Image via The Photography Hub
After taking a long break from songwriting and having only started back up again seven years ago, Australian songwriter Katie Hardyman is a perfect example of why you should never give up on your musical talents. In the last couple of years, she's had enormous success entering songwriting contests through Sonicbids, which have directly led her to radio airplay, press, a mentorship with a hit songwriter, and signing with Red Lab Records for film and TV licensing.
Through songwriting, she's also found a deeper meaning in using her music to help others by incorporating an anti-bullying stance into her songs and advocating for music charities. Keep reading for Hardyman's whole story about how she got to where she is today, along with her advice to fellow songwriters. Prepare to be inspired!
You submit your songs to many songwriting competitions through Sonicbids – and judging by your accolades, it seems like that's been paying off! How do you make yourself stand out?
Thank you. I submit to most songwriting opportunities through the Sonicbids platform. The EPK format is really well set out and gives the promoters all the information they need. I think the biggest thing to make you stand out is to keep all your information up to date: websites, blogs, news, and anything that you want the listener to see. I try to make my bio not too long and keep it fresh so the person reading it doesn't lose interest too quickly.
[Here's What Sonicbids Promoters Actually Care About in Your EPK]
What do you think are the key ingredients of a memorable song?
I write both the lyrics and the music, and I think, for me, a great song is all about storytelling, whether it be a happy story, a sad story, a love story, or anything I find interesting to write about. If it's an instrumental piece, I try to tell the story through the melody and chord structures. Interesting and colorful lyrics can make a piece of music just so pretty, and the ability to show the story rather then telling the story can really captivate an audience. I'm still learning how do this!
What kind of perks and exposure came out of winning first place in the UK Songwriting Contest last year? Did it open new doors for you?
Wow! What an amazing experience this was. Winning the UK Songwriting Contest for Best Acoustic/Folk Song was just so special. This song was inspired by my daughter, Lucy, and told the story about a young girl leaving home for the first time. I found out I won this competition early Christmas morning in Australia – so a wonderful end to a great year.
Thanks to this competition, I have enjoyed radio and newspaper interviews and radio airplay of this song both here and in America. I connected to Mark Cawley, one of the songwriting judges from this contest. Mark is an acclaimed songwriter who has written songs for Tina Turner, Diana Ross, Wynonna, Billie Piper, and the Spice Girls, just to name a few. His songs have appeared on more then 15 million records to date. I have been doing mentoring sessions for the past two months over Skype and have learned more about songwriting in the past few weeks than the past 20 years. It truly has been an incredible experience and a wonderful opportunity to learn from the such an extremely talented and sincere man. I would seriously recommend this songwriting contest.
As a songwriter, what kind of opportunities do you find to be the most valuable on Sonicbids?
There are so many different opportunities offered through the Sonicbids platform, from songwriting contests, to licensing and film opportunities, live gigs, and plenty more. The price is really good, and the feedback [is] fantastic. As a songwriter, Sonicbids is the first place I look for new gigs. The promoters always keep you up to date whether you are successful or not, and I think this is one of the attractions for me on this site.
Tell us about your journey to signing with Red Lab Records. How has the trajectory of your career changed since then?
I was fortunate enough to submit to a film opportunity through Sonicbids which led to a wonderful journey with Red Lab Records. I was personally contacted by Noel Webb from LA who offered to sign many of my songs. I did just that and have enjoyed a wonderful association with this company. For me, this is an amazing opportunity to try to get my songs into TV and film, something which is extremely difficult to do here in Australia. I have just this week signed to Spidercues Music Publishing again with Noel Webb. Hopefully you might hear some of my tunes in a film in the not too distant future! I am so grateful to Sonicbids and Noel for this brilliant opportunity.
[Music Supervisor Reveals How Songs Make It Into TV and Film]
What accomplishment are you most proud of so far in your songwriting career?
I am just so proud that you, the audience, like my songs. I write ballads, which aren't always everyone's favorite genre, but, for me, I love to tell a story through songwriting and am thrilled to have an audience that also enjoys them.
My most favorite moment was winning the Rudy Brandsma Award for Songwriting Excellence at the National Australian Songwriting Awards (the ASA). To win this in Australia was just so exciting, and to play live in front of hundreds of people even more exciting. This is where my songwriting really took off, and the ASA have totally looked after me and encouraged me ever since.
One of my biggest accomplishments has been turning a song I wrote in to an animation and story book about anti-bullying. It's called "I'm Just A Child" and is being used as a resource in this area, and I'm hoping to get this package into every primary school here in New South Wales. I was fortunate enough to work with some amazing artists and musicians that you can see at imjustachild.com.au. I was also honored to have my musical achievements recognized in NSW Parliament. I also enjoy being an advocate for Don Spencer's music charity, the Australian Children's Music Foundation. Don strongly believes that no child should be deprived of access to a music education. The ACMF is a not-for-profit organization that inspires creativity and imagination by providing weekly music education and instruments to more than 3,900 disadvantaged Australian children and youth at risk. Through this organization, I have had the opportunity to work with some an incredible artists, including Don Spencer, Rachael Beck, John Waters, and George Ellis – amazing Australian artists in the music industry.
For musicians looking to take their songwriting to the next level, what advice would you give them to make their writing more professional? In what ways can they gain recognition?
I think the most important thing is to never give up. I started my songwriting dream when I was 14 years old, then stopped, and started again seven years ago. I think it's really important to listen to advice from other professionals and to take criticism well. Keep learning, keep writing, and always be sincere and humble. Keep your social media up to date; Twitter is a wonderful tool for getting your music out there.
Entering songwriting contests has been a brilliant way for me to gain exposure in the music industry – even just entering one to get a critique is a fabulous way to see how your audience feels about your song. Lastly, be aware that not everyone will like your songs, and that's okay. The thing is [that] you wrote, and that's a wonderful achievement in itself.
What's your ultimate goal as a songwriter?
My ultimate goal as a songwriter is to have my music placed in film and TV. I'm almost there and am very motivated to keep trying. I'm just happy to have gotten this far, and thanks to Sonicbids, I now have the chance to tell my story – so thank you!
The 2015 John Lennon Songwriting Contest will be awarding over $300,000 in cash and prizes to a total of 72 finalists, 24 grand prize winners, 12 Lennon Award winners, and one Song of the Year winner. Enter by June 15, 2015 for an awesome opportunity to take your music career to the next level!
