Winners of the Tape It × HyperTribe songwriting competition
We were blown away by the creativity in the Tape It × HyperTribe songwriting competition. The brief was to capture what inspires you and develop that into a demo track. You used the app to record songwriting sessions, capture sounds from household objects, and sample the world around you. The entries were fantastic, and we loved how each of you took the chance to come up with new song ideas. Perfection is every musician's worst enemy, and we were glad that you took this competition as an opportunity to create something new.
With such a high quality of entries it was hard to make a final decision, and we spent a long time discussing and reviewing each. Listening to all the music has been a truly heartwarming experience, and we're excited to present the winners.
So, without further ado, here are the top 3:
3rd Place: @deannaa.lee
Deannaa convinced us with her absolutely stunning voice, and a really smooth and emotional R&B ballad.
"I feel the most inspired when I sit down at my piano or guitar and just improvise! To me, improvising and song writing is like writing in a diary. So I sat down with a general idea and vibe in mind, and played my piano until the "right" song came out."
You can hear that process - and literally feel it with her as the idea evolves - in her session recording. It's a creative gem, full of musicality:
Deannaa says the demo, that this session evolved into, is full of influences from her life.
"I wanted my melody to be inspired by the lofty melodies of musical theatre songs, and the way they use melodic contour to convey emotion so well. I was in musical theatre for a very long time, and this music is very close to my heart."
When you listen to the bridge, you'll also notice a very creative metre change. That idea roots in another part of her musical life.
"I used to write a tonne of math rock so it's natural these rhythmic things found their way in. I was sceptical to keep these metre changes in a pop r&b tune, but I think they really convey the sense of urgency to improve and do better as the emotion builds towards the end of the song."
One thing we're particularly happy about is how Tape It helped her:
"Writing music is an extremely personal experience, and using Tape It encouraged me to get back to my old process of writing - sitting down and just noodling around to see what comes to me. The song came out much more personal and true to who I am as a musician - not being tied to a click track or a beat really let me get back in touch with myself while writing."
So here it is, the final submission. Enjoy listening!
2nd Place: Ryan McQuen
Ryan's submission was simple, and his story very short - but ever so powerful.
"I recently visited Toledo, Ohio, to see my best friend who was just diagnosed with cancer. While I was there, I brought a cheap travel guitar and amp so I would not be without music for a week. I wrote this in the hotel, then recorded a more HiFi version when I got back home using some cool and rare toys (effects pedals) I found at small independent music shops in Toledo."
He recorded both the original draft in Ohio and the re-recording on his phone with Tape It. It's a fantastic example that really all you need is good ideas.
1st Place: @nagyedimusic / @_nownois_
NAGYEDi won our heart with her slick vocal line that she developed straight into a track. She found creativity in everyday objects, sampling them to create synth sounds and rhythmic beats which provided the foundation under her ethereal vocals.
"I just returned from a long holiday I spent with my barely-seen family when I saw the announcement of this competition. I downloaded the app straightaway. Some hours later, I hummed a melody while drinking coffee on the patio. I grabbed my phone, and this time I recorded the idea with the Tape It app instead of my default voice recorder. I was on my own, which was a rare moment, so I exported the recording and started checking the tempo, cutting out unnecessary parts, and mixing the sound a bit. While working on these, I noticed I was already singing made-up English words. I liked it so much that I shared it on my Instagram, and the feedback was surprisingly positive, knowing that it was just the very beginning of a song."
"In 2 more days, the lyrics were ready. In the meantime, I recorded my toddler’s crocodile xylophone to create unique synths. For the beats, I used samples of my brother’s carpenter tools. The production was accomplished in about 4 days, then I started mixing the song that has been stuck in my head since the beginning. This song really wanted to break out of me."
"My songs usually describe moments of feeling down, lonely, disappointed, desperate, and the ways of getting out of these states of mind. Or they just end up dark but optimistic. This time I was inspired by that long holiday I came back from. I left my home village at a young age, wearing the label of black sheep all my life just because of thinking differently. The so-called holiday with my loved and loving family turned into fights, mental, physical, and spiritual exhaustion, and a huge realisation. I understood that the best thing I could do was to keep my mouth shut to maintain peace. And it was hard. This is what the song is about."
"I was also inspired by the opportunity to receive financial support for finishing my upcoming album. Since I joined HyperTribe, I could make life-changing decisions regarding my musical career. One of them was to launch a new artist that represents my latest body of work. The song I wrote for this competition now will be the first single I will share under the new name: Nównøis."
We think that For Tomorrow really has the potential to become a popular track. It's got all the right elements, and it's incredibly catchy. Here it is:
Congratulations NAGYEDi for winning this contest!
The Runners Up
We also would love to give a special mention to the fantastic runners up:
4th Place: @charmusicuk
5th Place: @officialjmamusic
6th Place: Danielle Treanor
7th Place: @alleya_music
8th Place: @jerzybulx
9th Place: @itsklaya
10th Place: @naomisoriginal
And lastly, a big thanks to HyperTribe for making this contest possible!