Industry news
Holiday Inn Express Songwriting Competition open
Holiday Inn Express has launched its 2014 Songwriting Competition in four countries across Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Amateur and professional musicians, and bands and solo acts in South Africa, the United Arab Emirates, India and Indonesia are invited to enter.
To enter, participants have to compose an original song which includes a mention of ‘Holiday Inn Express’ in the lyrics. Entry is via the Holiday Inn Express Songwriting Facebook App.
The top 10 songs in each country with the highest number of votes will then be rated by a panel of judges to choose the final winner.
The judges include:
- Graeme Watkins, singer, The Graeme Watkins Project;
- Tresor Riziki, singer-songwriter and winner of 2012 Holiday Inn Express Songwriting Competition (South Africa);
- Rolling Stone SA editor, Miles Keylock; and
- Lee Lin Teo, director of brand management, Holiday Inn Brand Family, IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group).
The winner in each market will be professionally filmed performing their hit and be promoted around the region, together with an array of other prizes including room nights at Holiday Inn Express hotels.
Judging criteria
The top 10 songs will be judged on the following criteria: originality and creativity of the lyrics, song composition, melody and arrangement, contestants’ performing ability and the incorporation of the Holiday Inn Express brand personality. Submissions close on 31 March.
The grand winners from each market will be announced on 15 April.
The competition comes off the back of the successful 2012 Holiday Inn Express Songwriting Competition held in South Africa. The winner of the 2012 competition, Tresor Riziki, is now a multi-platinum selling singer songwriter, who has signed a worldwide agreement with Universal Music Publishing Group and has been featured across South African airwaves and international music channels such as MTV ZA, MTV Base and Trace TV.
For more info, go to fb.com/holidayinnexpress.
