IVORS REVEAL RISING STARS 

British songwriting and composing org The Ivors Academy has announced the five nominees for its new Rising Star Award with Apple Music. Say hello to Amahla, Carmel Smickersgill, Griff, lullahush and Mysie.

The award honors young British and Irish songwriting and composing talent who demonstrate exceptional potential and ambition. Nominees are chosen from a long-list of public submissions by The Ivors Committee, a group of award-winning songwriters and composers from across the organization’s membership. The winner will be announced on 9/2 when the now canceled Ivors ceremony was due to take place in London.

Amahla (top right) is a soul singer-songwriter who has garnered critical acclaim since self-releasing her debut EP, Consider This, in 2019. She has performed at Royal Albert Hall and Jazz Cafe and her latest single, “Apathy,” arrived last year.

Smickersgill (right) is a composer based in Manchester working predominantly within classical and electronic genres. A Royal Northern College of Music graduate, she is also the recipient of the 2019 Christopher Brooks prize with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic.

Warner Music U.K.-signing Griff (left) plays, writes and largely produces her own music, blending soulful vocals with pop hooks over sparse atmospheric arrangements and beats. Her most recent single, “Forgive Myself,” follows “Good Stuff” and 2019’s EP, The Mirror Talk.

Irish songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Daniel McIntyre (right) is the talent behind ambient pop musical project lullahush. He self-released “Elysium” and “If Spring Had a Spare Room I’d Rent It With You” in 2019.

Managed by Red Light, artist and songwriter Mysie (bottom left), who describes her music as “ethereal, limitless, timeless,” self-released her debut EP, Chapter 11, in 2019. She has since dropped additional singles “Sweet Relief,” “Heartbeat” and most recently, “Gift.”