Billy Raffoul wins the 2021 SOCAN Songwriting Prize

SOCAN, Canada’s performing rights organization, holds an annual awards program that seeks to name the best Canadian songwriter of the year. After plenty of adjudicating (full disclosure: I was a voter), the 2021 honour went to Billy Raffoul, originally from Leamington, Ontario. This was the winning track.

Billy gets $5,000, a Yamaha keyboard, and a $500 gift card from Long & McQuade.

This year’s shortlist included:

• “Black Woman” – written by Emanuel Assefa, Ryan Bakalarczyk, John Fellner, Kardinal Offishall; performed by Emanuel; Kardinal Offishall published by BMG Rights Management Canada.
• “Dancing In My Room” – written by Carter Britz, Aidan Fuller; performed by 347aidan; published by Kobalt Music Publishing Canada.
• “delicate” – written by Jonah Yano, Schott Zhang; performed by Jonah Yano.
• “Dream” – written by Clairmont Humphrey II; performed by Clairmont The Second.
• “Frontin’ Like Pharrell” – written by Kahdijah Payne; performed by DijahSB.
• “homebody” – written by Michael Brandolino, Alexander DiMauro, Karah McGillivray, Tom Peyton, Robert Sowinski; performed by Valley.
• “No Smoke” – written by Vanessa Kalala, David Charles Fischer, Christopher Larocca, Hrag Sanbalian; performed by LU KALA.
• “Purple Carousel” – written by Sydanie Nichol, Casey Manierka; performed by Sydanie.
• “Solid” – written by Savannah Ré Simpson, Johann Deterville, Akeel Henry; performed by Savannah Ré; Savannah Ré published by Sony Music Publishing.