International Songwriting Competition 2020 winners announced
Entries are now open for ISC 2021.
The International Songwriting Competition (ISC) is pleased to announce its 2020 winners.
Now in its 20th year, ISC is the world’s largest and most prestigious international songwriting competition, receiving more than 26 000 entries from 158 countries.
More than $150 000 (approximately R2 166 000) and merchandise is awarded to 71 winners in 23 categories covering all genres of music.
Winning ISC is a distinction that has helped many artists go on to achieve greater success.
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Previous winners have included Tones and I, Illenium, Vance Joy, Bastille, Fantastic Negrito, R.LUM.R, Gotye, Lindsey Stirling, Kimbra, Dustin Lynch, Faouzia, The Band Perry, Kehlani, Gregory Porter, Passenger, Gin Wigmore, Missy Higgins, For King and Country and Adrienne Lenker (Big Thief).
This year the grand prize was awarded to Swedish folk/pop duo Smith & Thell (comprised of Maria Jane Smith and Victor Thell) and songwriter/producer Peter Kvint for their co-written song Goliath.
The grand prize includes $25 000 (approximately R359 000) in cash and more than $40 000 (approximately R570 700) in additional merchandise and services.
“We’ve always written about our real stories and our real-life history. It’s always beautiful to be acknowledged for telling your own, real-life story,” said Smith & Thell.
“Goliath is about facing your fears and learning that no challenge is too big to handle. It’s an honour to hear the message of the song reached through to the jury to win this prestigious award, especially during these challenging times.”
Smith & Thell met as teenagers at a music event in their hometown of Helsingborg, a coastal town in southern Sweden, and began to write songs together, both for themselves and other artists.
They are no strangers to Swedish fans, as many of their singles have topped the Swedish radio charts.
Although it was written in response to a year that was particularly challenging for them, the song’s impassioned and uplifting themes are universally shared in light of recent events throughout the world.
They described Goliath as their anthem for the underdog, saying: “No one is too small to make a difference. A reminder to us all that we’re so much stronger than we think.”
Their co-writer, Kvint, is one of the most sought-after and successful songwriters and producers in Sweden, having written and/or produced many international, chart-topping hits for global artists such as Britney Spears, Heather Nova, Natasha Bedingfield and Trace Adkin, as well as numerous Swedish artists.
ISC founder and director Candace Avery said music is remarkable in that it can change the way you see the world.
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“Goliath does just that and is relevant to everyone, as we all have struggles to overcome.
“The message is one everyone can relate to and is one of those anthemic songs that makes you feel good and uplifted.
“Moreover, the song is perfectly crafted and is ear candy with a chorus that sticks in your head long after the song is finished. This is the first time the grand prize has ever been given to Swedish songwriters, and we are very excited to be awarding our highest honour to these very talented artists.”
The grand prize winner and many other deserving songwriters also share in the prestige and kudos of winning their respective categories in ISC.
The winners hail from all over the world and represent diverse cultures while ranging from talented amateurs to seasoned songwriting veterans.
For a complete list of ISC 2020 winners go to click here
