Aylesbury schoolgirl, Lily-Mae, shortlisted for national songwriting competition

Lily-Mae Denman, 15, from Stoke Mandeville, has reached the second stage of the Song Academy Song Competition 2024.

She is one of 30 shortlisted budding songwriters chosen out of a field of over 1,000 entrants.

Lily-Mae’s song Mary is shortlisted in the 13-15-year-old category at the annual showcase. She describes the song on her Soundcloud page here, as a melodic tale of searching and finding. The Tring Park Arts School student has created the character of Mary, who is expressing a feeling of incompleteness.

Mary is an uplifting tune, as eventually the character is able to fill that void of longing by looking inwards, and seeing that sometimes, what we are searching for is right in front of us.

Lily-Mae’s parents have said drama has been a constant passion for the Bucks teenager, who previously tried her hand at everything from football to judo.

Her early love of performing has seen her audition and be selected for high profile roles in Les Miserables, and other high calibre West End plays.

Last weekend she performed in front of friends, family, and the Stoke Mandeville community at the parish’s annual Party in the Park event.

Lily-Mae was a last-minute edition to last weekend’s showcase with organisers adjusting runtimes to allow the talented teenager to complete a six-song set, which included her own songs as well as popular covers.

Contestants are judged on their originality, lyrics, melody, composition and hit-making potential. Judges break their feedback down into three categories: lyrics, melody, and the chords and instrumental sections that hold the songs together.

Next month the 10 finalists for this year’s competition will be announced, before a winner is confirmed at an event in Notting Hill scheduled for this September.

Winners are chosen by a panel of judges made up of some of the best-known young songwriters and artists creating music today. Selected finalists will get the chance to perform at the London showcase. Winners in Lily-Mae’s section will earn music recording technology, a session with an established producer in London, and a one-year membership on the Song Academy’s mentoring programme.

Lily-Mae’s entry can be heard here, she can also be followed on Facebook and YouTube.