Dear Songwriter,

This is a quick post to tell you that The 2024 UK Songwriting Contest opened for entries this weekend. Check out the judges, the prizes, the new song categories, and the benefits of submitting songs to this top international songwriting event. Visit the website to learn about the new UKSC partnership with The British Songwriting Awards (britsong.com) and much more. Full details and entry forms are at www.songwritingcontest.co.uk

The UKSC Team are ready and waiting for your song submissions and we wish you every success in your songwriting this year!

The UKSC WInning Christmas Song, Sailing Home For Christmas, has been announced early to in time for the big day. All other winners will be announced as they are confirmed, on the UKSC website.

SAILING HOME FOR CHRISTMAS
This outstanding Christmas Song was written onboard HMS Queen Elizabeth, Britain's biggest warship and flagship on a 7 month Operational tour to the Far East in 2021 and was entered in the UKSC 2023. The song, written by Dave Emery, captures the emotions of being separated from family and the anticipation and delight of coming home. It has been released with all proceeds going to the Royal Navy & Royal Marines Charity (RNRMC) and Culdrose Military Wives Choir who are featured on the track. Both charities give so much to support Armed Forces personnel deployed and their families back home. The UKSC congratulates the guys for this great song and performance and wishes all UKSC entrants a Very Merry Christmas.

Lyrics
Overhead, all the stars looking down our house,
Cold and bright
The curtains' closed
But the chimney smoke says
‘Come, it’s warm inside’

All at once, and the ache from each
Day I’ve been gone; 7 months
It fades to the past, I’m here at last
This Christmas has finally come

The butterflies start
A flicker in my heart
I feel my chest start to glow
I’m shaking as I ring the doorbell
And see you stood waiting there in the hall

I whisper, ‘Merry Christmas, darling
Been a really long wait I know
I’ve missed this, all that I wished for
Was coming back to see
You after sailing home’

From inside, and I’m hearing
The voice of a child calling out
The footsteps come
I hear you running racing
Through the house

The butterflies start
A flicker in my heart
I feel my chest start to glow
I’m shaking as I kneel to greet you
I just can’t believe
How much you’ve grown

I whisper, ‘Merry Christmas, darling
Been a really long wait I know
I’ve missed this, all that I wished for
Was coming back
To see you after sailing home’

So here it is then
Merry Christmas darling
And we’re stepping in from the cold
With this you’ve been making
My wish come true
Here underneath the mistletoe

I whisper, ‘Merry Christmas, darling
Been a really long wait I know
I’ve missed this, all that I wished for
Was coming back
To see you after sailing home’

So here it is then
Merry Christmas, darling
And we’re stepping in from the cold
With this you’ve been making
My wish come true
Here underneath the mistletoe

Come on let’s live this
Merry Christmas, darling
Leave our tears out here in the snow
Just this, it’s all that I’ve wished for
And now I’m back to see you after
You after sailing home
Sailing home

CREDITS
Music & Lyrics - Dave Emery
Choral arrangement - Pete Truin

Vocals - Phil Clark
Backing Vocals - Culdrose Military Wives Choir
Rhythm Guitar - Dave Emery
Lead Guitar - Adam Rosser
Bass Guitar - Lloyd Warlow
Drums/Percussion - Ben Jones

Produced by Gareth Young, The Cube Recording Studio

This is a short message to say that results have been updated on the UKSC website today to show all positions and star ratings for all songs entered before October. Semi Finals positions and awards are shown, and Certificates can be saved and printed. If your song moves on to the Finals your Ceritificate will be updated to show this and your song will compete for a winning place,

October entries are with the judging panels and we will announce these results in early November. So, if you still have songs to enter, submit them now to see your results very soon. Check results on the Status and the Dashboard pages on the UKSC website.

NOTE: You are very welcome to share your results and your songs with other songwriters in the exclusive UKSC Songwriting Community.

With the 2024 Paris Olympics approaching, the UKSC is again running its popular Olympic Theme category this year. The last winner of the Olympics category was successfully signed to a deal and released as a theme song for the Olympic Games under the direction of producer Mel Shaw (Founder of The Juno Awards and President of the Canadian Academy of Performing Arts and Sciences). It was covered by several artists in different genres from Rock to Anthem to Techno and also released as an Instrumental version. The song even had its own dedicated website during the Games. Watch a short video about the Anthem version of the Olympic winning track here on the UKSC YouTube channel. We have relaunched this category for the 2024 Olympic Games and the winning entry will be promoted during the Games in 2024. Songs may be in any style or genre. Instrumentals are also accepted in the Olympics Theme category.

Songwriters have until the end of October to submit songs to the UKSC 2023. The deadline is midnight at the end of Tuesday 31st.

Check out all the song categories (Singer-Songwriter, Pop, Major Artists, Unsigned, Indie, Lyrics Only to name just a few - there is something for every songwriter) on the UKSC website. And while you are on the website check out the great judges this year - the judges are waiting for your song entry!

Your last chance to submit songs!

