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# Matt Epp & Faouzia Take Top Honors At International Songwriting Competition
- URL: https://www.hypebot.com/matt-epp-faouzia-take-top-honors-at-international-songwriting-competition/
- Published: 2017-05-22T13:37:20.000Z
- Updated: 2017-05-22T13:37:20.000Z
- Description: The International Songwriting Competition has announced that Canadian musician Matt Epp and Morocco-born Manitoba-raised Faouzia have won the contest's grand prize for 2016 for their co-written song “The Sound Ft.. Continue reading [https://www.hypebot.com/hypebot/2017/05/matt-epp-faouzia-take-top-h
- Author: Bruce Houghton
- Tags: DIY Advice & Tips, Music Business, Songwriting & Music Publishing, Amazon, Apple, Apple Music, Google, music, music industry, Music Tech, musician, musicians, Pandora, Spotify, Tech Stories, YouTube, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-01-21 10:13

[![image from songchops.com](http://hypebot.typepad.com/.a/6a00d83451b36c69e201b7c8fad022970b-200wi "image from songchops.com")](http://hypebot.typepad.com/.a/6a00d83451b36c69e201b7c8fad022970b-popup?ref=hypebot.com)The International Songwriting Competition has announced that Canadian musician Matt Epp and Morocco-born Manitoba-raised Faouzia have won the contest's grand prize for 2016 for their co-written song “The Sound Ft. Faouzia.” 

[![image from www.celebrityaccess.com](http://hypebot.typepad.com/.a/6a00d83451b36c69e201b7c8fad02d970b-300wi "image from www.celebrityaccess.com")](http://hypebot.typepad.com/.a/6a00d83451b36c69e201b7c8fad02d970b-popup?ref=hypebot.com)

The International Songwriting Competition (ISC) said that Matt Epp was inspired to write the chorus of the winning entry while on tour and missing his family and later completed the song after meeting Faouzia through a mentorship group. The song has already found traction on the radio, hitting #1 on the CBC Radio 2 chart, and it recently earned the SOCAN No.1 Song Award in Canada based on its radio success. 

