The Muskoka Music Festival has launched a songwriting competition, seeking an original song about Muskoka to use as a theme song and promotion for the festival.
Festival organizers are asking artists to submit an original song by video or audio before 5 p.m. on June 1. Artists must also submit the lyrics and entries will be judged on the quality of the song, not the sound or performance quality. The competition is open to all ages and songs will be judged by songwriters and past Muskoka Music Festival performers Emm Gryner, Julian Taylor and James Gordon. The judges will be available for a free moderated songwriter’s Q&A session at 11 a.m. on May 9 to talk about inspiration, writing prompts and creativity via Zoom.
“We know that a good song can be an empathy maker – taking the listener into another person’s experience, putting them directly in their shoes,” said a statement from festival organizers. “It can be an act of protest or a gesture of love! It can be a time machine and take the listener back to when they first heard it. One rule! The song must be inspired by Muskoka.”
The selected artist will get the chance to record their song with Rob Currie at Currie’s Music once it’s safe to do so, organizers said. The song will be used for a video campaign to promote the 2021 Muskoka Music Festival and will be released on all streaming platforms through Roaring Girl Records/Fontana North. The artist will receive the revenue from the song as well as a dinner for four at The Oar in Gravenhurst once restaurants reopen.
For more information or to register for the Zoom session, click here. To enter the competition, email your Muskoka song via dropbox, voice memo, link, video or audio to miranda@roaringgirlrecords.com with Muskoka Music Festival Songwriting Competition as the subject.