The organisers of the Akinyemilaw Songwriting Contest have announced a call for entries in Nigeria and Ghana for the 2024 edition, which is the sixth in the series.
The announcement also came with an increment of the prize money to $5,000 which will be split between the top three winners, a difference from the previous editions where the winner took all.
A statement sent to Saturday Beats stated that this year, the winner will get $4,000, while consolation cash prizes of $750 and $250 will go to the first and second runners-up.
Also, Showgear— an event, rental and music retail company— will give the winners equipment worth $1,000.
According to the organisers, submission of entries will begin on November 1 and end on December 15. To apply, interested music talents from Nigeria and Ghana are expected to adhere strictly to qualification requirements. They are to create a 90-second original song (108-113 BPM) in any African genre with the title, ‘Come to my Party.’ After this, they are required to upload the song to Instagram and audiomack with the hashtag #TalSongContest2024. All contestants are also required to follow the official Instagram handle, @talcsongcontest, while the streaming link is expected to be submitted through the competition’s portal.
Speaking about the competition, the convener, Akinyemi Ayinoluwa, said, “We successfully crossed the half-decade mark and are excited to announce our call for fresh, original voices that capture the essence of storytelling through music. We celebrate the power of music and the beauty of expression, and it is an incredible opportunity for emerging talents to showcase their creativity and passion. As the competition continues to pivot into a continental platform, we are excited to unlock new partnerships. We also assembled a remarkable jury of music professionals who bring their experience to enrich the selection process.”
