Recently, we featured a very popular Q & A with our friends at Unsigned Only and International Song Competition, and just last week ISC unveiled their list of Finalists for 2019. Once again it features an abundance of emerging and established songwriting and musical talent from this region with finalists from New Zealand, Australia and Solomon Islands (Shout out to JAHBOY!).
With entries from Thelma Plum, The Teskey Brothers and Kaylee Bell and newcomers like Melbourne electro-pop duo Eli Dan (Elisha Apurado and Danny Hacket), hip-hop/soul artist Ojikae and teenage multiple category finalist Harry Cleverdon from Young, NSW, it's clear that great songs prevail.
'We're just so honoured and humbled to be considered as a finalist and amongst some of the words best talent. To us, 'Treading Water' has been a product of our own adversities, and our process in overcoming them. All we wish for is that those who listen to it and have seen the video can find the same kind of hope as we have,' said Eli Dan on hearing they were finalists.
Songwriters from this region have a history of success in the high profile competition, with Vance Joy having taken out the grand prize in 2014. Other previous winners include The Presets, Gotye, Kimbra, Missy Higgins, Matt Corby, David Le'aupepe, Kasey Chambers, Gin Wigmore, Flight Facilities, Augie March, Guy Sebastian, Sarah Blasko, Troy Cassar-Daley, Kate Miller-Heidke, Jebediah and many more.
Congrats to the songwriters who made the cut. Winners will be announced in late April or early May.
AAA (Adult Album Alternative):
- All My Love, MAXO: Max O'Sullivan - Canberra, ACT, Australia
- Better In Blak, Thelma Plum: Thelma Plum, Alexander Burnett - Brisbane, QLD, Australia
- Bring It On, Glenn Cardier: Glenn Cardier - Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Queen of Hearts, Sahara Beck: Sahara Beck, Tony Buchen - Brisbane, QLD, Australia
- Rain, The Teskey Brothers: Josh Teskey, Sam Teskey, Brendon Love, Liam Gough - Warrandyte, VIC, Australia
- So Caught Up, The Teskey Brothers: Josh Teskey, Sam Teskey, Brendon Love, Liam Gough - Warrandyte, VIC, Australia
AC (Adult Contemporary):
- Light It Up, MAXO: Max O'Sullivan - Canberra, ACT, Australia
- Shades, Tales in Space: Luke Bertoz, Simon Widauer (Tales In Space) - Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Thought I Could, Yorke: Grace Hughes, Andrew Hopkins - Bangalow, NSW, Australia
Americana:
- Restless One, Glenn Cardier: Glenn Cardier - Sydney, NSW, Australia
- See Another Day, Falls: Simon Rudston-Brown, Melinda Kirwin - Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Worst Crime, Jamie McDell Ft. Robert Ellis: Jamie McDell, Nash Chambers, Phil Barton - Auckland, New Zealand
Blues:
- One Evil Man, Darren Watson: Darren Watson - Wellington, New Zealand
- Trouble In My Head, Anna Scionti: Anna Scionti - North Fitzroy, VIC, Australia
Children's Music:
- Magic In Me, Kath Bee Ft. Mika & Kurnel MC: Kath Bee, Luke Epapara, Ryan Beehre - Wellington, New Zealand
- Mr Potato, The Vegetable Plot: Luke Escombe - Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Toothless, Craig Smith: Craig Smith - Queenstown, New Zealand
- Waiting for a Bus, The Vegetable Plot: Luke Escombe - Sydney, NSW, Australia
Christian:
- Floodgates, The Sations: Rachel Wilson, Dominic Schryvers, Laura Schryvers - Auckland, New Zealand
- Up, Citipointe Worship: Jared Porter, Josh Smith - Brisbane, QLD, Australia
Comedy/Novelty:
- Chubby Love, Dave?: Ngoc Tuan Hoang - Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Pink Clouds, Sammy J: Sam Jonathan McMillan - Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Short People, The Additives: Susi Prendergast, Jude Bridge - Perth, WA, Australia
- The Turbulence Of Flatulence, Mason Clarke: Mason F. Clarke - Perth, WA, Australia
Country:
- Bumps and Bruises, Jetty Road: Lee Bowman, Paula, Bowman, Julian Sammut - Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Johnnie, Jim & Jack'd, Vanessa Selwyn & James Hoppe: Vanessa Selwyn, James Hoppe - Thurgoona, NSW, Australia
