Entries Closed Friday 27 October 2023.
Play It Strange presents a cover art competition to celebrate all creatives at New Zealand secondary schools. This competition seeks artwork for the front cover of the annual Play It Strange Lion Foundation Songwriting Competition album. This competition is open to year 9-13 students.
The winner of this year's competition is Bryn Trainor of Bayfield High School in Dunedin with his piece titled "Circle". He received a $300 voucher and his work is featured on the cover of the 2023 Play It Strange Lion Foundation Songwriting Competition Album.
A second place prize was awarded to Jessica Botha with her painting, "Woman at Work”. Jessica attends Kingsway School at Red Beach.
2022 - Alia Cauty - "Conspiranoid"
Long Bay College (Auckland)
Entries closed Friday 21st July 2023
The Lion Foundation Songwriting Competition is the Play It Strange flagship competition for New Zealand secondary school students Years 9 to 13. Write your song about anything you want and in any language.
The recording and performance quality of the entry is not taken into account in the judging process.
1st Place receives a $1,000 voucher from the Rockshop
The prize for ALL FINALIST songs chosen is a day in a professional recording studio to record your song for the annual digital album
ALSO a $50 Rockshop voucher and a certificate
2023 1st place - Grace Gemmell, Bayfield High School
2023 Play It Strange School of the Year Award - Gisborne Girls’ High School & Papatoetoe High School
2023 David Richwhite Lyric Award - Olive Mortimer, Rangitoto College
2023 Junior Maioha Award - Lovinia Pluck, Nayland College
2022 1st place - Grace Lawrence, St Andrew’s College
2022 Play It Strange School of the Year Award - Gisborne Girls’ High School
2022 David Richwhite Lyric Award - Chris Rowe, Kaipara College
2022 Junior Maioha Award - Takiko Rangihau, Gisborne Girls' High School
Entries closed Friday 16 June 2023
Please read the Terms and Conditions before entering.
For this competition, the theme of peace and non-violence may be interpreted broadly from inner personal peace, peace in the home and among families, to peace between people of the world.
The lyrics of the entry are focussed on intimately. The title of the original song does not have to be "The Peace Song". The recording and performance quality of the entry is not taken into account in the judging process
1st Place receives a $1,000 voucher from the Rockshop
ALL finalists had their song recorded in a professional recording studio (one day to the value of $750 plus gst) to go on the 2023 Peace Song digital album.
Entries closed Friday 16 June 2023
Please read the Terms and Conditions before entering.
2023 "Fireflies" - Dani Leonie, Alice Tehaki & Sara Iese Leiataua
Entries closed Tuesday 16 May 2023
Please read the Terms and Conditions before entering
This competition focused on secondary school-aged songwriters, years 9 to 11, with the theme weaving the lives they lead through the lyrics.
The recording and performance quality of the entry is not taken into account in the judging process.
The 2023 competition had a FIRST, SECOND and THIRD place chosen from 45 finalists across Aotearoa New Zealand.
1st Place receives a $500 Rockshop voucher
2nd and 3rd Place receive a $100 Rockshop voucher
ALL finalists had their song recorded in a professional recording studio (one day to the value of $750 plus gst) to go on the 2023 Youthtown Songwriting Competition Aotearoa digital album.
Entries closed Tuesday 16 May 2023
Please read the Terms and Conditions before entering
2023
"Out of My Mind" - Rachel Stevens, Otumoetai College
"Wounds & Shoulds" - Piper Grant, home school
"Freak" - Vinny Haynes, Ollie Sutcliffe, Oliver Spence, Nathan Brown & Tallulah Haynes, Papamoa College