Will Carpenter and Abby Posner (both pictured) from Los Angeles won the Overall Grand Prize of the 2023 USA Songwriting Competition with their protest song “Get Loud”. Will is part of a Rock group “Ships Have Sailed”.

“We truly can’t believe we won. It means the world that the song’s message resonated with you and the judges, and we are truly grateful. This song was written as a protest song for anyone that has had their rights stripped away. We want it to be a universal anthem for those that feel like they have to continue to push for positive changes, for human rights, and for equality. We are so grateful that Get Loud was selected as the Grand Prize winner, we are both going to continue to make art that reflects the times”, said Abby Posner.

“What an incredible honor to be recognized by the USA Songwriting Competition in this way. I have personally been entering the competition for years now, and have won honorable mention and even won the second overall prize one year, but to win the overall grand prize is just amazing. This song was born from a place that was real, raw, and frustrated – our only objective as we were creating was to tell our story and voice our frustration in a way that might connect with others and get them thinking about positive change, and to have it recognized in such a profound way is truly above and beyond anything we could have imagined. Thank you!”, said Will Carpenter, Will is part of a Rock group “Ships Have Sailed” with Art Andranikyan, a drummer and songwriter.

“Get Loud” stomps forth as a galvanizing anthem meant to ignite and soundtrack grass-roots defiance against the evisceration of human rights. One that draws its power from the band’s passionate lyricism as much as their volcanic sonics — from its grueling riffs to its thunderous foot-stomping energy.

The Overall Second Prize went to Jeff Roe, Matt Rogers and Darrin Morris; Memphis, TN with their song “Girl From Oklahoma”.

The Overall Third Prize went to Maggie McClure, Shane Henry, Stephen Gause and Nathan Angelo (from the group “The Imaginaries”) from Norman, OK with their song “Revival”.

Other notable winners inlcude: world renowned Jazz guitarist Mike Stern who won Best Jazz Award with his song “Africa” with Roman Miroshnichenko and Stas Namin, from Russia and Armenia respectively.

World renowned Jazz saxophonist Dave Koz won an honorable mention award with his song “Synergy” with Vahagn Stepanyan, Eric Moore, Leslie Johnson, Mark Lettieri, Philip Lassiter and Kitt Wakeley. The complete list of winners and finalists can be viewed here .

ABOUT USA SONGWRITING COMPETITION

USA Songwriting Competition has a long history of having winners getting recording and publishing contracts, have their songs placed on the charts as well as having their songs placed on film and television.

2020 top winner Andrew Jannakos was signed to Sony Music Nashville/RCA Nashville records and hit #65 on the Billboard Hot 100 Charts. The 2022, 2021 and 2020 top winners had their winning songs receive radio airplay.

The 2017 top winner Pricilla Renae has her song recorded by Ariana Grande and that song hit #21 on the Billboard Hot 100 Charts last year, her songs have been recorded by other big name artists such as Rihanna, Mariah Carey, Fifth Harmony, Demi Lovato, Rihanna, Madonna, Selena Gomez and Chris Brown. Several of her songs have hit the Billboard Hot 100 Charts.

2013 winner – Rock group “American Authors” were signed to Island Records, and hit #1 on the Billboard Charts and went 6X Platinum, selling over 10 million copies worldwide.

In its landmark year, the 29th Annual USA Songwriting Competition is currently accepting entries. For more information, visit here.