The International UK Songwriting Contest 2023 closes for entries at the end of this month on October 31. This month is your last chance to submit songs this year. The final deadline is midnight on Tuesday 31st.

ARE YOU A FINALIST?
Within days of submitting your song you will know if you are in the Semi Finals. And very soon after this we announce Finalists and will tell you if your song is in the Finals and competing for a Winner position in the 2023 event. This will be an exciting time as Finalists are announced and winners selected. And there will be Live updates on the UKSC website and on social media.

OPPORTUNITIES
Opportunities to get involved as a songwriter this year include the new Major Artists section which offers the chance for you to nominate a target artist for your song or lyric. Crisis and Protest Songs is for songs about the social, economic, political and other crises, division, changes and and unrest we face today. The Unsigned category is for those of you looking for deals, and many different genre categories. There is a Cover Songs category for you to pay tribute to your favourite songwriters with your own cover and interpretation of their song (you can even make changes and rewrite parts of the original). This year we also have the Olympic Games 2024 section where you can submit songs suitable for the Paris Olympics (the previous UKSC Olympic Theme winner was signed and released internationally by top producer Mel Shaw). There is something for everyone, every genre is there, and full details are on the UKSC contest website - check out the Song Categories Page.

So... get your songs to us before the end of this month. We look forward to receiving them. The judging panels are already gearing up to be prepared, ready and waiting to select the Finalist and Winners for this year.

Very Best Wishes,
UKSC
songwritingcontest.co.uk

World-renowned Austrian microphone manufacturer LEWITT Audio has partnered with the UK Songwriting Contest this year to champion the talent and creativity of our global community of songwriters. Watch above as one of LEWITT's expert vocal coaches introduces a uniquely effective vocal warm-up technique. While it might raise a few eyebrows among your neighbours, this distinctive method will certainly spice up your vocal warm-up routine. We hope you like the result! 

LEWITT Audio is the latest sponsor to join the UKSC in contributing prizes to this year's category winners. We are delighted to announce that they will be awarding their LCT 240 PRO condenser microphones to a selection of category winners at the end of the year. This adds to our impressive pool of prizes which includes professional mastering by Lurssen Mastering in Los Angeles, cutting-edge Digital Audio Workstation technology by FL Studios, an up-to-date registry of music industry contacts by the Music Business Registry and much more. 

Session Two of the 2023 UKSC is now under way and will be accepting entries until the 31st of October. Congratulations to all of those who have received their Judges' Star Rating and Awards so far. We look forward to welcoming more of your songs and sharing the results with the UKSC community at the end of the year. Happy Songwriting!

Submit your songs before the end of July to be considered for an exclusive showcase to top ITV producers and executives.  

Hold onto your seats as the Voice UK returns in 2024, promising to captivate the nation as the judges' chairs swivel to discover the UK's next superstar. Will.i.am, Anne-Marie, Sir Tom Jones, and Olly Murs (pictured above) will soon be coaching a selection of UK-based artists in the world's most iconic televised music competition.

In anticipation of the upcoming series, the Voice UK has approached the UK Songwriting Contest to assist in the search for talented new artists. They are looking for solo artists, duos, trios, and groups to participate in the 12th series of the Voice UK, which will be aired next year.
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The UK Songwriting Contest is a musical institution with a reputation for attracting some of the most gifted and diverse singers and songwriters and we are happy to be collaborating with the Voice UK in the search for talented new artists. 

ALL songwriters who enter the UKSC also benefit from free access to songwriting courses and webinars. These will be distributed after the end of Session Two to everyone who has entered the contest this year. All entries from Commonwealth nations are also granted free and automatic entry into the Commonwealth Song Contest as well as the option to take part in the International Songwriting Awards. Every year the UKSC category winners receive an impressive selection of prizes including musical equipment, software, professional mastering opportunities and more. 

Submit your songs before the end of July to the UK Songwriting Contest, and seize the chance to be part of the Voice UK 2024. If you have already submitted this year or in previous years rest assured that our production team is currently working hard to identify the most suitable potential candidates.  Good luck and happy songwriting!​

Session One closes at the end of the month at midnight on Friday 30th June. Submit your songs before the midnight deadline and you will know within days if you made it to the Semi Finals. All Semi Finalists will be announced in July. All songs will have their positions published at that time and everyone will receive a Certificate in early July. Certificates will be awarded for Semi Finalist, Commended Entry, Special Mention and other positions. The judges' Star Ratings for all June entries will be announced at that time. For a detailed explanation of Star Ratings and Award positions click here. Two songwriters who submit their songs before the end of Session One will also benefit from our Music Business Registry GIVEAWAY - see below.

GIVEAWAYS
As Session One of the 2023 UK Songwriting Contest closeS we are giving away two Music Business Registries with the most up to date contact information for music industry professionals to help you get ahead in the industry (RRP $100). Two randomly chosen songwriters who enter a song between now and the end of Session One on the 30th of June will be awarded this fantastic resource. We have lots of giveaways throughout the year so stay tuned to our socials to find out when they are happening. 

ENTRY FORMS
The standard entry form is here. The PayPal entry form is here.