Jude York Wins AMPAL-Sponsored Emerging Songwriter Award at 2025 Vanda & Young Global Songwriting Competition

The 2025 Vanda & Young Global Songwriting Competition has revealed its winners, celebrating outstanding songwriting talent from across the globe - with Jude York announced as the recipient of the Emerging Australasian Songwriter Award, proudly sponsored by AMPAL (Australasian Music Publishers’ Association Limited).

Awarded a $5,000 prize, the AMPAL-supported honour recognises emerging songwriting excellence from Australia and New Zealand. This year’s winning song, Almost Me, Almost You, was co-written by Jude York (AUS) who is proudly published by Wise Music and renowned songwriter Sarah Aarons (AUS/USA) who is proudly published by Sony Music Australia, and produced by Giorgio Tuinfort (NLD). The track is set for release in the coming weeks via Spinnin’ Records.

AMPAL CEO Damian Rinaldi, who served on the competition’s global judging panel, said:

“Supporting emerging songwriters is central to AMPAL’s mission, and we’re proud to champion talent of this calibre through the Vanda & Young Songwriting Competition.”

AMPAL’s support of the Emerging Australasian Songwriter Award reflects the organisation’s ongoing commitment to nurturing songwriting talent and recognising the vital role music publishers play in developing creative careers.

The win follows a standout year for Jude York, whose breathtaking performance of Can’t Get You Out Of My Head at the APRA Awards left a lasting impression on industry peers - making this recognition especially meaningful.

“To be recognised by the Vanda & Young Song Competition is truly the greatest honour as a songwriter,” said York.
“Music has always been ‘therapy’ to me, so raising funds for Noro Music Therapy to continue their incredible work fills me with so much hope. I couldn’t be more grateful to be joining the prestigious cohort of Vanda & Young songwriters.”

ABOUT THE VANDA & YOUNG Global Songwriting COMPETITiON

The 2025 competition attracted more than 4,000 entries from 52 countries, judged anonymously by a panel of 70+ international industry experts spanning songwriting, publishing, A&R, artist management, labels and music media.

In total, A$80,000 in prize money was awarded across 14 songs, representing songwriters from Australia, New Zealand, the UK, Scotland, the Netherlands and the United States.

Entry fees directly support Noro Music Therapy, with the competition having raised over A$2.5 million since 2009 to fund life-changing music therapy services.

AMPAL Tells Productivity Commission: Licensing Over Exceptions

The Australasian Music Publishers’ Association Limited (AMPAL) has submitted a response to the Productivity Commission's interim report on data and digital technology, advocating against a proposed text and data mining (TDM) exception for copyrighted works.  

Our Board members have spoken out on the devastating impact this TDM exception would have on Australian music publishers, songwriters and our cultural exports.  

From AC/DC and INXS, through to Sia and Tame Impala, Australia’s songwriters and composers are some of our proudest and most powerful cultural exports. Music publishing is the business that supports them. 

A blanket TDM exception would weaken that system, deter investment and hand enormous value to companies who give nothing back.  It also lacks the nuance, creativity and agility that only an industry-led licensing solution can yield.  

Licensing is the proven way forward. It encourages innovation, ensures fairness and keeps Australia in step with international best practice.  

We urge the Commission to reject a TDM exception and support a licensing-based approach that works for both the tech and creative sectors. 

Read AMPAL submission here. 

AMPAL stands with AMCOS, APRA, ARIA, NATSIMO and PPCA in opposing the Productivity Commission’s proposed AI copyright exception

If AI needs our songs to learn, then our songwriters deserve to earn. 

Giving billion-dollar AI companies a free pass to mine copyrighted music without consent or compensation isn't innovation, it’s exploitation. 

AMPAL CEO, Damian Rinaldi said: “They can’t build the future of tech by gutting the future of Australian music. Let’s not rewrite our rules to benefit tech giants at the expense of our treasured Australian songwriters.” 

This proposal threatens not only the livelihoods of Australian songwriters, publishers and rights holders, but devalues their cultural contribution and risks decimating Australia’s creative industries. 

Australia’s copyright laws are not a barrier to progress, they’re the backbone of a thriving creative economy. 

They protect our songwriters.  
They ensure songwriters are paid.  
And they reflect their right to decide how their own works are used. 

This proposal isn’t progress, it’s a shortcut through someone else’s copyright. 

AMPAL welcomes Ministerial reappointments crucial to Australia’s music and creative industries

The Australasian Music Publishers Association Limited (AMPAL) welcomes the reappointment of the Hon Tony Burke MP as Minister for the Arts.

Minister Burke’s first term saw the historic establishment of Music Australia, a critical turning point for our sector. His reappointment ensures continuity and leadership just as many of these long-awaited initiatives begin to come to life.

“Minister Burke’s deep understanding of the sector and commitment to long-term infrastructure for Australian music has already made an indelible impact,” said AMPAL CEO Damian Rinaldi. “We look forward to his continued stewardship as Music Australia moves from blueprint to reality.”

AMPAL also acknowledges key appointments across all portfolios vital to ensuring a strong and sustainable music industry that supports cross-sector collaboration and champions the rights, revenues and recognition of music publishers and songwriters across Australasia.