The Emotive Power of Songwriting: Tips from Our Competition Winners

The combination of expressive music and impactful lyrics gives songwriting a unique ability to capture emotion. “I love songs that can make people feel,” says Cassia Yap, winner of Best Performance in our Songwriting Competition. “Songs that people can relate to through music's inexplicable way of connecting things.”

Learn more about the winners and their tips for writing, editing, and performing powerful songs.

Best Lyrics, Emily Monk

What inspired your winning song?

“To be afraid” was composed through ideas of the fears of loss and grief, particularly taking inspiration from the TV series ‘The Last of Us’. Several characters meet in an apocalyptic world, and develop relationships that are so vulnerable to breaking; it mirrors the overwhelming nature of COVID-19, and how we respond to such valuable bonds being torn without a choice. 

Guest Judge Avanti Nagral “loved the subtle rhyming schemes throughout.” How did you use rhyme and other techniques to ensure that the lyrics flowed naturally?

Rhyme is a really important technique in songwriting, as it becomes difficult to thread and interweave couplets without the consequence of tiresome repetition. The instant ABAB rhyme scheme reflects the differing natures of two people in a relationship, calm and accepting, whereas this becomes AABB in the bridge, enhancing tension to further project the meaning of the song. Techniques like the extended metaphor of an ‘anchor’ and the consistent ‘blue’ imagery connect the listener to this relationship, and the juxtaposition between the safety it contains and the danger that surrounds it.

Best Performance, Cassia Yap

You created a whole music video for your song! How did you develop the concept for the video, and what was the process of filming it?

I've always wanted to film a music video for my own original song: storyline, music, production and all. When I'd finished recording and producing "Tell Me," I knew I wouldn't be able to bear posting it with a mere lyric video. Right from the moment I came up with the song's chorus, I'd wanted to write a cute, sweet, reminiscent love story encapsulating all the daydreaming, heartache, yearning, and flurry of emotions that I'd imagine would come with one like this. So coming up with my vision for the video was probably the easiest part, because I'd already written the song with a storyline in mind and the thought of turning my imagination into a reality beyond just its sound was too appealing to suppress. Propelled by my excitement and determination to not let this opportunity go to waste, I reached out to a few classmates whom I envisioned to play the main roles and begged my friends to be cameramen and extras. Luckily for me, they all agreed to help out and endure my odd ideas and spontaneity, no matter how ambitious it seemed. Though it was difficult to arrange filming dates with everyone's busy schedules, not to mention while school was going on, we managed to have all the shots filmed within four months. I can only be immensely grateful for their willingness to be part of this project, which I will say did involve wearing wet shirts (my water bottle likes to leak), running up and down school staircases multiple times, changing in the bushes by the roadside on a random highway, and getting bitten by mosquitoes. Needless to say, it would not have been possible without them.

Who are your musical inspirations?

I'd say one of my earliest inspirations when I started songwriting was Alec Benjamin, whose songs captivated me with their beauty. His ability to tell meaningful stories through his songs and create whole worlds through a catchy blend of music and lyrics was something I aspired to do. I also find myself admiring the craft of countless songs from my childhood or now and analysing what makes them so good. I love songs that can make people feel emotions, songs that people can relate to through music's inexplicable way of connecting things; that's what makes them enjoyable. For me, that's what songwriting – and writing in general – is all about. That's what I want to achieve in my own songs, or I wouldn't songwrite at all.

Best Peer Review, Srinidhi Chervu

Your winning peer review "balanced specificity, constructive criticism, and interpretation" whilst offering words of encouragement to the writer. How did you achieve this balance?

Whenever I’m offering feedback, I like to give the writer my perspective on their work. What did I like about the piece? What do I think it means? How does that leave room for improvement or change? How would that impact the meaning or tone of the piece? As a writer and reviewer, I feel it’s important to keep in mind that whatever feedback I offer has to reflect the writer’s goal, and what they are trying to accomplish through their words.

What is your process for writing an effective peer review?

There isn’t really a specific process I follow when writing a review, though I always begin by reading the piece once or twice. This helps me form ideas about what the piece is trying to say, what the author’s goals might be in writing it, what I like, and where I can offer suggestions for improvement. I believe the essence of writing a good, effective review comes from understanding the piece and its intentions, as well as being able to identify where and how a writer can improve their writing to better suit their goals.