Over 30 young song writers from around New Zealand composed lyrics and performed songs on ways to help improve the lives of people struggling with poverty, oppression, injustice or hopelessness, for Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand’s SingOut4Justice competition.
The annual competition invited students from all colleges and high schools across the country, to consider ways a song can express empathy for people in need. The songs were judged by well-known singer-songwriter and recording artist, Father Chris Skinner SM, and a panel made up of other musicians and music educators.
A song which challenges listeners to think about people who are ignored and unnoticed, by Jessica Hannah Rodgers, a Year 10 student from Carmel College in Auckland, won the junior section.
Fr Skinner says Jessica’s song Waiting has a sweet melody and the beauty of her voice was immediately appealing. “I appreciate songs that challenge you to think and go deeper even to places the songwriter may not have been intending. It challenges the listener to open their eyes and see the need.”
The senior section was won with a powerful song, Hide and Seek, by Maisy Start Walter and Tobias Girod, Year 13 students from Campion College in Gisborne.
Fr Skinner says Hide and Seek is well-crafted and builds musically both vocally and instrumentally, with a chorus that hooks you in. “What a powerful image, Maisy and Tobias have presented to us – an innocent child’s game of hide and seek juxtaposed with the scourge of child abuse. Children have an inalienable right to be safe and to play innocent games. The song draws our attention to that.”
Fr Skinner congratulated Caritas on encouraging young people to think about and reflect on social justice issues and the entrants on their efforts. “I am sure it is helping to effect positive change in their lives and in the lives of other people they encounter. All of the young people are to be commended for their efforts. Isn’t it great all this creativity is going on in their lives and in their colleges?”
The winning song writers will each receive a music voucher to the value of $400 and a Caritas Gifts voucher to donate to the project of their choice to the value of $100.
Read more about SingOut4Justice and listen to the winning songs here.