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News February 17, 2022

DMA’S, Gang of Youths & Genesis Owusu among Vanda & Young Top 40 finalists

DMA’S, Gang of Youths & Genesis Owusu among Vanda & Young Top 40 finalists

Some of the country’s best-known songwriters have been announced as Top 40 finalists in the Vanda & Young Global Songwriting Competition.

They include Gang of Youths, DMA’S, Genesis Owusu, Baker Boy, Amyl & The Sniffers, Budjerah, Emma Donovan, Lance Ferguson and Kylie Auldist of The Bamboos, Neil Murray, Liz Stringer, Ngaiire, Jarryd James, Stan Walker, electronic producer Willaris. K and Ziggy Alberts.

MAY-A has three songs on list

Sydney pop artist MAY-A, signed to Sony Music and who appears on Flume’s new single ‘Say Nothing’, has three songs listed.

Two are written by herself, and the third with Budjerah.

North East Arnhem Land singer-songwriter Yirrmal, who emerged on Baker Boy’s ‘Ride single’, has two on the list.

Indian-born Melbourne-based ASHWARYA entered ‘Psycho Hole’ co-written with Australian producer Jarrad Rogers whose pop label, NOiZE Recordings, she is signed to,

The competition received 3,837 entries from 64 countries.

They raised $192,000 with 100% of their $50 entry fee going to support the services of Noro Music Therapy.

This brings the tally of close to $1.6 million since the competition began in 2009.

More than half of the Top 40 songs were entered by unpublished songwriters, with one of those set to take out the $5,000 AMPAL Emerging Songwriter Prize, provided by Australasian Music Publishers Association Limited (AMPAL).

Genesis Owusu

Winners will be announced in March, with the winning songwriter taking home a cash prize of $50,000 courtesy of APRA AMCOS, Alberts and Sony Music Publishing.

The second-place getter receives $10,000 from legal experts Banki Haddock Fiora, and third place receives $5,000 courtesy of Aon.

For the second year in a row, 10 of the Top 40 finalists will receive a runner-up prize of $1,000, courtesy of an anonymous donor wishing to help songwriters during the pandemic.

This year’s judging panel included KLP, Jenny Morris, Anna Lunoe and reps from Double J, The Music Network, Jaxsta, The Industry Observer, Pollstar, Billboard, Warner Music Australia, Universal Music Australia and EMI Music Australia.

See the full list of the Top 40 finalists here.

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