Annual song contest offers extension

The International Songwriting Competition has an extended deadline to Nov. 1.

The competition is an annual song contest with a mission “to provide the opportunity for both aspiring and established songwriters to have their songs heard in a professional, international arena,” according to the competition’s website.

They will give away more than $150,000 in cash and prizes. The grand prize consists of $25,000 in cash and more than $40,000 in prizes, including a custom Lowden acoustic guitar valued at more than $11,000, a Marshall full stack amp, a studio package from Solid State Logic, a duplicator from Dcompetitionmakers and more.

Legendary music icons Tom Waits, Nas, Jeff Beck, Bernie Taupin, Janelle Monae and Martina McBride are a few of the 61 judges chosen to select the 2012 competition winners.

The competition is open to both amateur and professional songwriters. Entries are accepted online or through the mail.

After extending the deadline, competition officials will offer special promotions and incentives, according to a press release.

Competition’s newest success story comes from the 2011 winner, Kimbra.

Hailing from New Zealand, Kimbra “has recently exploded onto the international music charts as the featured singer on

Australian artist Gotye’s current hit song, ‘Somebody That I Used to Know,’” according to the website.

The song recently ranked number one on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart for eight weeks in a row, according to the release.

The competition is divided into categories including blues, children’s music, comedy/novelty, country and R&B/hip hop.

Depending on the category, judges will make decisions based on creativity, originality, lyrics, melody, arrangement and overall likeability, according to the website.

Some categories might have additional criteria.

Sixty-eight winners will share in the cash and prizes, according to the website.

“Competition has the most prestigious panel of judges of all the songwriting and music contests in the world,” the competition website boasts.

In addition to cash and merchandise prizes, the website says “winners benefit from a multilateral promotional campaign designed to give international exposure and attention to their songwriting achievements.”

For more information, visit songwritingcompetition.com.

- Makenzie Holland