Vanda & Young Global Songwriting Competition

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Vanda & Young Global Songwriting Competition
Awarded foracknowledges great songwriting
CountryAustralia
Presented by Albert Music and APRA AMCOS
First award2009;16 years ago (2009)
Final awardCurrent
Website www.apraamcos.com.au/about/supporting-the-industry/competitions/vanda-young-global-songwriting-competition

The Vanda & Young Global Songwriting Competition is an annual competition that "acknowledges great songwriting whilst supporting and raising money for Nordoff-Robbins" and is coordinated by Albert Music and APRA AMCOS. The competition awards a 1st, 2nd and 3rd place and was named after iconic writers Harry Vanda and George Young, known as Vanda & Young. [1]

Contents

The competition is Australia's most prestigious and lucrative songwriting competition. [2] The inaugural competition took place in December 2009, with Megan Washington winning with the song "How to Tame Lions". [3]

Background

In 2009 independent music company Albert Music collaborated with APRA AMCOS to establish an international songwriter's competition. The competition open to all songwriters – published or unpublished, and all proceeds raised by the Vanda & Young Global Song writing Competition go to not-for-profit organisation Noro Music Therapy Australia (NRMTA), which uses music therapy to help people cope with the struggles of living with a wide range of needs. [1]

The winners are selected by a panel of experts from a cross-section of industries. [1]

The 2014's competition include an Encouragement Award with a cash prize of $2,000 which was donated by 2013 winners, The Preatures. [4]

As of 2020, 1st place receives a $50,000 cash prize, 2nd place receives $10,000 and 3rd place receives $5,000. The Emerging Songwriter winner receives $5,000 courtesy Australasian Music Publishers Association. [1]

Past winners

List of top three from each year as listed on the APRA AMCOS website. [5]

YearGold medal icon.svg GoldSilver medal icon.svg SilverBronze medal icon.svg BronzeUnpublished prize
2009 Megan Washington – "How to Tame Lions" Eskimo Joe (Kav Temperley, Joel Quartermain and Stuart Macleod) – "Foreign Land"Caitlin Harnett – "Tying Hands and Holding Shoelaces"
2010No competition
2011 Kimbra – "Cameo Lover" Catherine Britt – "Sweet Emmylou" Gotye – "Somebody That I Used to Know"
2012No competition
2013Isabella Manfredi (The Preatures) – "Is This How You Feel?" Robert Conley – "Paper Thin" Thelma Plum – "Breathe in Breathe Out" & Jasmine Nelson – "Keep Her Close" (tie)
2014 Husky Gawenda – "Saint Joan" Meg Mac – "Roll Up Your Sleeves" David Le'aupepe (Gang of Youths) – "Poison Drum" Andy Bull – "Baby I Am Nobody Now" (Encouragement Award)
2015No competition
2016 Gretta Ray – "Drive" Emma Louise – "Underflow"Tigertown (Charlene Collins/Christopher Collins) "Lonely Cities" & Tia P. "4 Seats from Beyoncé" (tie)
2018 Amy Shark "Adore"David Le'aupepe (Gang of Youths) – "Let Me Down Easy"David Le'aupepe (Gang of Youths) – "The Heart Is a Muscle" Grace Shaw – "Better"
2019 Matt Corby and Dann Hume – "Miracle Love" Sarah Aarons – "The Middle" Sahara Beck – "Here We Go Again" Kaiit – "Miss Shiney"
2020 Thelma Plum – "Better in Blak" Baker Boy, (aka Danzal Baker) "Meditjin" Ruel – "Painkiller" Carla Geneve – "The Right Reasons"
2021 [6] Genesis Owusu – "Gold Chains" Jerome Farah – "Mikey Might" MAY-A – "Time I Love to Waste"
2022 [7] King Stingray – "Milkumana" Budjerah – "Ready for the Sky"King Stingray - "Camp Dog"Charley - "Worst Taste in Girls"
2023No competition
2024 [8] Shannon Busch (pka WILSN) – "Give You Love" (performed by Jessica Mauboy and Jason Derulo) Louis Schoorl – "12 Minute Walk" (performed by Bow Anderson)Cam Nacson - "Forever Thing"Charley - "Timebomb"

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "About the Vanda Young Global Song Writing Competition". APRA AMCOS . Retrieved 12 March 2021.
  2. "KIMBRA WINS VANDA & YOUNG SONGWRITING COMPETITION". Varrasspor. 11 July 2011. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
  3. "Megan Washington wins the inaugural Vanda and Young Songwriting Competition". Loud N Local. 8 December 2009. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
  4. "2014 VANDA & YOUNG SONG COMPETITION ENTRIES NOW OPEN". Australian Musician. August 2014. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
  5. "Past Winners". APRA AMCOS. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
  6. "Genesis Owusu wins 2021 Vanda & Young Global Songwriting Competition". The Music Network. 10 March 2022. Retrieved 14 March 2022.
  7. "King Stingray nab the top gong and over $50k at global songwriting competition". MSN . 8 June 2023. Retrieved 9 June 2023.
  8. "Winners of the 2024 Vanda & Young Global Songwriting Competition announced!". Alberts. 11 March 2025. Retrieved 17 March 2025.