For the first time in its fifteen-year history, the Liverpool Acoustic Songwriting Challenge found a new home at the British Music Experience, a fitting setting for an event that sits so confidently at the intersection of music, place, and visual art. More than a competition, the Challenge remains a rare and thoughtful exercise in creative interpretation, asking songwriters to respond not just to sound, but to the physical fabric of the Liverpool City Region itself.
The brief to write an original song inspired by a piece of public art produced a strikingly diverse final ten, showcased with the artwork itself projected on multiple screens around the venue. The result was an evening where context mattered as much as craft, and where the strongest songs transcended their prompts to stand on their own.
The night opened with a short but engaging set from Operation Lightfoot, introduced by compère Graham Holland, with guests Kaya Herstad-Carney, Felicity and bassist Mike Newman. Their three original songs set an assured, professional tone, warming the room without overstaying their welcome.
North Wales songwriter Chloe Ferguson was the first finalist to step into the spotlight, and immediately raised the bar. ‘Queen of the Hive’, inspired by a mural from her daily walks, unfolded with quiet confidence. Performed at the keyboard and enhanced by two subtle backing vocalists, the song’s ethereal atmosphere felt carefully constructed rather than accidental, a recurring theme among the night’s strongest performances.
Chris Whitfield followed with ‘Charabanc to Blackpool’, a piece of unabashed, nostalgic folk-pop. Its cheerful melody and instantly memorable chorus captured a postcard-perfect British day trip, complete with funfairs, donkeys and sticks of rock. While lighter in emotional weight than some later entries, its craft and accessibility marked it out as a genuine crowd-pleaser.
Derek King’s performance of ‘Face Off’ came with a minor piece drama, his guitar having broken during soundcheck, but any disruption was quickly forgotten. Borrowing Whitfield’s guitar and joined by his wife Jenny on second guitar, King delivered one of the evening’s more musically distinctive arrangements. Jenny’s Spanish guitar style added texture and tension to a song inspired by a mural depicting a man seemingly caught in an existential moment.
Former winner Ed Jones brought both experience and gravitas with ‘Nursery Rhyme for Our Time’, inspired by a print of a solitary figure gazing at a dramatic, Turner-esque sunset. Jones framed the image as a metaphor for contemporary uncertainty, and the song’s emotional weight landed heavily in the room. One audience member later remarked that both song and artwork reminded her of her recently deceased brother, a moment that quietly underlined the evening’s emotional stakes.
Helen Maw closed the first half with ‘A Million Dreams’, inspired by a statue at the Albert Dock depicting a family leaving Liverpool in search of a better future. Joined by Christy Bellis on vocals and Jenny Holding on violin, Maw’s performance was poised and affecting, balancing narrative clarity with melodic warmth. It felt, even at this stage, like a contender.
The second half began on a different note. James Chetter, unwell and unable to perform in person, was represented by a recording of ‘Fires at Night’. Inspired by William Frederick Yeames painting’ And When Did You Last See Your Father?, the song sat firmly within the folk-blues storytelling tradition. While its absence from the live stage inevitably reduced its impact, the songwriting itself showed depth and restraint.
Tyneside songwriter Jim Pearson took a more conceptual route with ‘Flightless Birds’, a thoughtful meditation on extinction, inspired taxidermy. Its environmental message was delivered without heavy-handedness, allowing the theme to emerge organically through imagery rather than instruction.
Mal Price’s ‘Embrace’, inspired by Jim Moir’s (aka Vic Reeves) painting ‘Two Colossi’, leaned fully into poetic abstraction. Rich in metaphor, the song’s atmosphere recalled the brooding mysticism of The Doors, particularly ‘Wondrous Place’.
The most emotionally charged moment of the evening came courtesy of Wirral-based songwriter Mike Ryan. His song ‘Forever 20’, inspired by a mural commemorating Liverpool FC footballer Diogo Jota, addressed tragedy head-on. Stripped back and sincere, it was a performance that hushed the room, reminding everyone that public art, and the songs it inspires, can be sites of collective grief as well as celebration.
Nathan Stephens, performing as Vou Vou Wyld, brought the Showcase Final to a close with ‘The Wrestler and the Wren’, also inspired by ‘Two Colossi’. While sharing the same visual source as Price’s entry, Stephens’ interpretation took a markedly different musical path, offering an interesting study in how a single artwork can yield wildly divergent creative responses.
With the performances complete, attention turned to the awards. The Audience Favourite Award, renamed the Chris Callander Audience Favourite Award in memory of the much-loved local musician who passed away last month, was preceded by a moving tribute performance from Thom Morecroft of Callander’s song ‘Back in the Old World’.
The award itself went to Helen Maw for ‘A Million Dreams’, a decision echoed by the judges’ overall verdict. It was a deserved double: Maw’s song combined emotional resonance, strong composition, and a clear relationship to its source material without being constrained by it.
As winner, Maw receives a professional recording, coaching, and a cello arrangement or lesson. fitting prizes for a songwriter whose work already feels finely honed.
The evening closed, appropriately, with Maw performing her winning song once more.
Proceeds from the night were shared between Marie Curie Cancer Care and Garston Animal Rescue in memory of Sharon Jones, a former member of Liverpool Acoustic; a reminder that this event, for all its competitive elements, remains rooted in community.
In its new home, the Liverpool Acoustic Songwriting Challenge felt not just comfortable, but confident. After fifteen years, it continues to evolve while staying true to its core purpose: celebrating songwriting as a living, responsive art form. This was an annual event but more information about Liverpool Acoustic can be found here, https://liverpoolacoustic.co.uk/
Reviewer – Adrian Cork
On – 07.02.2026
