Boy, Ruel, Kaiit, Sarah Aarons, Gotye, Meg Mac, and Gang of Youths frontman David Le’aupepe.

A judging panel comprised of influential artists, producers, media and music industry professionals is set, including: Jenny Morris, Robert Conley, Dallas Frasca and reps from Universal Music Australia, EMI Music Australia, Amazon Music, American Songwriter, Milk & Honey, OneLouder, Seismic Talent Agency and more.

Entries close 5.00pm (AEDT) Monday 27 February 2023.