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Winners from India, Indonesia, South Africa and the UAE prove to be music to the judges' ears
Dubai, UAE, 7 May 2014: The 2014 Holiday Inn Express Songwriting Competition has revealed its grand winners from the United Arab Emirates, India, Indonesia, and South Africa, following a battle of talent that saw singer-songwriters, bands and aspiring musicians create original songs in a variety of styles, languages and genres.
The winning entries from each market are:
• Paddyman from the UAE with the song Express Yourself (Everybody got a bit of fun inside) which received a total of 65 public votes
• QuadriHateral from India with the song, Holiday Inn Express which received a total of 135 public votes
• Ugee & Merry from Indonesia with the song, Miss U Holiday Inn Express which received a total of 56 public votes
• Tristan Trent from South Africa with the song Because It's You which received a total of 24 public votes
The winning entries were selected by a combination of votes from their fans, the general public and an expert panel of judges as the chart topping winner. All four winners will now have their hit turned into a professionally shot music video which will be released in the coming two months.
Lee Lin Teo, Director of Brand Management, Holiday Inn Brand Family, InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) said; “We wanted this competition to reward and promote smart talent. Holiday Inn Express is all about fun, smart and savvy, qualities which we think reflect that of many musicians. We received some excellent submissions and all the winners really impressed us with their creativity, originality and reflection of Holiday Inn Express brand values.”
The competition ran over six weeks. It received close to 110 entries and more than 2,500 votes and shares were cast. The ten songs with the most number of votes from each country were then shortlisted and a group of expert judges were tasked to select the grand winners based on four main criteria: originality and creativity, melody and arrangement, the contestants' performing ability and the incorporation of the Holiday Inn Express brand personality.
Paddyman from the UAE won the judges over with his catchy, folk-inspired song. His use of multi-linguistic references, to reflect Holiday Inn Express' fun personality and smart travel values, received special remarks from the judging panel.
The UAE judges included:
• Robert Garratt, online editor, Time Out Dubai – media partner Holiday Inn Express Songwriting Competition 2014 (UAE)
• Tresor Riziki, singer-songwriter and winner of the South Africa 2012 Holiday Inn Express Songwriting Competition.
• Rachael Calladine, jazz and soul vocalist, The Fridge (UAE)
• Lee Lin Teo, Director of Brand Management, Holiday Inn Brand Family, IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group)
Tresor, one of this year's judges and last year's South Africa winner, is now an accomplished multi-platinum selling singer-songwriter, who is signed with Universal Music Publishing Group and has been featured across South African airwaves and international music channels such as MTV ZA, MTV Base and Trace TV.
Tresor commented; “I am very happy to see so many people showcasing their passion for music, and the Holiday Inn Express Songwriting Competition is a great platform to promote locally based talent. Coming up with an original song is a huge challenge and the winners have really impressed me with their ability to create a catchy and clever song. I can't wait to see the music videos that will be showcased soon.”
Rachael Calladine, jazz and soul vocalist from The Fridge and judge for the UAE, said: “I was very flattered to be asked to judge the Holiday Inn Express Songwriting Competition. All the songs were well presented and thought out, and it is great to see so much talent in the UAE.
“The entries showed diversity and reflected the many musical genres the UAE encompasses in its ever expanding music scene. I'm sure the contestants' profiles will rise along with their confidence and number of loyal fans, thanks to Holiday Inn Express for providing a wonderful platform to showcase the region's up and coming musical talent,” she added.
Besides the music video, the winner also receives 250,000 IHG Rewards Club points redeemable for stays at any Holiday Inn Express and a variety of other rewards – perfect for a band or singer on tour.
For more information about the Holiday Inn Express Songwriting Competition and to listen to the winners' singles, please visit: fb.com/holidayinnexpress.
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