Diana Torossian Award recipients announced
STACKS and Summer Rosee receive 1st and 2nd prize
1st prize is $3,000 cash plus a game-changing $20,000 worth of songwriting and mentoring sessions
2nd prize is a 12-month, one-on-one Music Career Coaching program with Lisa Butler of the Australian Songwriters Conference, valued at $6,000
The recipients of the 2026 Diana Torossian Emerging Songwriter Award have been announced, with the first prize going to Brisbane-based songwriter and producer, STACKS.
STACKS (aka Alicia Dark) receives $3,000 cash plus a game-changing $20,000 worth of songwriting and mentoring sessions with some of the industry’s leading names.
The prize includes five songwriting sessions with Andrew Lowden (Thrones), Ben Oldland, David Musumeci and Anthony Egizi (DNA), Evie Irie and Gary Pinto, plus five mentoring sessions with Andi Sherry (styling/art direction), Layne Buckley (publishing), Lorrae McKenna (grants/management), Peter Karpin (A&R) and Sammie Walsh (PR).
On receiving the award, STACKS says: “To be completely honest, I never thought I'd be receiving this award and I'm so grateful to everyone involved for believing in my work. If you're ever considering whether to apply for an opportunity like this, please do. You never know who your work might resonate with. This has come at such a meaningful time in my career as a songwriter, and it's been a wonderful reminder that staying true to yourself is always worthwhile.”
Second prize recipient is fellow Queensland songwriter Summer Rosee, who receives a 12-month, one-on-one Music Career Coaching program with Lisa Butler of the Australian Songwriters Conference, valued at $6,000.
Summer Rosee adds: “It's crazy to think that this time last year I started my music journey. I'd never even thought of singing, but I took a chance and I am so grateful to my family for giving me the courage to do so, because look where it's got me today. Thank you to Diana Torossian, an amazing woman I would have loved to have met, whose legacy continues to inspire young songwriters like me.
"Winning this award means more than I can put into words, and it gives me so much encouragement to keep writing and to see where this journey takes me.”
The Diana Torossian Emerging Songwriter Award was established in July 2025 in honour of the late writer/producer manager, who sadly passed away in September 2024. Torossian was a passionate supporter of local songwriters, finding and nurturing some of the country’s most prolific songwriting talent including David Musumeci and Anthony Egizii (DNA), who set up the award with fellow industry friends Andrew Lowden and David Rosenberg.
Andrew Lowden concludes: “For the second year running we were blown away by the unbelievable level of talent in all the submissions we received. In 2nd place Summer Rosee is so gifted for someone so young and I'm so excited to watch her journey unfold. 1st place winner Alicia "STACKS" Dark is an extraordinarily talented writer, producer and artist, and someone I know Di would have championed in neon flashing lights.
"We love and miss Di every day, but being able to alchemise the grief of losing her into something that goes on to keep making differences in songwriter's lives is something I know Di would be so proud of."
