Six Kiwi teams/soloists are finalists across the many categories of the International Songwriting Competition 2018, with the strongest outcome notably for children’s musicians.

Aucklander Captain Festus McBoyle aka Rich Manic (The Little Things) and Wanaka resident Anna Van Riel (Throw Out The Grain) both managed to place in the top 14 songs written for Children. Darren Watson‘s Un-love Me is among the Blues category finalists, while soul voiced fellow Wellingtonian Louis Baker gained a spot among the finalists for Best Folk/Singer-Songwriter with his song Rainbow. Theia aka Em-Haley Walker and producer Josh Fountain are behind one of the best Pop/Top 40 songs (Candy), and Team Ladi6 represents in the RnB/Hip Hop category with Diagonals.

Kiwis have traditionally done well in the ISC competition, with both Kimbra and Gin Wigmore taking home the top gong in the past.