Winners of the 2022 Young Songwriters Song Contest

1st - Broken People by Jolie Hope (Reiman), Dallas, TX  jolir1@icloud.com

2nd - If This Guitar Could Talk by Emma James,  Corpus Christi, TX      

3rd - Someday by Evan Huang, Dallas, TX   ehuang1256@gmail.com

4th - Always the One by Emma James,  Corpus Christi, TX  

Joli Hope of Dallas, Tx is the winner of the 2022 Young Songwriters Song Contest. DSA awarded her with a $500 Scholarship. https://jolihopemusic.com/

Contest winner Joli Hope

Joli is a talented young woman who has been honing her performance skills for a number of years already. She has studied at the Interlochen Center for the Arts along with the School of the Creative and Performing Arts in New York and Los Angeles College of Music. As an incoming freshman Fall 2022, she is excited to continue her studies in the songwriting program at Belmont University. She has performed over 50 live shows at venues such as House of Blues, Gilley’s, Dallas Love Field, Plano Balloon Festival, Love & War in Texas, Six Flags, Gaylord Texan, and Wildflower Festival. She also wrote a song for The Cope Foundation which she performed at their virtual benefit concert. Additionally, she has volunteered at the Veterans Hospital and sang door to door for patients. She performed at the 2022 Dallas Songwriters Hall of Fame last April at Love and War. She recently performed from her dorm room at Belmont College via zoom to our awards program. You can view that performance on our youtube channel. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UE9wwsCODg&list=UULFzLz8grkFMa1zD2sMsp5-7A&index=11

Our first runner up is Emma James from Corpus Christi, Tx

Emma is a Texas born and raised singer-songwriter who has been singing since she was a toddler and she frequently put a melody to even the most mundane tasks like her elementary math homework. By nine years old, she was putting lyrics to melody and entertaining her family. Now, at only 14 years old, she has penned more than 150 original songs. As a multi instrumentalist playing piano, guitar and ukulele, she has established herself as a well rounded musician and a true artist as she continues to hone her craft.

Often she can be found at local Farmer's Markets, Festivals, Art Galleries and various private events performing an engaging mix of classic covers across a variety of genres as well as many of her original songs. However, her favorite place to sing is at her church on Sunday mornings and Wednesday nights.

Her sights are set on a career in music in Nashville. She is currently in the midst of writing, composing and recording a multiple song project about a girl's journey towards self discovery. Emma also performed at the awards show via zoom. https://emmajamesmusic.com/