When Epp heard that they had won the Grand Prize, he said, "I've always felt that we songwriters receive songs, more than write them. I'm so grateful for this one to have chosen me and my very talented collaborator Faouzia, and especially to the ISC for this prestigious Grand Prize award!" The Grand Prize winners take home $25,000 in cash and over $45,000 in additional prizes. In addition to the Grand Prize winners, numerous other songwriters won first, second and third place in a variety of categories, ranging from folk to EDM, as well as special categories for unsigned songwriters. Judges for 2016 included both artists and industry execs, including Tom Waits, Lorde, Donovan, Bastille, Joe Bonamassa, India Arie, Sara Evans, Craig Kallman (Chairman/CEO, Atlantic Records); John Esposito (Chairman & CEO, Warner Music Nashville); Dan McCarroll (President, Warner Bros. Records); Daniel Glass (President, Glassnote Records); Bruce Iglauer (Founder/President, Alligator Records); and numerous others. **The full list of winners for the 2016 ISC** **AAA (ADULT ALBUM ALTERNATIVE)** **1ST PLACE**Jason Dill, Frank Hammonds, Brock Berryhill, Stephen Campbell, Evan Coffman (The Upset Victory)Cincinnati, OH, USA**2ND PLACE**Tom Iansek, Jo Syme (Big Scary)Melbourne, VIC, Australia**3RD PLACE**Phebe Starr Sydney, NSW, Australia **AC (ADULT CONTEMPORARY)** **1ST PLACE**Lauren Riley, Melissa Fuller, Joel Heumann (Lauren Riley) Cave Creek, AZ, USA **2ND PLACE**Grace Kelly, April Bender (Grace Kelly)New York, NY, USA**3RD PLACE**Rob StormJohannesburg, South Africa**AMERICANA** **1ST PLACE**Grace AskewMemphis, TN, USA**2ND PLACE**Tim EastonNashville, TN, USA**3RD PLACE**Josh Rennie-HynesWoodford, QLD, Australia**BLUES** **1ST PLACE**Thessex Johns (Johnny Drummer)Chicago, IL, USA**2ND PLACE**Jai Malano, Daniel Barrett (JaiDan)Austin, TX, USA**3RD PLACE**Spencer Mackenzie, Richard Mackenzie (Spencer Mackenzie)Ridgeway, ON, Canada**CHILDREN'S MUSIC** **1ST PLACE**Lucy KalantariBrooklyn, NY, USA**2ND PLACE**Lalo Crane, Kyler England (Freckleland)Los Angeles, CA, USA**3RD PLACE**Laszlo Kerekgyarto, Csilla Kovacs (Buborek Band)Budapest, Hungary**CHRISTIAN** **1ST PLACE**Ryan Payne, Jeff Edgel, Christian Morris, Melanie Morris (Attaboy)Huntington, IN, USA**2ND PLACE**Jaylene JohnsonWinnipeg, MB, Canada**3RD PLACE**Troy Kokol, Tenille Nadkrynechny (Tenille)Calgary, AB, Canada**COMEDY/NOVELTY** **1ST PLACE**Kate Miller-Heidke, Keir Nuttall, Louis Schoorl (Kate Miller-Heidke Ft. The Beards)Brisbane, QLD, Australia**2ND PLACE**Joey WhiteUpper Arlington, OH, USA**3RD PLACE**John Pearson, Dave Freeland (Johnny and the TipperZ)Ossining, NY, USA**COUNTRY** **1ST PLACE**Caitlin Notey, Matias Mora, Jeannie Lurie, Keith ArmstrongLos Angeles, CA, USA**2ND PLACE**Caitlin RushingOrlando, FL, USA**3RD PLACE**Katrina Burgoyne, Goran Kralj, Joe Doyle (Katrina Burgoyne)Gunnedah, NSW, Australia / Nashville, TN, USA**EDM (ELECTRONIC DANCE MUSIC)** **1ST PLACE**Sophie SimmonsLos Angeles, CA, USA**2ND PLACE**Adam Katz, Tim Maxx (Tim Maxx Ft. Adam Katz)Sydney, NSW, Australia / Los Angeles, CA, USA**3RD PLACE**Zimri, John Hiler, KVSH (Zimri)Nashville, TN, USA / Chicago, IL, USA / Belo Horizonte, Brazil**FOLK/SINGER-SONGWRITER** **1ST PLACE**Prateek KuhadNew Delhi, India**2ND PLACE**Nate IharaChantilly, VA, USA**3RD PLACE**Joe BrooksSouthampton, England**INSTRUMENTAL** **1ST PLACE**Gustavo Assis-BrasilSanta Maria, Brazil / Arlington, MA, USA**2ND PLACE**Dexter BritainBrighton, England**3RD PLACE**Yves Barbieux (Urban Trad)Marche en Famenne, Belgium**JAZZ** **1ST PLACE**Shunzo OhnoGifu, Japan**2ND PLACE**Paolo Fresu (Omar Sosa & Paolo Fresu)Berchidda, Italy**3RD PLACE**Xavier Faro (Meajam)Cahors, France**LATIN** **1ST PLACE**Maca TorresLa Serena, Chile**2ND PLACE**Oscar Jimenez (Oscar Jimenez Ft. La Phonoclorica)Barranquilla, Colombia / Melbourne, VIC, Australia**3RD PLACE**Cindy Arguello, Javier Arguello (Chaostronaut)Saltillo, Coahuila, Mexico**LYRICS ONLY** **1ST PLACE**Gordon Anthony Patrick BarryWexford, Ireland**2ND PLACE**Michael Harmel (Government Town)Regina, SK, Canada**3RD PLACE**Salar Nasir Khan (Salar Khan)Peshawar, Pakistan**MUSIC VIDEO** **1ST PLACE**Claire Pamella Kamahoro (Kleyah)Dar es Salaam, Tanzania**2ND PLACE**Tan Peng Sing, Johnathan Lim, Jonathan Ong, Jeryl Yeo, Siow Wen Sing (Take Two)Singapore, Republic of Singapore**3RD PLACE**Piper MadisonLouisville, KY, USA**PERFORMANCE** **1ST PLACE**Glenn CardierSydney, NSW, Australia**2ND PLACE**Taavi Paomets, Sander Molder (Avoid Dave)Tallinn, Estonia**3RD PLACE**Tatiana Mayfield, Ben Bohorquez (Tatiana LadyMay Mayfield)Fort Worth, TX, USA**POP/TOP 40** **1ST PLACE**Fly By MidnightStaten Island, NY, USA**2ND PLACE**Carla Cappa (CAPPA), Kenny Fleetwood, Dylan BauldPhiladelphia, PA, USA**3RD PLACE**Ravi Kumar, Anjulie Persaud, David Bache (Anjulie)Wolverhampton, West Midlands, England**R&B/HIP-HOP** **1ST PLACE**Ravi Kumar, Whitney Phillips, Zac Poor, David Bache (Zac Poor)Wolverhampton, West Midlands, England**2ND PLACE**Kyle BentRandolph, MA, USA**3RD PLACE**Paul EvansLos Angeles, CA, USA**ROCK** **1ST PLACE**David Leaupepe (Gang Of Youths)Sydney, NSW, Australia**2ND PLACE**Keaton Simons, John Nathaniel (Keaton Simons)Laval, QC, Canada**3RD PLACE**Sam Roberts (Sam Roberts Band)Montreal, QC, Canada**TEEN** **1ST PLACE**Kayla KorpicsGibsonton, FL, USA**2ND PLACE**AvonleaSanta Rosa, CA, USA**3RD PLACE**Olivia SwintonScarsdale, NY, USA**UNPUBLISHED** **1ST PLACE**Matt GreshamPerth, WA, Australia**2ND PLACE**Thom ChaconDurango, CO, USA**3RD PLACE**Holly Harding, Jungle Boi, MallieLondon, England**UNSIGNED ONLY** **1ST PLACE**Mike Chetcuti (Lava Dolls)Hamilton, ON, Canada**2ND PLACE**Raquel Cole, Jack Williams, Jon Coleman (Raquel Cole)Vernon, BC, Canada**3RD PLACE**CouncilBaldwinsville, NY, USA**WORLD** **1ST PLACE**Daby ToureParis, France**2ND PLACE**Dino MirandaMaputo, Tchumene, Mozambique**3RD PLACE**Shahed Mohseni Zonoozi, Salar Hamzei Tehran, Iran