Songwriters of North America (SONA) offered awards to songwriter activists RAYE, Ross Golan, Willie “Prophet” Stiggers, Thomas Scherer, and the late Andrea Martin at its SONA Warrior Awards ceremony on Sunday (Oct. 6) on the Skirball Heart in Los Angeles.
Now in its fourth yr, the SONA Warrior Awards has upgraded to a a lot bigger room. This yr, the occasion sat over 450 supporters from the worlds of songwriting, publishing, streaming and extra — all of whom gathered collectively to honor the “usually unsung, unsexy work of advocacy,” says SONA government director and songwriter Michelle Lewis, who kicked off this system.
In her opening remarks, Lewis, touched on various key points dealing with the writing neighborhood as we speak. Pointing to current cultural occasions just like the Paris Olympics and the Democratic Nationwide Conference, she stated: “Did you discover that every a type of shared experiences had an identifiable and memorable soundtracks?… the connection between these enormous cultural moments have been these enormous fucking songs, proper? Songs have by no means been extra vital and but much less valued.”
“If you happen to don’t pay the songwriters, who will write the music? And please don’t say AI. The character of how individuals devour music by way of streaming and quick type video clips places songwriters final,” Lewis says.
The primary award was offered to British artist/songwriter, RAYE, who has been a fierce advocate for songwriters since her music “Escapism.” broke her into the pop mainstream final yr. Her award was offered by her co-writer and government producer, Mike Sabath, and a tribute to her work was carried out by Abby “Completely.” Kean, her youthful sister and fellow artist. She accepted her Warrior award remotely from the U.Okay.
All through the evening, honorees highlighted numerous points which can be prime of thoughts for working songwriters as we speak. When Golan accepted his award, offered by fellow songwriter Benny Blanco, he famous: “if an artist who doesn’t write sells their catalog for a pair hundred million {dollars}, why doesn’t the headline learn, artists sells $200 million of extorted publishing from working songwriters? That known as coercion. That’s not songwriting. If an artist has been showered with awards, regardless that they’ve stolen songwriting credit score and publishing for many years, that known as self-importance. That’s not songwriting.”
Golan continued, “for those who’re going to take credit score for one thing you didn’t do, give a few of your payment or [master] factors [to songwriters], as a result of we don’t owe you our publishing… It’s by no means too late to make it proper.”
Advocating for non-performing, non-producing songwriters to obtain grasp factors was a standard chorus all through the evening. It’s a rising motion within the music business, which beforehand wouldn’t contemplate providing this to songwriters, except the author was an A-list hitmaker. Within the final yr, various impartial labels, together with Side Information, The Different Songs, Nvak Collective and Good Boy Information, have made it a typical to supply this. With information launched by main labels, nevertheless, this concession remains to be uncommon.
The award for Thomas Scherer, president of worldwide catalog recorded and music publishing at BMG and lifelong drummer, was offered by Eurythmics member Dave Stewart. “As a drummer and a real lover of music, Thomas provides me hope,” stated Stewart in his stirring introduction, “and I’m proud to current him with this son of Warrior award, as a result of he’s a real warrior, a soldier for good, and a buddy I can belief and depend on without end.”
An award was additionally posthumously offered to author Andrea Martin for her contributions to the style of R&B by way of her songs recorded by Toni Braxton, Monica and Leona Lewis, amongst others. The award was accepted by her household, together with her two surviving kids.
Launched by his teenage son, Willie “Prophet” Stiggers closed out the evening for the SONA Warrior Awards. Because the Black Music Artists Coalition (BMAC) co-founder, president and CEO, Stiggers gave a rousing acceptance speech, describing his journey from experiencing police brutality first hand to turning into a prime advocate for Black songwriters, artists and executives within the music enterprise. “4 years [after BMAC was created,] our dedication is steadfast,” Stiggers stated.
Throughout his speech, Stiggers additionally introduced the brand new BMAC Govt Coaching Program, which in his phrases “will invite 10 executives yearly to take part in government coaching and training program for one of many business job corporations. This will probably be a one yr program for black executives to maneuver to the following part of their careers.”