- Keith, Kaylee Bell: Kaylee Bell, Phil Barton, Lindsay Rime - Auckland, New Zealand
EDM (Electronic Dance Music):
- Bleed Sunlight Ft. DLake, Shane Burgess: Shane Burgess, DLake - Goulburn, NSW, Australia
- Heavy Hearted, The Jungle Giants: Sam Hales - Brisbane, QLD, Australia
- Rite Next To U, Georgieboiibeatzz: Georgie Read - Perth, WA, Australia
- Stars Like Us, Xanza: Elina Godwin, Alexandra Nicholas - Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Way Back Down, du0: Ryan Dobbrick, Stuart Stuart - Brisbane, QLD, Australia
Folk/Singer-Songwriter:
- Anew, Hollow Coves: Ryan Henderson, Matthew Carins - Brisbane, QLD, Australia
- Eyes of a Child, Levi Lights On Project: Levi Sesega - Auckland, New Zealand
Lyrics Only:
- Dirty, Shane Timmo: Shane Tiimo - Melbourne, VIC, Australia
Music Video:
- Lies, Charm Of Finches: Mabel Windred-Wornes, Ivy Windred-Wornes - Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Queen of Hearts, Sahara Beck: Sahara Beck, Tony Buchen - Brisbane, QLD, Australia
- Stranger, Bec Sandridge: (Rebecca Sandridge, Oscar Dawson) - Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Treading Water, ELI DAN: Danny Hacket, Elisha Apurado - Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Ur A Piece Of Shit, Ali Barter: Ali Barter, Oscar Dawson - Melbourne, VIC, Australia
Performance:
- Crystalline, Rhia: Rhia - Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Queen of Hearts, Sahara Beck: Sahara Beck, Tony Buchen - Brisbane, QLD, Australia
- Version of Me, Kimbra: Kimbra Johnson, Ethan Gruska, Tony Berg - Hamilton, New Zealand
Pop/Top 40:
- Animals, Nick de la Hoyde: Joseph de la Hoyde, Nick de la Hoyde - Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Can't Turn It Off, Seb Mont: Seb Mont Holdinghausen, Janeva, Alex LiRosi - St.Kilda, VIC, Australia
- Charles and Jane, Ivy-Jane Browne: Ivy-Jane Browne - Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Dance Monkey, Tones and I: Toni Watson - Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Girl Is A Gun, ASTON: Sophie Curtis, Robby Desa, Isabella Kearney-Nurse - Glenning Valley, NSW, Australia
- Not Your Princess, Theia: Em-Haley Walker, Liam Quinn - Auckland, New Zealand
- Oats and Honey, Tkay Maidza: Tkay Maidza, Dan Farber, Autumn Rowe - Westlakes, SA, Australia
- Sick Of Loving You, BOI: Anna Buckingham, Liam Quinn - Melbourne, VIC, Australia
R&B/Hip-Hop:
- Overdue, Ojikae: Matt Cicero, Nic Martin, Rudy Sandapa - Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Shook, Tkay Maidza: Tkay Maidza, Dan Farber - Westlakes, SA, Australia
Rock:
- Better Know Better, Tomtom: William Tom - Brisbane, QLD, Australia
- Hollywood, CLEWS: Lily Richardson - Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Teach Me About Dying, HOLY HOLY: Dying Timothy Carroll, Oscar Dawson, Ryan Strathie - Wollongong, VIC, Australia
Teen:
- Be You, Angus Brill Reed: Angus Brill Reed - Adelaide, SA, Australia
- Crushed, Sophia Chesworth: Sophia Chesworth - Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Hit Me While I'm Down, Harry Cleverdon: Harry Cleverdon - Young, NSW, Australia
- Poison, Cody Jon: Cody Jon - Burraneer Bay, NSW, Australia
- Self Love, Violeta Bozanic: Violeta Bozanic - Sydney, NSW, Australia
Unpublished:
- Hit Me While I'm Down, Harry Cleverdon: Harry Cleverdon - Young, NSW, Australia
- Not Your Princess, Theia: Em-Haley Walker, Liam Quinn - Auckland, New Zealand
- Queen of Hearts, Sahara Beck: Sahara Beck, Tony Buchen - Brisbane, QLD, Australia
Unsigned Only:
- Charles and Jane, Ivy-Jane Browne: Ivy-Jane Browne - Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Girl Is A Gun, ASTON: Sophie Curtis, Robby Desa, Isabella Kearney-Nurse - Glenning Valley, NSW, Australia
- Hit Me While I'm Down, Harry Cleverdon: Harry Cleverdon - Young, NSW, Australia
- Shades, Tales in Space: Luke Bertoz, Simon Widauer (Tales In Space) - Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Stranger, Bec Sandridge: (Rebecca Sandridge, Oscar Dawson) - Melbourne, VIC, Australia
World:
- Karma Of The Butterfly Effect, JAHBOY: Kirwan Hatigeva, James Moore - Honiara, Solomon Islands