Teenage Joans, Alexander Biggs & More Win Big At Prestigious Songwriting Comp

Starting back in 2012, the annual Unsigned Only competition has emerged as an invaluable source for unearthing new talent globally while also acknowledging excellence in the field of contemporary music; and the 2021 edition has been no exception.

Solely dedicated to "solo artists, bands, and singers who are not signed to a major label record company or any of its affiliates, subsidiaries, or imprints", Unsigned Only is open to bands, singers, solo artists and "raw or polished" gems, with winners sharing in over $150,000 (US) in cash and prizes.

Boasting a judging panel of high-profile industry experts and renowned recording artists, the 38-strong winners list was officially announced today, with the final acts selected from close to 10,000 entries from 120 countries. And while the competition becomes fiercer and fiercer each year, some exciting Australian acts have emerged in the mix, with three acts scooping either first or second place wins, and a further 16 artists scoring honourable mentions.

Melbourne artist Alexander Biggs has taken out the crown in the Folk/Singer-songwriter category with the track Madeline from his self-recorded and self-produced debut album Hit or Miss, while Brisbane electronic artist Du0 also scored first place for his track Come Home in the EDM category after previously taking out the crown in 2020 for his track Way Back Down. 

Also placing in the winners' list, South Australian indie rock duo Teenage Joans took out second place honours in the AAA (Adult Album Alternative) category for their track Ice Cream.

And while the overall Unsigned Only Grand Prize ultimately went to the American artist Sophie Pecora for her poetry-rap-esque track Anxiety, plenty of other Aussies were acknowledged, with Alter Boy, Bree Rusev, Chuditch, ELKI, Em George, JEFFE, Jessica Arlo Irish, Josiah McAllan, Lachlan Edwards, Leonie Kingdom, LT, Natasha Duarte, Rumours, Sage Rogan and Zoe A'dore all representing across an array of genres in the 2021 edition.

“We always receive a lot of great entries from Australia, so we have come to expect it," said Unsigned Only founders Candace Avery and Jim Morgan.

"Over the years, so many of our favourite winners have been Aussies, and we love having the opportunity to share their music with the world.”

UNSIGNED ONLY AUSTRALIAN WINNERS 2021

First Place
Alexander Biggs (Melbourne, VIC) – “Madeleine”– Folk/Singer-Songwriter
du0 (Brisbane, QLD) – “Come Home” – EDM (Electronic Dance Music)

 Second Place
Teenage Joans (Adelaide, SA) – “Ice Cream” – AAA (Adult Album Alternative)

 Honorable Mentions
Alter Boy (Perth, WA) – “Bad Dream Break In” – AAA (Adult Album Alternative)
Alter Boy (Perth, WA) – “Bad Dream Break In” – Pop/Top 40
Bree Rusev (Newcastle, NSW) – “Drift” – Teen
Chuditch (Perth, WA) – “Grasping At The Water” – Folk/Singer-Songwriter
ELKI (Sydney, NSW) – “Spend Your Life” – AC (Adult Contemporary)
Em George (Sydney, NSW) – “Light Comes In” – AAA (Adult Album Alternative)
JEFFE (Brisbane, QLD) – “Home” – AC (Adult Contemporary)
Jessica Arlo Irish (Sydney, NSW) – “Breath Ft. Sihyun Park” – Instrumental
Josiah McAllan (Alice Springs, NT) – “Sanctify Me” – Christian
Lachlan Edwards (Newcastle, NSW) – “Little Too Late” – Folk/Singer-Songwriter
Leonie Kingdom (Hervey Bay, QLD) – “Night Terrors” – Folk/Singer-Songwriter
LT (Cairns, QLD) – “How Would It Feel” – AC (Adult Contemporary)
Natasha Duarte (Sydney, NSW) – “Can't Tell For Sure” – AC (Adult Contemporary)
Rumours (Melbourne, VIC) – “If Only You Could Feel Something Too” – Rock
Sage Rogan (Melbourne, VIC) – “Dusk” – Instrumental
Zoe A'dore (Melbourne, VIC) – “Read” – Pop/Top 40