Songwriter Carmel Mikol in the running for “Song Of The Year” in the John Lennon Song Contest

Cape Breton songwriter Carmel Mikol’s song “Twenty Something Girl” is up for a prestigious John Lennon Songwriting Contest “Lennon Award. Through an online vote, twelve “Lennon Award” winners will advance to the next level to be considered for “Song of the Year”. This top prize brings international performance opportunities, wide media exposure, and a $20,000 cash prize. Online voting is now open (vote here). Supporters can vote once a day, everyday until April 27.

In September 2011, Mikol won Grand Prize in Session I of the Folk Category for “Twenty Something Girl.” She now goes head to head with 24 other Grand Prize winners in an online public vote to win eligibility for “Song of the Year.” If she collects the most online votes in the Folk Category, she will be among only 12 songwriters from all over the world who have the opportunity to win “Song of the Year” as chosen by the John Lennon Song Contest Executive Panel.

Released on her 2011 album Creature (Sound of Pop/Fontana), “Twenty Something Girl” has already garnered critical acclaim among fans and music reviewers. “The song is a modern take on the old fashioned folk protest song that Lennon himself would have been happy to have written … This is a song in the best traditions of Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger and early Bob Dylan.” (Jack Goodstein, Blogcritics.com).

Carmel Mikol tours extensively in the USA and Canada. Her debut album In My Bones was nominated for three 2011 East Coast Music Awards and her follow up, Creature, charted nationally on Canada’s Earshot folk charts. She has shared the stage with many Canadian folk greats including David Francey, Garnet Rogers, Connie Kaldor, David Myles, and Dave Gunning. She is a fan favourite at festivals from Cape Breton’s Celtic Colours International Festival to Florida’s 30A Songwriters Festival and is known for her astute lyrics, engaging storytelling, and conversational performance style.