Winning Song Category Entry To Be Performed at Upcoming Tin Pan South Songwriters Festival
Nashville, Tennessee (March 12, 2025) – The Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) concluded its 25th annual NSAI Song Contest in February and is excited to announce “Love Lies” submitted by Josie Bisto (Nashville, TN) as the Song Category Grand Prize winner.
Pictured: Josie Bisto, Song Category Winner of 25th annual NSAI Song Contest
Bisto is the recipient of a long list of prizes including $5,000 cash, a one-on-one mentor session with Shane McAnally, a one-year single-song publishing contract with Dream 3 Publishing, a Taylor Guitars 50th Anniversary guitar, $1,500 towards a Guitar Center purchase (courtesy of the Guitar Center Music Foundation) and much more. In honor of winning the Grand Prize, Bisto’s winning entry, “Love Lies”, will be performed by co-writer Meagan Allen during the 33rd annual Tin Pan South Songwriters Festival. Before Kelly Archer, Lee Thomas Miller, and Wendell Mobley take the stage, the performance will open the March 27th, 9:00 p.m. round presented by 95.5 NASH ICON at 3rd and Lindsley Nashville (Visit Music City Stage).
Additional prizes awarded to Bisto include a performance opportunity at The Bluebird Cafe, industry meetings, a sheet music transcription from Musicnotes with a $100 gift card, a 12-month SoundCloud Artist Pro subscription, a custom engraved capo package from G7th, The Capo Company, a Southwest Airlines® roundtrip flight, a 2-night stay in Nashville, a $250 gift card and more.
Sharon O’Donnell with her entry “Don’t You Hear Me Say No?” was named the Lyric Category Grand Prize winner. O’Donnell won $2,500 cash, a mentor session with Jessie Jo Dillon and a Taylor Guitars 50th Anniversary guitar. She will also receive a meeting with Dream 3 Publishing, a roundtrip Southwest Airlines® flight, a two-night Nashville stay, a year-long SoundCloud Artist Pro subscription, a custom engraved capo package from G7th, a $250 gift card, two tickets to a show at The Bluebird Cafe, $1,500 to spend at Guitar Center, a $100 Musicnotes gift card with a plaque of the winning lyrics and more.
Pictured: Sharon O'Donnell, Lyric Category Winner of 25th annual NSAI Song Contest
In addition to the primary contest, SoundCloud, the artist-first streaming platform, partnered with NSAI for NSAI Presents: The SoundCloud Standout Award. The top 10 finalists in the Song Category were featured on a playlist and fans were encouraged to listen and then heart their favorite to help determine the winner. Finalist Claire Flynt received the most votes with her song “Bigger Person” earning the first-ever NSAI SoundCloud Standout Award! Flynt will be the recipient of a SoundCloud prize pack including a one-on-one meeting with a SoundCloud Representative to discuss strategy and best practices, a SoundCloud Merch Pack, and will be gifted a 1-Year SoundCloud Artist Pro Account!
All contest runners-up (Song Category and Lyric Category) will receive a publisher meeting, a personalized G7th “Nashville” capo, $50 Southwest Airlines® gift card, a one-year NSAI membership, a Music City VIP Star Card, a $50 Musicnotes gift card and more.
FULL CONTEST RESULTS:
Song Category Grand Prize Winner
Josie Bisto (Nashville, TN) – “Love Lies”, co-written by: Meagan Allen, Corben Champoux
Song Category Runners-Up
Sam Blasko (Nashville, TN) – “Second Wife”, co-written by: Olivia DaPonte, Ryan Kohn
Tim Comeaux (North Easton, MA) – “Dumpster Diving”, co-written by: Andrea Brodeur, Steve Brown
Claire Flynt (Nashville, TN) – “Love To Love Him Someday”, co-written by: Ingrid Enckell and “Bigger Person”, co-written by: Connor Gehlert, Eliza Harrison Smith
Rachel Harvey Hill (Nashville, TN) – “Barkley Lake”
Alex Lomartire (Mt. Juliet, TN) – “It’s Easier Said”, co-written by: Lauren Hedges, Jann Kohm
Elizabeth Makris (Nashville, TN) – “Downward Spiral”, co-written by: Kristian Asbøll, Gustav Fjäll, Martine Lausund
Brad McKinney (Nashville, TN) – “Single Of The Year”, co-written by John Frank, Lauren Spring
Emma Place (Nashville, TN) – “On The Run”, co-written by: Tyler Skye, Eliza Harrison Smith
Song Category Honorable Mentions
Sam Comfort – “Down And Out”
Carin Fradin – “As Old As I Can”
Hayley Payne – “Raisin’ Hell”
Laura Pearson – “Take Me Back”
Kiersten Rae – “Where The Heart Is”
Daniel Segall – “Played By The Rules”
Gabe Walsh – “Goodyears”
Ralston Wells – “Best Thing On Earth”
Kate Zickler – “College Try" and "You Just Won’t Listen”
Lyric Category Grand Prize Winner
Sharon O’Donnell (Cary, NC) – “Don’t You Hear Me Say No?”
Lyric Category Runner Up
James Maltese (Nashville, TN) – “Grass Roots”, co-written by: Lauren Murray, Tracy Richardson
Thank you to our supporting partners: Dream 3 Publishing, Guitar Center Music Foundation, Taylor Guitars, SoundCloud, G7th The Capo Company, The Bluebird Cafe, CMT, Musicnotes, Southwest Airlines®, Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp, Black River Publishing, Jody Williams Songs, ASCAP, BMI, Lamar Advertising, We Make Tapes & Discs
