advertisement
FYI

Nominees for 2023 SOCAN Songwriting Prize

The finalists for the 2023 SOCAN Songwriting Awards, which celebrate the talent of emerging Canadian songwriters, have been announced.

Nominees for 2023 SOCAN Songwriting Prize

By External Source

The finalists for the 2023 SOCAN Songwriting Awards, which celebrate the talent of emerging Canadian songwriters, have been announced. The Canadian rights management organization aims to showcase the next generation of songwriters and the people who make the music. The jury consists of music industry experts and specialized journalists. They selected the finalists, while the winners will be chosen by public vote.


In the French category, the catchy electro-pop anthem "Depuis" by Lydia Képinski, "Lesbienne woke sur l’autotune" by the rapper Calamine, the electrifying "Ton shift est pas fini" by Gab Bouchard, and the bittersweet "Fille à porter" by Ariane Roy and Lou-Adriane Cassidy, both of whom were finalists in 2022, caught the attention of the SOCAN Songwriting Prize jury.

advertisement

For the English-language component, the SOCAN Songwriting Prize includes titles like the jazzy "Always" by Jonah Yano, the dreamy "Grab Your Guts" by Maylee Todd, and the equally captivating "Silver Into Rain" by Luna Li with Beabadoobee.

Jennifer Brown, CEO of SOCAN, says the list reflects the diversity of music creativity in Canada, but also connects it to the Online Streaming Act, Bill C-11, which will regulate streaming in Canada to protect Canadian content and will soon go through consultation. "We must continue to advocate for the support and promotion of our talent, ensuring Canadians will always be able to create and listen to music that reflects their lived experience, now and in the future," she says.

The two winners, one Francophone and one Anglophone, with the most votes, will be announced during the week of November 20. The full article by Amélie Revert can be found on the Billboard Canada website.

advertisement
Val Blavatnik
Courtesy WMG

Val Blavatnik

Business News

Val Blavatnik to Oversee Warner Music Canada in New Role at Warner Music Group

Blavatnik will oversee Warner Music Canada as managing director of Warner Music North America, U.K. and Corporate Development at WMG. As part of a slew of executive announcements, Simon Robson will be leaving the company, while Alejandro Duque takes the top international role.

Val Blavatnik, the 28-year-old son of Warner Music Group majority owner and vice chairman Len Blavatnik, has been named managing director of Warner Music North America, U.K. and Corporate Development at the Warner Music Group, the company announced Friday (Sept. 25). In his new role the younger Blavatnik, who has held several roles at the company in recent years, and has been a board member since 2023, expects to “unify and drive business and operational strategy across these markets while guiding the company’s investment strategy to support growth,” according to a press release.

The Blavatnik announcement is part of a flurry of new executive announcements that CEO Robert Kyncl made this morning. In addition, Atlantic Music Group chairman/CEO Elliot Grainge will take on ADA in the U.S. as its new chairman, while Alejandro Duque, who has held the dual roles of president of Warner Latin and president of ADA since last July, has been named president of Warner Music International, adding Asia-Pacific and Europe, the Middle East and Africa under his oversight. (Duque will continue to oversee ADA outside the U.S.) Zach Friedman, currently COO at Atlantic Music Group, will add the title of vice chair of ADA U.S. to his resume.

keep readingShow less
advertisement