Hammersmith Teenager Sophie Named Top Young Songwriter

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Winning tune to be performed as part of showcase at Westfield on 4 June

A talented teenager from Hammersmith has won a prestigious songwriting contest judged by professional musicians including Tom Odell and Imogen Heap.

Sophie DeMasi impressed the judges in the Song Academy Young Songwriter 2017 competition with Enough For Me – a tune about pursuing the things in life you are passionate about.

And she is now set to perform her winning song during a live showcase taking place at Westfield London from 2pm till 5pm on 4 June.

The 16 year-old was awarded the top spot in the 13-18 category of the competition, which is now in its sixth year.

More than 532 youngsters from across the world entered this year’s competition, with entries from as far afield as Mexico, China, Canada, India, the United Arab Emirates and the US, as well as Europe. But Sophie’s song came out on top, with the panel of judges enthusing about its sincerity.

According to singer songwriter Tom Odell, the song has a "strong rhythm and the chorus is great". Fellow judge Rumer said: "I like the simplicity of the lyrics. Sophie's sincerity shines through!"

Sophie – who last year was among the top GCSE pupils at St James Senior Girls' School, in Olympia – said that she loves songwriting. "It lets me take how I’m feeling at particular moment and turn that into something I can look back on," she says.

"It’s amazing to be recognised by such respected judges and crazy to think a song I wrote and produced in my room is being acknowledged to this extent."

At Westfield, she will be joined by nine year-old Zachary Zab from Fulham, who won the 8-12 category of the Song Academy Young Songwriter 2017 competition with his song, My Light, and Zoe Tredgett, 10, also from Fulham who was a runner-up with her song Dreams

Altogether, around 50 young performers will take part in the showcase, including the winners and finalists of the contest, and other singers from the west London-based Song Academy, which runs after-school sessions, workshops, and birthday parties as well as the annual competition.

Rowena Atkins, Hammersmith resident and founder of Song Academy, said: "We give young people a voice and help them express themselves."

Find out more about Song Academy and its sessions in Fulham and Hammersmith at the website.

May 12, 2017