There is something special about hearing an artist perform a song they have written themselves. You are hearing their thoughts, their experiences and the things they want the world to understand.
At The Tabernacle in Notting Hill on Saturday 3 October, Song Academy’s Young Songwriter 2026 showcase gave those voices a stage. From thoughtful acoustic songs to confident pop and rap, the evening offered a glimpse of the talent coming through the next generation.
This year’s competition attracted just under 1,000 entries from young songwriters around the world. The London showcase brought together the UK and Ireland finalists across three age groups, alongside highly commended artists, to perform their original music with the Song Academy band.
A Warm Welcome & A Confident Opening
Singer and presenter Tallia Storm hosted the evening, bringing enthusiasm and encouragement to the stage as she introduced each artist. A former Capital Breakfast Scotland host, Tallia combined her presenting experience with an understanding of what it takes to step into the spotlight as a young performer. She also performed during the evening.
Song Academy founder Rowena Atkins helped set the purpose of the night. This was a celebration of original songwriting, but also an opportunity for young artists to meet, learn and find people they might make music with in the future.
Portsmouth’s Jazzy Paige opened the entire showcase with Pretty But Not. Going first is no small task, but she delivered a confident performance, supported by more than 20 family members and guests who had travelled up to cheer her on.
Different Styles & Stories
The youngest category brought plenty of personality. The Electronic Eagles performed British Weather, Shouvik Ramgir used rap to encourage healthier eating in Crunching Yummy Veggie Love, Horatio Wilmott brought Too Cool and Matteo Questa performed S.O.S. (Same Old Situation).
Across the remaining groups, the songs explored friendship, uncertainty, identity and the pressures of growing up. Sedina’s Can You Hear Me, Otto Gillies’ Age of Doubt and Arshiya Dwivedi’s The Lies showed how differently young writers can approach powerful feelings.
Later performances included King Olivero’s Dopamine, Immy Eloise’s Paper Thin, DEINI0L’s Dein the Third, String ’N’ Bone’s The Kid and Eleanor Avery’s Glitch.
The Awards & Recognition
Rowena Atkins was joined for the awards presentation by songwriter Toby Gad and judging panel chair Emily Phillips. Emily, whose credits include work with Florence and the Machine, Sigrid and John Newman, spoke about the originality the judges had heard and the difficulty of choosing between such strong entries.
Jazzy Paige won the UK and Ireland 8 to 12 category with Pretty But Not, giving her travelling supporters a particularly proud moment.
Arshiya Dwivedi won the 13 to 15 category with The Lies, while String ’N’ Bone won the 16 to 18 category with The Kid.
The separate Performer of the Night award recognised the live performance itself. Unlike the songwriting awards, which had been decided beforehand, this result followed the judges’ discussion of what they had seen on stage.
Immy Eloise received Performer of the Night after performing Paper Thin.
The prizes announced included recording time with producer Charlie Thomas and home studio equipment from Focusrite and Novation. Beyond the trophies, these were opportunities for the winners to continue developing their music.
Special Guests & Advice From Behind the Hits
The closing part of the evening brought special guests RuthAnne and Toby Gad to the stage, connecting the young performers with two writers whose songs have reached audiences around the world.
Irish singer and songwriter RuthAnne Cunningham is known for writing hits including JoJo’s Too Little, Too Late, Britney Spears’ Work Bitch and One Direction’s No Control. Her career has taken her from entering a songwriting competition in Ireland to working with major international artists. Speaking to the finalists, she recalled winning a competition at 17 and how the opportunity helped lead her to Los Angeles and a writing session with Billy Steinberg. It was a powerful reminder that an evening like this can become the beginning of something much bigger.
Toby Gad brought an equally remarkable background. Born in Germany, he began making music as a child before building an international career as a songwriter and producer. His credits include John Legend’s All of Me, Beyoncé’s If I Were a Boy, Fergie’s Big Girls Don’t Cry and Demi Lovato’s Skyscraper. Hearing All of Me with the audience joining in created a memorable shared moment, with one of its writers there at the piano.
Both guests encouraged the young artists to collaborate. Their message was clear: talk to each other, share ideas and find people who bring something different to your music.
That spirit stayed with the evening. There were trophies to celebrate, but there was also a room full of young artists discovering that their songs deserved to be heard.
For Scenic Eye, it was a privilege to photograph those performances and celebrations. If this showcase was a glimpse of what comes next, there is plenty to look forward to.
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