Any young songwriters looking for something to do this summer could get a head start on the Play it Strange songwriting competitions. In recent years several WGC students have placed in the competitions and won the opportunity to record their songs in a professional studio. The songs are also featured on the competitions' albums and available for streaming. It's a fabulous opportunity for student writers and musicians!

From Play it Strange:

The 2025 Play It Strange competition dates are here, giving young songwriters and artists across Aotearoa the chance to share their voices, stories, and talents with the country.

Whether you have a rap, a waiata, a heavy metal band or a folk song – we want to hear your songs.

Open to secondary school aged students from Years 9-13, these opportunities celebrate creativity across songwriting, te reo Māori, and visual art. Dive into our themes, mark your calendars, and unleash your creativity over the summer: entries open on February 1st, 2025!

Junior Songwriting Competition 2025 (Years 9-11)          Closes 30 April

For Year 9-11 students, this competition invites songs on the theme "Threads of Who We Are," encouraging young songwriters to explore identity, connection, and the experiences that shape them.

Peace Song Competition 2025       

Closes 30 May

The theme of peace and non-violence is open to broad interpretation—from personal inner peace, peace at home, to unity among people around the world. We invite young songwriters to explore what peace means to them. The lyrics are the heart of each entry, and there’s no need for the song title to be 'The Peace Song.'

National Songwriting Competition 2025 (Years 9-13)   

Closes 16 July

Write a song on any theme and in any language. Open to New Zealand secondary students Years 9-13, this flagship competition encourages creativity across genres and styles.

Waiata Reo Māori Competition 2025         

Closes 31 July

Bring your reo rangatira to life through waiata. This competition is open to all secondary school-aged students (Years 9-13) to celebrate and share your kōrero with the world. The waiata must incorporate te reo Māori—whether it’s a few kupu (words) or the entire waiata.

Album Art Competition 2025          

Closes 31 August

Play It Strange presents an album cover art competition for secondary school creatives. Design the album cover art for one or more of our annual songwriting competitions. The design must be in a square-format design, with space for logos and titles. You can submit more than one artwork.

What you need to know:

• All competitions open on 1st February 2025

• Submit a recording of your song along with a lyric sheet.

• Judging focuses on the songwriting itself, so recording and performance quality won’t affect the outcome.

• You can only enter one song per competition. Please do not enter one song into multiple competitions unless it was not chosen as a finalist in earlier competitions.

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