SONGWRITERS: Important Deadline Announcement and more...

Dear Songwriter,

The entry deadline for The UK Songwriting Contest is midnight 30th September. Many of you have already entered your songs, but if you haven't entered a song yet, or you want to enter more songs, you still have time to submit. The 2017 UK Songwriting Contest is an opportunity to showcase your work to the music industry in London and the world, and to have your songs examined and marked by experts.

Entry forms are at the official contest website at http://songwritingcontest.co.uk Songwriters from every country can participate and everyone who enters this respected international contest is told the judges score for each song and gets an official UKSC Certificate with details of their song's achievements and placements. There are also valuable guaranteed gifts and prizes worth many times the entry fee for everyone who enters.

THE PRODUCTION AND MENTORING PRIZES
As part of the Grand Prize package renowned music producer Stuart Epps has agreed to work with the winner. Stuart has worked with some of the biggest names in the business including Elton John, Robbie Williams, Oasis, Led Zeppelin and many others. This is a unique once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to work closely with, and be produced by, one of the best in the business! We will fly you (or drive you if you are close by) to London from wherever you are in the world to work with Stuart in one of his favourite London studios (or you can take the cash equivalent if you prefer!). Stuart has recorded a short video for the UKSC about this - watch it at https://youtu.be/ZDDVEQv8D6k  Top songwriter and coach Mark Cawley from Nashville will also offer a coaching prize to a lucky winner, so someone reading this will be in for a treat. One of the last winners of this coaching prize (a Lyrics Only category winner from Australia) ended up flying to Nashville to record with Mark as a result. Details are on the contest website.

AWARDS AND OPPORTUNITIES
There are new awards levels this year and we will feature the best songs and songwriters in each category online, on partner websites and in the media. The Mozart Awards will again be offered this year and, even better, as the UKSC is now the official submissions partner for The Commonwealth Song Contest, songs from this year's contest will be considered for that exciting new international song event when it launches next year in 2018.

TOP JUDGES
Grammy, Emmy, CMA and BRIT Award winning judges include the well known number one international chart topping Multi Platinum songwriter Shelly Peiken, the legendary Stuart Epps (Elton John, Robbie Williams, Oasis), producer and arranger Richard Niles (Paul McCartney, Kylie Minogue, Take That, Mariah Carey), CMA Award winning country star Lucie Diamond, Oscar nominated TV and Film composer Jamie Sefari, the composer and Grammy and Emmy winner Kipper Eldridge (well known in the music business as Sting's producer), chart topping hit songwriter Mark Cawley (who will mentor one of the winners) and UKSC winner and Platinum Album artist Natalie Chua (who was signed by Simon Cowell and went Platinum when she won the UKSC).

CATEGORIES
The entry categories this year are: Pop, Lyrics Only, Singer-Songwriter, Rock, Adult Contemporary, Love Songs, Acoustic & Folk, Under 18s, Music Videos, Jazz & Blues, Country, Christian/Faith, R&B/HipHop/Rap, Instrumental, Open/Other Category, Indie, Electronic/Dance/Ambient, Christmas Songs, World Music and Retro. Full details and descriptions of the song categories are on the contest website at http://songwritingcontest.co.uk

HOW TO ENTER
Visit the official contest website at http://songwritingcontest.co.uk for the entry forms. Use these simple forms to enter your song in a few easy clicks. All songwriters from any country may enter.

We wish you every success in this year's event and in your future songwriting. Visit our website for full details and contact us at any time if you have questions. We will do our best to answer and advise.

With very best wishes,
From the UKSC Team.
www.songwritingcontest.co.uk

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