Amid a global field of entries spanning 52 countries and more than 4,000 songs, Australian songwriters led the major awards at the 2025 Vanda & Young Global Songwriting Competition.
Taking out the A$50,000 main prize was British-born, Sydney-raised singer-songwriter Ruel for his single The Suburbs, while Australian electronic musician Ninajirachi, originally from NSW’s Central Coast, received the A$10,000 Second Prize for iPod Touch, co-written and co-produced with Darcy Baylis (USA). The win follows a breakout year for the artist – real name Nina Wilson – which included a triple win at the 2025 ARIA Awards including Best Independent Release for her debut album I Love My Computer.
The Third Prize (A$5,000) went to Louis Schoorl (AUS/UK) for Zombie, with the Emerging Australasian Songwriter Award (A$5,000) awarded to Jude York, originally from Toowoomba in regional Queensland, for Almost Me, Almost You – underscoring the strength of Australian songwriting across both established and emerging artists.
Ten additional songwriters were recognised with Emerging Global Songwriter Awards, celebrating exceptional promise across a diverse range of genres and styles:
- Charley – Man On The Moon
Songwriters: Claire Howell (AUS), Ned Houston (AUS), Harry Charles (NZ) - Oliver Cronin – Closure
Songwriters: Oliver Cronin (AUS), Jake Jepson (AUS), Rory Noble (NZ) - Mathilde Anne – Cigarettes and Anxious Sex
Songwriters: Mathilde Lambert (AUS), Charlie Pitman(AUS/UK), Ethan Reginato (AUS) - Carla Wehbe – Broke Your Heart
Songwriters: Carla Wehbe (AUS), Tom Eggert (AUS) - Marlhy – paint dry (I’M FINE)
Songwriters: Marlhy Murphy (USA), Kella Armitage (USA), Michael Kamerman (USA) - CYRUS – At The End Of The Day
Songwriter: Cyrus Villanueva (AUS) - Bri Clark – The Wrong Room
Songwriters: Bri Clark (AUS), Tia Sillers (USA), Aaron Chafin (USA) - Hollie Isabella – all i can say
Songwriter: Hollie Isabella (AUS) - Elishia – As Good As It Gets
Songwriters: Elishia Semaan (AUS), Mikaela Dean (AUS), Nigel Van Hemmye (USA) - Tig – Ferris Wheel
Songwriter: Natasha Lieschke (AUS).
Winners of the competition, which raises vital funds for Noro Music Therapy, were selected through an anonymous judging process by a panel of more than 70 global music industry professionals spanning songwriting, publishing, A&R, artist management, labels, and music media, with the final list reflecting a broad international spread across New Zealand, the UK, Scotland, the Netherlands and the United States, as well as Australia.
Ruel’s top prize-winning The Suburbs was praised by the judges for its emotional clarity, melodic strength and contemporary songwriting craft.
“It’s a huge honour to be involved with V&Y and to be able to contribute to the ongoing work of Noro Music Therapy,” said Ruel. “Being part of this fundraising means a great deal, and on top of that, being chosen for this prize by such a respected panel of industry professionals is a massive privilege.”
Alberts is proud to be a founding supporter of the Vanda & Young Global Songwriting Competition, established in collaboration with APRA AMCOS and Sony Music Publishing to honour legendary songwriters Harry Vanda and the late George Young. Since its inception, the competition has become a respected global platform for discovering and supporting songwriting talent, helping ignite the creative spirit of a new generation of artists, and raising more than A$2.5 million for Noro Music Therapy’s life-changing music therapy programs.
Past winners include Australian acts Shannon Busch, King Stingray, Amy Shark, Baker Boy, Budjerah, Gang of Youths, Genesis Owusu, Mallrat, and Thelma Plum.
(Feature image, from left: Main prize winners Ruel, Ninajirachi, Louis Schoorl, and Jude York).
