Mo Kenney Wins 2013 SOCAN Songwriting Prize

Fans vote for "Sucker" as the best independent English song

TORONTO, July 10, 2013 /CNW/ - After a month of voting, Nova Scotia singer-songwriter Mo Kenney of Halifax is the winner of the 2013 SOCAN Songwriting Prize for her song "Sucker." Kenney takes home $5,000, a Gibson Les Paul Studio guitar with Min-ETune, and a $3,000 gift certificate towards Roland products.

"I am honoured to receive the SOCAN Songwriting Prize," said Mo Kenney. "I wrote 'Sucker' in my first apartment in Halifax after getting dumped, I never dreamed back then that I'd win a prize for it. Thanks, SOCAN, and thanks to all the other nominees and the people who voted for me!"

Close to 14,000 votes were cast online for the English and French nominees, who represent the best of independent songwriting as determined by a panel of Canadian music experts. Fans could vote once a day from June 3 to July 3 at www.socansongwritingprize.ca for one of the five nominated songs in each of the English- and French-language contests.

The other nominated English songs were:

• "Baby's Got it" - written and performed by Maylee Todd
• "Devil's Got a Gun" - written by Luke Doucet and Melissa McClelland; performed by Whitehorse
• "Fineshrine" - written by Megan James and Corin Roddick; performed by Purity Ring
• "Mule in the Flowers" - written by Tamara Hope and Steven Lambke; performed by The Weather Station feat. Baby Eagle

"Congratulations to Mo Kenney for such a great song and her victory," said Eric Baptiste, CEO of SOCAN. "Once again this year, the nominated songwriters are a tribute to the depth of the Canadian talent pool. The vast majority of SOCAN's more than 115,000 members are songwriters and composers who work hard in their passion for making music, simply to create a career doing what they love. We are delighted with all of our members' success, and celebrate and congratulate Mo on her tremendous achievement."

The nominees for the SOCAN Songwriting Prize were determined by a panel of Canadian music experts, and the winner was decided by a 30-day online public voting process. SOCAN did not have a role in the selection or voting outcome.

"Mo Kenney is the perfect winner of this prize," said Grant Lawrence, SOCAN Songwriting Prize panelist and host/producer, CBC Music. "She is a brilliant up-and-coming songwriter whose strong, mature voice and amazing knack for melody defy her young age. When I first heard Mo Kenney, my impressions were 'she has the potential to be the next k.d. lang.'"

The winner of the French SOCAN Songwriting Prize was Keith Kouna of Quebec City for his song, "Batiscan."

Émilie Myette of Quebec was the lucky winner of the iPad, and Lloyd Frangis of Ontario won the RH300 Roland headphones in the voter prize draw.

About SOCAN

SOCAN is a member-based organization that represents the Canadian performing rights of more than three-million Canadian and international music creators and publishers. SOCAN is proud to play a leading role in supporting the long-term success of its more than 115,000 Canadian members, and the Canadian music industry overall. SOCAN licenses more than 125,000 businesses in Canada, and distributes royalties to its members and music rights organizations around the world. SOCAN also distributes royalties to its members for the use of their music internationally in collaboration with its peer societies. www.socan.ca

SOURCE: SOCAN

Media contacts:

SOCAN: Michael Critchley, 416.445.8700 ext. 3784, [email protected]

Touchwood PR: Alma Parvizian, 647.930.2090 ext. 202, [email protected]

Mo Kenney: Grace Russell, 902.223.1460, [email protected]