Girls I Rate, a movement focused on equality for young women in music, has announced the launch of its 2021 #GETHEARD Future Hitmaker Competition.
In partnership with PRS for Music and PRS Foundation the #GETHEARD Future Hitmaker Competition will give aspiring women songwriters the opportunity to have their music broadcast and funded for the very first time.
Women aged 16-30 are encouraged to submit their music via the Girls I Rate website for the opportunity to have their music heard by a panel of A&R experts, and #GETHEARD on the radio. Three songwriters will be chosen to receive a Future Hitmaker Award of up to £3,000, a six-week introductory course on Music Production and Sound Engineering at the Institute of Contemporary Music Performance (ICMP) worth £199, a one month membership to The Qube, and audio equipment from Girls I Rate radio show sponsor, Audio-Technica.
Shortlisted #GETHEARD submissions will feature on the Girls I Rate radio show on The Beat London 103.6FM every Monday until 22 June, 7pm – 9pm, with shows available to listen back to via Mixcloud.
#GETHEARD champions positive change by empowering talented women entering the profession with the tools to take their careers to the next level. All those who submit their music are also invited to attend a free masterclass on navigating the music business hosted by Claire Rose, outreach manager, PRS for Music, and Becci Scotcher, senior grants and programmes manager, PRS Foundation, who will share advice on how music creators can make money from their music and the various funding and grants available to them.
Over the course of three months, a diverse panel of experts will critique the tracks submitted, with the freshest women voices and their music, in particular music of Black origin, to be showcased on Girls I Rate’s #GETHEARD weekly takeover on The Beat London 103.6FM. Featuring an all-female line-up of presenters, including resident Notting Hill Carnival DJ, Carmen London, international multi-genre DJ, S.Chinx, DJ Joy To The World and Jasmine De-Allie, the radio show will provide a platform for some of the songwriters, producers, artists, rappers and MCs submitting tracks to receive their first UK airplay.
Carla-Marie Williams, founder, Girls I Rate, said: ‘It’s all about the future generation, music is about staying fresh and coming up with new ideas, being able to work alongside PRS for Music, PRS Foundation and Spotify to give these opportunities to young women is everything! Ladies please #GETHEARD!’
Michelle Escoffery, president of the PRS Members’ Council, said: ‘I am honoured to be a part of this incredible initiative, created to provide opportunity and equity for women songwriters, composers and producers to #GETHEARD. We must encourage and empower the next generation of music creators and I look forward to supporting and championing these young women entering the industry alongside Girls I Rate and PRS Foundation.’
Joe Frankland, chief executive, PRS Foundation, said: ‘We’re delighted to be partnering with Carla and Girls I Rate with this targeted award through our existing Hitmaker Fund, which supports behind the scenes songwriters and producers to get to the next step in their careers. The Girls I Rate Future Hitmaker Award is a fantastic opportunity to target support for talented women music creators with vital and timely grants to develop their careers and music making. Good luck to everyone who applies!’
To apply to the #GETHEARD Future Hitmaker Competition for the chance to have tracks listened to by the expert A&R panel, applicants must submit songs via this link by 31 May 2021.
