By Mike Romero
Calling all songwriters! The Pleasant Grove Arts Commission and Edison Recording studio have teamed up again to bring the latest installment in their Songwriter Competition & Showcase series. The competition is a way for all musicians in Utah County, no matter age, genre, or experience to show off their hard work and possibly win some awesome prizes!
The competition is simple: just enter a recording of an original song along with the lyrics and writers’ names, and you’re most of the way there! Ten applicants will then be chosen from all the submissions, and those ten finalists will have the opportunity to perform their song at a showcase event on November 2 at the doTERRA Headquarters in Pleasant Grove, where a grand winner will be decided. Another lucky writer will also be chosen for the “Arts Commission Choice” prize.
The competition’s official website notes that “finalists will be selected based on song originality, aesthetic quality, song arrangement, and song lyrics.” There are no restrictions on genre of the music, although songs containing explicit content, such as profanity, vulgarity, violence, or sexual content will not be eligible to compete.
Prizes for the winners include studio time at Edison Recording Studio, Mastering from Nine Moon, a professional release package and photography from Kenneth Phair Music Group, an artist promotion package including various printed items from CopyTec, an on-air interview with KPGR Radio 88.1, and plenty of other vouchers, gift baskets, and cash prizes!
This year’s competition and showcase will also include several musician workshops with professionals of various backgrounds who can help musicians with a number of areas related to music writing, release, and so on. These workshops will take place on November 2, the same day as the finalist showcase.
Submissions for the 2024 Songwriter Competition & Showcase are open until September 30, and finalists will be announced on October 18. Writers interested in entering one of their songs can find the full guidelines at the Edison Recording website. Submissions do not need to be studio-quality recordings, and neither the Arts Commission nor Edison Recording will own any part of the final song. Entry is limited to one song per writer and there is no cost to participate.
Best of luck to all the Utah County songwriters who will be applying! While you get your submissions ready, check out a sample of what people are writing right here in Utah County with “she pays her taxes” from No 1’s Home!