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ISC 2011 Winners

ISC 2011 WINNERS ANNOUNCED

GRAND PRIZE AWARDED TO NEW ZEALAND ARTIST KIMBRA FOR THE SONG “CAMEO LOVER”
Click here to see the complete list and to hear the winning songs.

The International Songwriting Competition (ISC) announced today the winners of the 2011 competition. ISC’s highest honor, the Grand Prize, is awarded to New Zealand songwriter and artist Kimbra for her song “Cameo Lover” entered in the Pop/Top 40 category. The Grand Prize winner takes home $25,000 in cash (US) and over $20,000 in prizes – the largest Grand Prize of any major songwriting competition.

Established in 2002, ISC honors amateur and professional songwriters around the world and awards more than $150,000 in cash and prizes. This year, ISC received over 16,000 entries from 112 countries throughout the world, representing all genres of contemporary music. With an esteemed panel of judges including luminaries Tom Waits, Kelly Clarkson, Wynonna, Jeff Beck, McCoy Tyner, Ozzy Osbourne, Lucinda Williams, Keane, and many more, winning the ISC Grand Prize is an extraordinary accomplishment that recognizes excellence in the craft of songwriting.

ISC 2011 GRAND PRIZE WINNER: KIMBRA
KIMBRA    Winning ISC’s highest honor is New Zealand’s latest export, the quirky and wonderfully eclectic artist Kimbra. Last year’s Pop/Top 40 winner, Kimbra has recently exploded onto the international music charts as the featured singer on Australian artist Gotye’s current #1 hit song, “Somebody That I Used To Know.” Her recent TV performances with Gotye on Jimmy Kimmel Live and Saturday Night Live were electrifying and introduced her to the US public, fortifying her meteoric rise to fame.

Only 22 years old, Kimbra began writing songs and performing at the age of 10. Spending her early years gigging around her native New Zealand, it was only once Kimbra borrowed a small eight-track recorder from her school’s music department that her songwriting blossomed in earnest. Since then, she has made enormous strides in her career. Her debut album, Vows, was released in 2011 in New Zealand and Australia, and in its first week of release the album charted at #3 in New Zealand and #5 in Australia (peaking at #4 on the ARIA Charts). The album will be released in the US and Canada on May 22.

Accolades include winning the 2011 NZ Critics’ Choice awards and also the Best Female Artist for “Cameo Lover” at the 2011 ARIA awards.

Even at such a young age, Kimbra already possesses the maturity and musical sophistication of the mavericks she is so often compared to – from vocal legends Nina Simone and Jeff Buckley, to radicals the likes of Prince, and contemporary artists such as Björk and Janelle Monaé. With her distinctive vocals and hook-laden creative songwriting, Kimbra is rapidly establishing herself as a significant talent and a fresh and exciting new voice on the international music scene.
For more information on Kimbra, click here.

In addition to the Grand Prize winner, many other deserving songwriters also share in the prestige of winning their respective categories. ISC winners hail from all over the world, representing diverse cultures and ranging from talented amateurs to seasoned songwriting veterans. This year, 57% of the winners came from outside the USA, hailing from India to Russia, Peru to The Solomon Islands, Mexico to Poland, New Zealand to Australia, and everywhere in between.

To hear the winning songs and view the complete list of winners, go to: www.songwritingcompetition.com/winners

Congratulations to all winners!

2011 JUDGES
Recording Artists: Tom Waits; Tori Amos; Jeff Beck; Lucinda Williams; My Morning Jacket; Kelly Clarkson; Ozzy Osbourne; Keane; McCoy Tyner; Wynonna; Francesca Battistelli; Janelle Monae; Billy Currington; Tegan and Sara; Massive Attack; Simon Le Bon and Roger Taylor (Duran Duran); Michael W. Smith; Alejandro Sanz; Johnny Clegg; Jeremy Camp; Ray Wylie Hubbard; John Mayall; Craig Morgan; Basement Jaxx; James Cotton; Sandra Bernhard; Trombone Shorty; Robert Earl Keen; Black Francis (The Pixies); Mose Allison; Robert Smith (The Cure); Amadou & Mariam; Darryl McDaniels (Run D.M.C.); Toots Hibbert (Toots & The Maytals); and Matt Thiessen (Relient K)

Industry Executives: Monte Lipman (President, Universal Republic Records); David Massey (President, Mercury Records); Brian Malouf (VP A&R, Walt Disney Records); Bruce Iglauer (Founder/President, Alligator Records); Angel Carrasco (Sr. VP A&R, Latin America, Sony/BMG); Ric Arboit (President, Nettwerk Music Group); Anastasia Brown (Music Supervisor, FORMAT); Dr. Demento (Radio Host, The Dr. Demento Show); Allison Jones (VP of A&R, Big Machine Label Group); Steve Lillywhite (Producer); Dan Storper (President, Putamayo World Music Records and Putumayo Kids); Kim Buie (A&R and Artist Manager, Thirty Tigers); Douglas C. Cohn (Sr. VP, Music Marketing & Talent, Nickelodeon); Trevor Jerideau (VP of A&R, RCA Records); Antony Bland (Co-Owner, CandyShop Management); Steve Smith (VP of A&R, Aware Records); Leib Ostrow (Founder/CEO, Music For Little People); and Cory Robbins (Founder/President, Robbins Entertainment)

2011 SPONSORS
Presonus, Lowden Guitars, Sennheiser, Posse, Mrs. Fields Cookies, ASCAP, Berklee College Of Music, D’Addario,Thayers, Onlinegigs, SongU.com, The Music Business Registry, SongTrust, Independent Mastering, Indie Venue Bible, George Stein Esq., Sonicbids, Taxi, and music Submit

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