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London's Lost In Japan wins national song contest's $20,000 prize

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It might be lonely on the road but it’s given a London band a massive boost to their career.

Lost In Japan’s song Lonely has won Corus Entertainment Radio’s second annual  summer song contest which comes with a cash prize of $20,000 they’ll use to record an album.

“We are very honoured to be representing London in this national contest and excited to have won such a big prize,” said Addison Johnson, the band’s front man and principal songwriter, who said the song is about missing loved ones while on the road.

The Indie rock band includes Johnson (vocals and guitar), Chris Hoekstra (lead guitar), Karl Von Estorff (bass) and James Wiseman (drums). They met at Fanshawe College, where they graduated from the music industry arts program in 2017.

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Since forming, they’ve released a self-titled album (2018) and two EPs, Ghost and The Wolf (2017) and Somedays, released in May with the winning song.

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Like all performing artists, Lost In Japan’s ambitious plans for 2020, including a major tour, were dashed by the pandemic, so the win comes as welcome news, said Johnson.

“It feels great that we will be able to put a record down and have the funds to work in the studio,” said Johnson, adding the band hopes to tour in the fall and have a hometown show in November or December.

“Most of it is already written, but we’re going to work with our producer to get it to where we want it to be.”

That producer is Grammy nominated Dan Brodbeck, co-ordinator and professor at Fanshawe’s MIA program.

“It’s just amazing for them, a huge honour,” said Brodbeck. “That money can go a long way for them. I love this band. I wouldn’t work with them if I didn’t love their music.They’ve got a very original sound.”

In a news release from Fanshawe, Brodbeck said the cash prize is a great opportunity “for this talented, up-and-coming band.

“I always enjoy keeping track of and collaborating with our graduates,” said Brodbeck. “I love how bands forming in MIA and moving on to great things is starting to become the norm. It’s music to my ears.”

There were about 2,000 submissions to the contest and a panel of Corus Radio judges selected the Top 10 performances with the public voting to determine the winner.

Previously, Lost In Japan won the Free 98.1fm Made in London contest and the Jim Beam Make History Talent Search. They also won the Forest City London Music Awards’ fan favourite award in 2020.

jbelanger@postmedia.com

Twitter.com/JoeBatLFPress

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