The Diana Torossian Emerging Songwriter Award has opened entries for 2026, offering Australian songwriters mentorship opportunities with leading industry figures alongside a $3,000 cash prize.
by Paul Cashmere
Entries have opened for the 2026 Diana Torossian Emerging Songwriter Award, an initiative established to support emerging Australian songwriting talent in honour of the late artist manager Diana Torossian. The award, launched in 2025 following Torossian’s death in September 2024, offers one emerging songwriter access to industry mentoring sessions valued at $20,000, alongside a $3,000 cash prize.
The award is open to APRA AMCOS members based in Australia who are pursuing songwriting as a professional career and have already begun building a commercial catalogue of work. Applications close at 5.30pm AEST on Monday June 15, 2026, with winners to be announced on July 29.
The program reflects the role Torossian played across multiple decades of Australian music publishing, artist development and songwriter management. Through her company DT Talent Management, Torossian guided the careers of writers including Sarah Aarons, Lindsay Rimes and songwriting duo DNA, made up of David Musumeci and Anthony Egizii.
The first prize package includes five songwriting sessions with producers and writers Andrew Lowden, Ben Oldland, Musumeci and Egizii, alongside sessions with artist Evie Irie and songwriter Gary Pinto. Winners will also receive mentoring from specialists in publishing, A&R, public relations, grants management and creative direction.
A second prize will provide a 12 month one-on-one Music Career Coaching program through the Australian Songwriters Conference, valued at $6,000 and led by music industry executive Lisa Butler.
Andrew Lowden, one of the award’s founders, said the response to the inaugural program highlighted the depth of songwriting talent emerging across Australia.
“Di was such a cornerstone in Australian music and anyone that had the honour of knowing her and working with her will never forget how tirelessly she worked to shine a light on Australian writers, producers and artists,” Lowden said.
“She was taken from us way too soon, but her legacy of uncovering and spotlighting talent lives on through this award.”
Lowden added that the organisers saw value beyond selecting winners, pointing to industry relationships formed through the application process itself.
“We were blown away by the response to the award last year, and on top of two wonderful winners we also made a lot of amazing connections for the other artists that submitted which is something I know Di would be so proud of,” he said.
Di Torossian’s influence extended beyond artist management. Before establishing DT Talent Management, she worked in publishing and A&R roles for major music companies, including a stint as manager of A&R and licensing at BMG Music Publishing. During that period she worked with Australian acts including Baby Animals, Hoodoo Gurus and Diesel.
Through her management work, Di also played a role in the careers connected to songs recorded by artists including The Veronicas, Samantha Jade, Dami Im, Jessica Mauboy and Delta Goodrem.
APRA AMCOS chief executive Dean Ormston previously described Diana Torossian as “an incredible force” within Australian songwriting and publishing circles, recognising her role in discovering and developing writers who would go on to shape Australian commercial pop music over the past two decades.
The award arrives at a time when songwriting camps, publishing development programs and independent mentoring initiatives are becoming increasingly important pathways for Australian artists navigating a global music market. For emerging writers without access to major label systems, industry mentorship opportunities have become a critical entry point into professional networks and international publishing structures.
APRA AMCOS Emerging Songwriter Award Back L-R: Anthony Egizii and David Musumeci. Front L-R: 2025 winners Ama and Daisy Pring. Credit: Georgia Ginnivan
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