Could you be this year’s best young songwriter?

Young songwriters can have their songs judged by stars of the music world and win a chance to have them professionally recorded.

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A Song Academy session in action in Brook Green, Hammersmith

Young songwriters can have their songs judged by stars of the music world and win a chance to have them professionally recorded.

Now in its fifth year, entries are open for the prestigious Song Academy Young Songwriter Competition. It is run by the Song Academy, based in Brook Green, which runs workshops for young songwriters.

Judges include singers Tom Odell, whose song Real Love was used in the 2014 John Lewis advert, and James Walsh, frontman of band Starsailor, as well as top producers who have worked with the likes of Adele, Florence and the Machine and Sam Smith, plus television and radio presenter Jamie Theakston.

Tom Odell said: “I think the Song Academy Young Songwriter competition is a great way to inspire and help through this process, and it’s something I wish had been around when I was starting out.

“When I was 13 years old I started writing songs, and over the following years I became more and more obsessed with it. But the thing that always kept me awake at night was how to get them out there for people to hear them.”

Prizes include the chance to record your song at a top London recording studio, a Yamaha Reface Concept keyboard, a Farida guitar and a publicity photoshoot.

The competition is open to young people across the UK and Ireland. It is split into two categories, seven to 12-year-olds and 13 to 18-year-olds.

Entrants don’t need professional recordings as they will be judged on their originality, lyrics, melody, composition, and their potential to be a smash hit.

Each entrant may enter up to three songs and the entry fee is £5 per song.  The deadline to take part in the competition is 9 April 2016.

Songs can be uploaded via the academy’s website. Visit the Song Academy's website to find out more.

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