International Songwriting Competition (ISC) Announces 2025 Winners
Ghanaian/American Sam Opoku Takes Home the Overall Grand Prize
Judges included Jason Mraz, Tom Waits, Andy Grammer, Elle King, Nancy Wilson (Heart), Sidewalk Prophets, Above & Beyond, Kristian Bush (Sugarland), Fantastic Negrito, Topic, and many more
Nashville, TN, May 14, 2026… The International Songwriting Competition (ISC) has announced the winners of its 2025 competition, recognizing outstanding achievement in songwriting across a broad spectrum of contemporary music. This year’s competition attracted approximately 13,000 entries from more than 120 countries, highlighting both emerging and established talent.
For over two decades, the International Songwriting Competition (ISC) has been renowned as the premier songwriting competition in the world and has remained committed to discovering and supporting songwriters at all stages of their careers. By providing both aspiring and established artists with the opportunity to have their music heard by an elite group of Grammy Award winners, iconic artists, and influential music industry leaders, ISC continues to foster creativity, elevate new voices, and celebrate the art of songwriting.
ISC’s top honor, the overall Grand Prize, is awarded to Sam Opoku, a Ghanaian/American songwriter and artist known for his authenticity and emotionally direct writing style. His remarkable winning song, “Old,” contemplates getting older and finding the spark that makes you feel like a child at any age, despite the regrets of life. It is a masterclass in raw emotion, vulnerability, and songwriting craft – and it exemplifies the artistry and authenticity that ISC seeks to recognize.
When Opoku found out that he was the ISC Grand Prize winner, he said, “I am very grateful and speechless. Sometimes it can get discouraging as an artist, and it is so nice to be recognized in this way by songwriters and music lovers. I’m so thankful that moments like this happen to keep me inspired and moving forward in the right direction. All I want to do is write good music that touch people.”
Born in Ghana, West Africa, Opoku immigrated to the USA at the age of eight years old after his mother won the visa lottery, a significant achievement considering that the chance of selection is less than 1%. During high school, his passion for the arts propelled him to become a two-time Poetry Out Loud champion, sparking his interest in songwriting and music. Throughout his career, he has collaborated with some of his childhood inspirations, including Timbaland and Darkchild, which led him to write for artists Kehlani, Maroon 5, and Chris Brown. His creative curiosity is shaped by a broad range of influences, but the real magic of Opoku lies in his songwriting where he delivers deeply moving reflections on the human experience.
Opoku receives a prize package designed to elevate his career, including $25K (USD), music equipment, services, and industry exposure, positioning him for a major breakthrough on the global stage. His win is not just a personal achievement but is also an example of the diverse voices redefining modern songwriting.
In addition to the Grand Prize, ISC honors a First, Second, and Third Place winner in 23 categories, and these winners represent the best in each field. Each category winner stood out for strong songwriting, originality, and execution within their genre, and their talent deserves recognition among a highly competitive field.
“Every year, ISC reveals an inspiring new wave of songwriters whose music moves us, challenges us, and connects us,” said Candace Avery, Founder and Director. “The 2025 winners have raised the bar yet again. We are honored to champion their work and excited to see where their music takes them next.”
Previous winners have included: Tones and I; Illenium; Vance Joy; Bastille; Jordan Adetunji; Coco Jones; David Kushner; Nate Smith; Fantastic Negrito; Dean Lewis; Gotye; Lindsey Stirling; Kimbra; Dustin Lynch; Faouzia; The Band Perry; Kehlani; Gregory Porter; Passenger; Gin Wigmore; Missy Higgins; For King & Country; Francesca Battistelli; Tenille Townes; Adrienne Lenker (Big Thief); Jordan St. Cyr; Tommy Castro; Andrew Bird; Omar Sosa; and many more.
Celebrity judges include: Jason Mraz; Tom Waits, Andy Grammer, Elle King, James Adam Shelley (American Authors), Kristian Bush (Sugarland), Topic, Lonnie Liston Smith, Armin Van Buuren, Steve Lillywhite, Sidewalk Prophets, Kim Wilson (The Fabulous Thunderbirds), Nancy Wilson (Heart), Tom Hambridge, Ian Felice (The Felice Brothers), Fantastic Negrito, Danilo Perez, Tracy Nelson, Above & Beyond, Stanley Jordan, Tim Rice-Oxley (Keane), James McNally, Antonio Vergara, Jordan St. Cyr, Ashwin Batish, Carter Burwell, Nicholas Gunn, Josh Johnson, and Sommore.
Industry judges include: John Doelp (Sr. VP of A&R Operations, Columbia Records); Matt D’Arduini (Co-President, Arista Records); Peter Strickland (Gen. Mgr., BBR Music Group); Bruce Iglauer (Founder/President, Alligator Records); Daniel Glass (President/Founder, Glassnote Records); Richard Stumpf (CEO/Founder, Hawkeye Music Group); Ed Vetri (President, Wind-Up Records); Golnar Khosrowshahi (President, Reservoir Media Management); Jacob Edgar (Founder, Cumbancha); Anton Powers (Head of A&R, Ministry of Sound); Steven Rosen (President/Creative Marketing and Music Publishing, Regime Music Group); Joel Timen (VP of A&R and Publishing, Curb/Word Entertainment); Justin Prager (Sr. Dir. of Programming, VEVO); Cesar Gomez Montoya (A&R, Codiscos); Cory Robbins (Founder/President, Robbins Entertainment); Julie Nakahara (Editor/General Manager, Hot Diggity Media); Jacqueline Post (Head of Publishing, Connection Music Publishing); Anita Chinkes-Ratner (EVP/Creative Strategy, Paramount); Jodie Cammidge (Managing Dir., Polydor Label Group); Leib Ostrow (Founder/CEO, Music For Little People); Katherine Dines (Advisory Board and Magic Penny Award Chair, Children’s Music Network); Claire S. Green (President, Parents’ Choice Foundation); Benjamin Groff (President, Brill Building Music Publishing); Tamara Conniff (EVP, Roc Nation Music Publishing); Julie Hurwitz (Founder, Songbird Creative); Michael Peek (Gen. Mgr., Armada Music Publishing); Carl Caprioglio (Founder/CEO, Oglio Entertainment); Elena Epstein (Director, National Parenting Product Awards)
Sponsors include: Baby Audio; Capital Music Gear; Celebrity Access; Ghost Rocket; Gibson; Godin Guitars; Graph Tech Guitar Labs; JZ Microphones; Lurssen Mastering; Modern Beats; Music Business Registry; Prodigy Camp; Play MPE; sE Electronics; Shure; Sonarworks; SongwritersdB; SongBay; Sweetwater; The Church Studio; The Online Recording Studio; Pressed Fresh Collective; Morely; Kyser; Booking-agent.io
For a complete list of winners and to listen to the winning songs, please visit the ISC website at https://www.songwritingcompetition.com/winners.
