Producing legend Nile Rodgers is among the top names judging entries by budding songwriters from the UK and USA

St John’s Wood’s famous Abbey Road Studios has launched a songwriting competition to encourage creativity during the pandemic.

The studio’s chief creative advisor Nile Rodgers and top songwriters Poo Bear, Jamie Scott and Giorgio Tuinfort will be the judges for It’s All About Your Topline.

Budding songwriters from the US and UK were asked to submit entries by April 29 via Abbey Road’s free songwriting app Topline.

A team of the studio’s engineers will shortlist up to eight original new songs for the judges who will each choose a winner - based on originality invention and artistic values - to work with during a 30-minute online feedback session.

Scott has worked with One Direction, Rag’n’Bone Man, and Jess Glynn,

Tuinfort with Rihanna, Ariana Grande and Whitney Houston, and Poo Bear with Justin Bieber and Mariah Carey while Rodgers is a producing and songwriting legend.

Abbey Road’s Head of Digital, Dom Dronska, says: “We hear from musicians and songwriters how they miss the studios and having close contact with their fellow artists. While we can’t give them access to our studios just yet, we can share an online space, where they can capture their songs without equipment, and share them with us, with their producers or topliners. We want to give them a reason to write and offer inspiration from some prolific songwriters connected to us.

“Let’s hear some new songs which can pull us through the most difficult times, with lyrics which fade into our dreams, helping us to accept life as it is.”

Abbey Road’s Head of Communications, Mark Robertson says: “We want to be a source of inspiration and support to all creatives navigating this unsettling time. Nile’s songwriting at Abbey Road is symbolic of how we are transforming the studios. He’s written over 100 songs with artists including Bruno Mars and Rudimental. There couldn’t be a better person to guide and lead this competition - an unmissable chance to learn from the best.”

The winners’ songs and judges’ feedback will be streamed on Abbey Road’s Instagram channel instagram.com/abbeyroadstudios