The Liverpool International Song For Kindness Contest aims to find an anthem that will follow the example of the Lennon masterpiece Imagine, as the city plans its recovery from the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Launched on Friday by the city council in association with youth charity tuff.earth and the world-famous Cavern Club, the contest will run for 11 months.
The winning song will be announced on September 9 2021, the 50th anniversary of the release of the Imagine album.
Mayor of Liverpool Joe Anderson, said: “Liverpool needs a positive and uplifting story in these current days, so we are turning to what this city does best – making music.
“Liverpool is the world capital of music and we need now to hear it loud and proud again.
“Music heals, it inspires, it brings happiness and it brings us hope.
“This contest will help to unify the people of Liverpool, encourage acts of kindness in the city and inspire the songwriters of both here and around the world.
“It will bring new energy to the legendary Liverpool music scene, encourage young people to learn an instrument and make music, and who knows what great songs could come out of this?
Music heals, it inspires, it brings happiness and it brings us hope
“It is fitting that we are launching this initiative on the 80th birthday of John Lennon, the songwriter who was one of this city’s greatest sons.
“The songs that John wrote with Paul in The Beatles, and the classics like Imagine that he created as a solo artist and with Yoko, changed the sound of music and uplifted the world.
“Now we need to be uplifted again.”
The tuff.earth charity works in scores of countries to encourage acts of kindness through its #KIND20 projects in communities and schools around the globe.
Co-founder Dr Shamender Talwar said: “Songs and music in all and any styles and genres can be entered in the contest.
“It can be your song or a cover, it can be rock ‘n roll or rap or classical and orchestral, and the contest is unique in that it is open to every musician on the planet, unknown or famous, from buskers to Beatles.
“Literally, if Paul or Ringo want to submit a song they would be very welcome to.”
The winning song will be chosen by public vote on Facebook, with the most likes deciding the winner, and it will be given its premiere performance at The Cavern Club.
Songwriters, bands and all musicians around the world are invited to upload a video of themselves performing their own song or a cover to the KIND20 page on Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/tuff.earth
Alternatively, contestants can also upload their song to a Dropbox link: https://www.dropbox.com/request/dxzRCwHKStBYL7hUbwCp
