The UK Songwriting Contest Christian Music section has a long history of outstanding and varied Christian Song entries and winners. These songs range in style from classical to rock, country to choral, acapella to electronic, gospel to pop, folk to gregorian chant and rap - there is no limit to the genres and styles of music that can be entered. Christmas carols may be also entered in this category or in the Christmas Songs Category (or both). Recent winners have included the up-tempo electronc / dance entry Champion Of The Word by Ian Townend and Ryan Stevenson (hear the song below) and the acapella entry My Sanctuary by Melvin Ijih. You can listen to these entries below:
SONG AWARDS In addition to the Christian Song Award Winner there are also Finalist, Semi Finalist. Special Mention, Commended Entry and Higher Commended Entry Awards for song entries - see the Prizes Page for full details of prizes - and every one who enters will have their songs heard, examined and rated by industry professionals. You will be told the exact score given by the judges for your song and issued with an official UKSC Certificate stating the position reached in the event and the Award given.
Everyone who enters will receive valuable and useful song pitching opportunities and songwriting courses with SongU and also free Broadjam memberships which together are worth US$100. This competition gives a genuine chance to all songwriters to be noticed and discovered by the music industry in London and to have their songs judged and scored by industry professionals. Many entrants have been noticed and promoted and have received royalty earning radio play for their entries and many more have been featured in the press, in radio interviews and on prime time television. Many entrants in this contest have been published, or have been signed or produced, by top industry figures who closely follow this event looking for new talent.
CHRISTIAN WINNERS' ALBUM Listen to this compilation album containing all the UKSC Winning Christian Songs from the years 2011 to the present. A special private limited edition album containing finalists is also sent to our industry contacts each year. (Christian Winners from earlier years can be heard on the Results Page for that year).
Examples of recent winners: Below are some examples of successful entries in this category:
My Sanctuary, written by Melvin Lijih, is a unique and refreshingly different entry from Nigeria. The recording is basic and acapella with no musical backing and just a simple click track on the second and fourth beats. The acappella vocal is sung very well but the judges were very clear that this song would still have won this category even with a much less accomplished vocal because of the well written and constructed melody and lyric.
Rythms Of Joy by Martin Bills. UK Songwriting Contest Christian / Faith Category Winner 2013.
This winning Faith/Christian Category song was written by Ian Townend and Ryan Stevenson and the contest entry was performed by co writer Ryan Stevenson (in the photo). This was selected as an original and unusual entry that stood out from other entries in this category this year. The writers describe it as "dance pop rhythmic worship music with a dubstep vibe".