The Royal Foundry take first place in Rock category of 2020 International Songwriting Competition

Story by Howard Druckman | Wednesday May 12th, 2021

Out of more than 18,000 entries from 140 countries, SOCAN members Jared and Bethany Salte, of the band The Royal Foundry, earned a first-place prize in the Rock category of the 2020 International Songwriting Competition (ISC), for their song, “Okay?”.

Several SOCAN members earned second-place 2020 ISC awards, as follows:

  • Adult Contemporary – Olivia Lunny and AJ Healey, for “Bedsheets” (performed by Olivia Lunny)
  • Lyrics Only – Scot Robinson and Bobby Cameron, for “Burn Bright” (performed by Scot Free Sessions)
  • Unpublished – C.W. Anglin, Andrew Matthews, and Morgan Zwicker, for “777”  (performed by Skeleton Club)

Olivia Lunny also earned a SOCAN Foundation Young Canadian Songwriter Award in 2020.

For a complete list of 2020 ISC winners and honourable mentions, and to hear the winning songs, visit the ISC website. SOCAN congratulates all of our winning members on their achievements!

Video Interview: Staying Home with Chin Injeti

Story by Howard Druckman | Wednesday May 12th, 2021

In the midst of social distancing to combat the spread of COVID-19, SOCAN continues to conduct video interviews with our members online – in our video series, “Staying Home with…” Today, it’s Chin Injeti.

Chin Injeti has enjoyed great success as a beat-maker and producer. His work with Eminem includes tracks on the Grammy-winning 2010 album Recovery. Another album he worked on picked up a Grammy as well – Gravity, by Christian hip-hop artist Lecrae. And he – along with his production partner DJ Khalil – has placed tracks with Dr. Dre, 50 Cent, Clipse featuring Kanye West, and (early on) Drake (on his So Far Gone mixtape/EP), and worked with Bruno Mars, P!NK, Pitbull, and Aloe Blacc. Currently busy working on his own stuff, Injeti has released a string of singles during 2020 and 2021 – “For the Love of Life,” “Falling,” Serious,” and “Let Go.”

He talks to us about life in lockdown, who he’s working with, what he’s up to next, and the music publisher (later a SOCAN executive) he credits as one of the keys to his early success.

SOCAN urges members to complete Artists and Content Creators Economic Survey

Story by SOCAN | Tuesday May 11th, 2021

The Cultural Affairs Office of the Department of Canadian Heritage has launched the Canadian Artists and Content Creators Economic Survey, now live, and open for a period of six weeks, to help create an updated portrait of the creative community in our country.

The data gathered will inform existing and future policies and programs, ensuring that the Department continues to be responsive to the realities of the creative sector.

SOCAN urges its members to participate now, alongside anyone else in Canada aged 16 or older who does creative work (such as composing and songwriting) as an important component of their professional identity, whether on their own time, freelance, or with organizations, either full-time or alongside other jobs, at any point in their career.

Participation is voluntary and anonymous, and topics covered include your story, employment and income, working in the context of COVID-19, your relationship to industry (including SOCAN), and basic demographic information.

The survey provides opportunities to acknowledge receipt of royalties, performances of work, and downloads and physical sales of music, as sources of income.

Participants are also able to include the choice “rights collective” as one of the industry intermediaries with whom they work.

Take the survey today, by clicking here!