Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment & Guitar Mash Launch #MyNYCSong Contest

The Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment (MOME) and Guitar Mash have officially launched the 2nd Annual #MyNYCSong contest, once again giving young New York musicians a chance to show off their creativity, talent, and love for their hometown. Teen songwriters are invited to submit an original song about or inspired by any aspect of New York City that influences them, accompanied by a guitar, ukulele or keyboard.

Applicants aged 13 through 19 who reside in the five boroughs are invited to submit their original song on the contest website, guitarmash.org/mynycsong. The grand prize winner will receive a professional recording session to memorialize their song, and the opportunity to perform live on November 18th as part of Guitar Mash at City Winery - an annual play-along, sing-along event featuring renowned guitarists and singer-songwriters - and will receive two VIP tickets for guests. They will also have an exclusive showcase at Brooklyn's Communion Music. Two runners-up will also receive recording sessions and VIP tickets to attend Guitar Mash at City Winery. Both the grand prize-winner and the runners-up will receive a prize package from Fishman and one-on-one mentoring sessions with both singer-songwriter Amy Helm and Kool and the Gang's Ronald Bell, a recent inductee to the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Judging the song submissions will be award-winning recording artist Joan Osborne, Guitar Mash Artist Co-Chair, and renowned chef Tom Colicchio, Broadway and recording artist Justin Guarini, Guitar Mash Artistic Director and Paul Simon music director Mark Stewart, and MOME Commissioner Julie Menin. The contest deadline is October 5th.

"New York City is home to some of the most talented and creative teenagers in the world, and the City constantly inspires musical artists of every age," said Commissioner Julie Menin. "I can't wait to hear the work that our next generation of aspiring songwriters produces."

"New York has inspired me to create in the kitchen, and to create with my guitar," said Top Chef head judge, chef and owner of Craft restaurants, and guitar aficionado Tom Colicchio. "I look forward to hearing what in this great city fuels other people to make things."

"Right now teens are making themselves heard more than ever before," said Rebecca Weller, founder and producer of Guitar Mash. "We are excited to partner with the Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment to inspire teens to tap into their passions, their diversity and their love of music and use their voices to share their original stories through song."

"New York as an assignment - as a topic, as a setting, as a launching pad - is so huge that there can be an infinite number of ways for teens to respond," said Guitar Mash Artistic Director Mark Stewart. "Because it is their town, the assignment will generate real stories and real reflections that are honest things. All good ingredients for a good song."

Chloe Hennessee, a 15-year-old from Manhattan, was named the grand prize winner of #MyNYCSong 2017. On her original song "Awake" she said, "I was inspired by the wonderful opportunities New York offers, as well as how independent one becomes when living here. New York is a magical place, where people have the chance to make their dreams a reality but ultimately it's up to them to Take That chance."

Click here to listen to last year's winning song, and the runners-up.

Teen songwriters from all backgrounds and skill levels are encouraged to submit their original song to the My NYC Song contest. All entries must include voice plus a guitarukulele, or keyboard and can feature up to two people. Entries should be original compositions about or inspired by New York City, and should be no longer than five minutes in length. Entrants will need to submit an mp3 file of the song, along with a PDF file of the song lyrics. Details at guitarmash.org/mynycsong.