The 2018 Vanda and Young Songwriting Competition Announces Top 40 Finalists

A huge thanks goes out to the 3,296 songwriters worldwide who entered 4,056 songs in this year's Vanda and Young Songwriting Competition, collectively contributing nearly $203,000 to Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy? Australia (NRMTA) via their entry fees. This year marks the most successful result yet since the competition's start in 2009, pushing all-time funds raised past $1 million dollars.

"Our organisation is beyond grateful to all the songwriters who have entered the Vanda and Young Songwriting Competition over the years. Their entry fees have made a profound impact on the lives of the children and adults we work with daily. Thank you to Alberts and APRA AMCOS for their ongoing support and to the great Harry Vanda and George Young for a musical legacy that has made reaching $1 million possible," says Belinda Leonard, CEO of NRMTA.

Artists with multiple songs shortlisted are Alice Ivy, Amy Shark, Gang of Youths, Georgi Kay and Gordi. Of the top forty's 33 unique songwriters, 25 are making their first time appearance and 22 of them are female or female-fronted. The competition received songs from all corners - US, Canada, Hungary, Japan and beyond.

The new guard of songwriters on the list of finalists include up-and-comers Mallrat, G Flip, Angie McMahon, Dean Lewis and Bri Clark to name a few.

Without further ado, here is the 2018 Vanda and Young Songwriting Competition shortlist in alphabetical order:

PERFORMER - SONG

Abbey Gardner - Weight Of Feeling

Adam Eckersley & Brooke McClymont - Train Wreck

Ainslie Wills - Running Second

Alex Lahey - I Love You Like A Brother

Alfie Arcuri - Same

Alice Ivy - Get Me A Drink

Alice Ivy - Chasing Stars

Amy Shark - Weekends

Amy Shark - Adore

Angie McMahon - Slow Mover

Asha Jefferies - Chaos

Bri Clark - Giving Up

Cookin' On 3 Burners - Real Life Baby

CXLOE - Monster

Dean Lewis - Be Alright

Florian - Star Crossed Lover

G Flip - About You

Gang of Youths - Do Not Let Your Spirit Wane

Gang of Youths - Let Me Down Easy

Gang of Youths - The Heart Is A Muscle

Gang of Youths - What Can I Do If The Fire Goes Out?

Georgi Kay - Guilty Pleasures

Georgi Kay - Special

Gordi - Heaven I Know

Gordi - On My Side

Hatchie - Sure

Holly Arrowsmith - Love Together

Holy Holy - True Lovers

Dennis Dowlut and Maxwell Bidstrup - Paper Planes

Jack Carty - Hospital Hill

King IV - Bump

Mallrat - Better

Maya Jupiter - Inshallah

Middle Kids - Mistake

Oh Pep! - Parallel

Ruby Fields - I Want

Ruel - Don't Tell Me

Tia Gostelow - That's What You Get

Tim Hansen - Don't Be A Dick

Timothy Bowen - Anchor

Four top winners will be announced in May. At stake is a first-place cash prize of A$50,000, courtesy of APRA AMCOS, Alberts and BMG, as well as an additional A$5,000 Show Group travel package.

Two runners-up cash prizes are also on offer with second place receiving A$10,000 thanks to AMPAL (Australasian Music Publishers Association) and third place taking home A$5,000 courtesy of media sponsor, Seventh Street Media. An exciting addition to the prize slate this year is A$5,000 for the best 'Unpublished' work.

The winning songs will be judged by a range of music industry professionals including three-time APRA Songwriter of the Year Daniel Johns, electronic artist and triple j host KLP, ARIA-winner Montaigne, and representatives from Billboard, Universal Music, triple j Unearthed and more.

Melbourne singer-songwriter Gretta Ray earned top honours and the $50,000 cash prize in 2016 for her captivating song Drive, joining an impressive roll-call of past winners including Megan Washington (2009), Kimbra (2011), The Preatures (2013), Husky Gawenda (2014).

Named after the iconic songwriters and founding members of The Easybeats, Harry Vanda and the late George Young, the competition raises funds for NRMTA and its work with children and adults with physical and intellectual disabilities, autism, trauma, illness, dementia, behaviour disorders and learning difficulties.

Listen and share the Top 40 playlist streaming on Spotify.