A picture is worth 1,000 words but a song may be worth $1,000
It’s back! The fourth annual Hey Nonny Songwriting Contest is now open with three top cash prizes waiting for local songwriters. If you’ve got a song in your heart, let it out. It could be worth up to $1,000.
Chip Brooks, impresario and co-owner of Hey Nonny, has seen, heard, and embraced just about every musical genre, bringing many to the Hey Nonny stage. Now he’s opening the Arlington Heights venue to aspiring songwriters for the fourth installment of one of his popular events. This year’s contest offers no thematic restrictions.
“We’re just looking for great songs this year,” Brooks said. “These are weird times, and we hope that songwriters this year bring some fun, optimism and positive energy to their songs.”
The first three contest editions required songs to be related to the Northwest suburbs.
“We got some great songs, but I think that we’ve exhausted that vein,” Brooks said. “It will be a blast this year just to see what’s on people’s minds — and to see where their creativity takes them.”
All songs must be original — words and tune. “This is not a parody contest,” Brooks points out. “We’re looking for real, original songwriting.”
With a growing number of submissions each year, Brooks and his Hey Nonny team will narrow the entries down to the top 40 … not the Top 40. From there contestants will be invited to perform the song live in front of an audience in one of three preliminary rounds on Sept. 2, 9, and 16.
From there, four finalists from each night will return to Hey Nonny for the finals on Sept. 23, with judging by a panel of professional songwriters.
Brooks noted that the writer does not need to be the one to perform the song in the contest.
“It is a writing contest, not a performance contest,” Brooks noted. “That being said, sometimes a song really comes to life based on how its presented.”
Sponsoring the contest again this year is local personal injury attorney Ron Wittmeyer (Law Offices of R.F. Wittmeyer). Through his support the winning entry receives a $1,000 prize and a follow-up performance slot at Hey Nonny. Additional $400 and $300 prizes will be offered to the second- and third-place selections.
Aug. 13 has been set as the deadline for entries. Entries may come from an individual or a songwriting team. Registration is open at Hey Nonny Songwriter Competition Entry Form 2025.
“We’ve had absolute novices enter right along with some experienced songwriters from the area,” Brooks said. “Our judges will be looking for something unique but something that leaves an impression in some way. We’re excited to see what people are thinking and feeling in 2025.”