B.C. musician a finalist for top prize in international songwriting competition

Every so often, Michael Wilford, a Victoria-basedmusician raised in Smithers, B.C., wonders if somewhere in sunny CaliforniaColdplay front man Chris Martin is listeningto Wilford's songScotchand liking what he hears.

Thetune isa finalist in the People's Voicesection of the blues category of this year'sInternational Songwriting Competition. The annual contest is open to artists around the world and, this year, features celebrity judges thatinclude Martin, pop star Dua Lipa, and prolific songwriter Tom Waits.

People's Voicefinalists have now been selected and peoplecan go online to listen to the songsand vote for their favourite between now and midnight on April 7.

"To me, this song has sort of existed in these different periods where my life got turned around one way or another," said Wilford, discussing the track during an interview on Daybreak North.

LISTENto Michael Wilford's single Scotchfeaturing vocals byChelsea D.E. Johnson:

Scotch was written over a few years and Wilfordsaid the evolution of it seemed to always take place at a time when something pivotal was happening in his life.

He said he started penning the lyrics when he was moving from his hometown to the Island for school, arranged it with a new friendhe had met at school, recorded it when he was leaving post-secondary, and thenreleased it during the pandemic.

Like many musicians, Wilford, who also plays drums for the B.C. rock band Old Soul Rebel, the pandemic has been a hard time financially and emotionally. Feeling abit low in September, he sent his song into the competition in the middle of the night.

"I just sort of needed a win for my music," he said.

And win he could.

The People's Voice prize pack includes professionalproduction of a free single or album release.

Sounds of a cheap guitar

The song itself has a deep, rough quality to it that Wilford said really came together when he started piecing it together as a student with his friend Joshua Litton.

Litton, who plays guitar for Old Soul Rebel, had picked up a $10 guitar at the time from a music store that was shutting down for good and wrote a bluesy riff on it that made Wilford realize that's the direction the song was going.

"It absolutely sounds like a $10guitar," said Wilford with a chuckle, adding it is a bit "nasty" sounding but he thinks it works perfectly andcan be heard in the recording sent in to the competition.

The song features the vocals ofChelsea D.E. Johnson from Old Soul Rebel. Categorized in the blues genre, Wilford said he doesn't plan on sticking necessarily with any one genre moving forward.

"I want to write the songs that I think are really exciting and then find artists to work with that can help portray that. It might get a little unpredictable actually."

Wilfordgraduated with aVictoria Conservatory of Music/Camosun Diploma in Music Performancein 2018 and is a member ofVCM's faculty, teachingdrums and Rock Band group classes, according to the conservatory's website.

The International Songwriting Competition received over 26,000 entries this year. Winners in all categories will be announced in late April or early May.