SOCAN’s 2023 Songwriting Prize

[A report by Elisa FG. – AC]

The next generation of great Canadian songwriters are among us and the SOCAN 2023 Songwriting Prize has narrowed it down to 8 finalists who will soon join the ranks of the exceptional music creators who help this country ooze talent!

“The SOCAN Songwriting prize highlights Canada’s next wave of great songwriters. From all corners of the country, they are putting out tremendous bodies of work reminding us how special it is to live amongst such culturally rich storytelling,” says Jennifer Brown, SOCAN CEO.

The winning songs are scheduled to be announced November 20, 2023, until then music fans can listen and vote online daily until November 16th 2023 by checking out https://www.socansongwritingprize.ca/

“We must continue to advocate for the support and promotion of our talent ensuring that Canadians will always be able to create and listen to music that reflects their lived experience, now and in the future.” Jennifer Brown says.

Both French and English prize winners are set to snag $10,000 each, a Yamaha musical instrument and a $500 gift card from Long & McQuade. Not a bad way to kick off your music career!

And the nominees are…

• Always – written by Felix Fox-Pappas, Chester Hansen, Eliza Niemi, Alexander Sowinski, Leland Whitty, Jonah Yano; performed by Jonah Yano; Hansen, Sowinski and Whitty published by Third Side Music Inc., Yano published by Secretly Canadian Publishing. 
• Big Steppa – written by Bolu Akande and Tosan Arenyeka; performed by aRENYE. 
• Grab Your Guts – written by Maylee Todd; performed by Maylee Todd. 
• IF THERE’S NO SEAT IN THE SKY (WILL YOU FORGIVE ME???) – written by Saya Gray; performed by Saya Gray; published by Saya Gray/Kobalt Music Publishing Canada. 
• Levels – written by Max Akres, Jeremy Alain, Corben Bowen, Zachary Djurich, Chris Larocca, Herag Sanbalian, Jacob Wilkinson-Smith; performed by Boslen. Larocca published by Kilometre Music Group. All rights on behalf of Kilometre Music Group B administered by Warner Chappell Music Canada Ltd.
• Put ‘Em Down – written by Jeffrey Maurice, Joshua Qaumariaq; performed by The Trade-Offs. 
• Silver Into Rain – written by Hannah Kim, Beatrice Laus; performed by Luna Li feat. beabadoobee.  Kim published by 88 Rising/Kobalt Music Publishing Canada. Laus published by Sony Music Publishing.
• STEPMOM – written by Dacey Andrada, Justin Tecson; performed by Dacey. 
• Ton shift est pas fini– written by Gabriel Bouchard, Mathieu Quenneville; performed by Gab Bouchard; published by Éditions Bravo Musique Inc.  
• Depuis – written by Lydia Képinski; performed by Lydia Képinski. 
• Fille à porter – written by Ariane Roy, Roxane Azzaria; performed by Ariane Roy, Lou-Adriane Cassidy. 
• D’où c’que j’viens – written bySimon Bolduc; performed by Bolduc tout croche. 
• Lesbienne woke sur l’autotune – written by Julie Gagnon, Charles Gaudreau-Lerhe; performed by Calamine. 
• Tintagel – written by Lysandre Ménard; performed by Lysandre. 
• C00N – written by Shamyr Daléus, Nicholas Craven; performed by Raccoon; published by Disques RER Inc.
• Attiser le dilemme – written by Rose-Emmanuelle Brassard, Joannie Michaud, Frédéric Levac; performed by Rosie Valland; published by Secret City Publishing.