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FYI

SOCAN Gifts Five Young Songwriters With $5K Prizes

The SOCAN Foundation has awarded a total of $25,000 to five songwriters that are 21 and under. The program partnered with Sirius XM Canada to offer $5,000 to each of the winning contestants.

SOCAN Gifts Five Young Songwriters With $5K Prizes

By External Source

The SOCAN Foundation has awarded a total of $25,000 to five songwriters that are 21 and under. The program partnered with Sirius XM Canada to offer $5,000 to each of the winning contestants.


“These awards recognize the next generation of songwriters from across the country,” said Charlie Wall-Andrews, Executive Director of the SOCAN Foundation. “This award is also designed to celebrate and cultivate these emerging music creators as they expand their career as songwriters.”

The competition was evaluated by a jury of Canadian songwriters comprised of Basia Bulat, Jocelyn Bruno (Dramatik), Tarun Nayar (Delhi 2 Dublin), Frank Kadillac (Neon Dreams), and Fanny Bloom.

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The SOCAN Foundation 2019 award recipients are:

Mahmoud Ismail (Mah Moud) for the song “Sigada” (ON),

Lou-Adriane Cassidy for the song “Poussière” (QC),

Emily Gifford (GRAE) for the song “Your Hands” (ON),

Kasia Thorlakson (Kasia Leigh) for the song “Love Song #1” (SK), and

Arianna Ohlsson for the song “Heaven” (ON).

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Drake performs onstage during Wireless Festival at Finsbury Park on July 11, 2025, in London.
Joseph Okpako/WireImage
Drake performs onstage during Wireless Festival at Finsbury Park on July 11, 2025, in London.
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