BMI Foundation Names 2024 John Lennon Award Recipients
New York, NY - July 1, 2024 - Singer/songwriter Aria Lisslo received the first prize for the 2024 BMI Foundation John Lennon Award, with Eva Westphal and Peyton Marie named second and third-place award winners from over 500 applicants. Established in 1997 by Yoko Ono in conjunction with the BMI Foundation, the John Lennon Awards honor preeminent songwriter John Lennon’s memory with three annual prizes totaling $20,000 for the best original songs by young songwriters in contemporary musical genres including alternative, pop, rock, indie, electronica, R&B, and experimental.
Led by program director Timothy Pattison, Senior Director of Creative at BMI New York, the judges for the award included Rich Christina (Warner Chappell), Ian Holder (Sony Music Publishing), Evan Lipschutz (Double Down 11 Management), Haley Evans (Mega House), and Samantha Sklar (Position Music).
“Winning the John Lennon Award is such a huge honor & full circle moment as a girl who grew up on the music of the ’60s and ’70s,” shared Lisslo. “I am so incredibly grateful to BMI, the BMI Foundation, and Yoko Ono for their unbelievable support and belief in this record and myself as an artist.”
Born and raised in New York, Aria Lisslo blends the nostalgic vibes of 70’s soul and 90’s hip-hop with captivating jazzy-pop melodies that whisk you away to another era. Single-handedly crafting her sound, Aria writes, produces, mixes, and masters all her records from her home studio in Brooklyn. Garnering praise from industry luminaries like Zane Lowe, Mark Ronson, and BBC Radio 1’s Future Artists, this 21-year-old prodigy has already made waves with just 8 songs to her name. Listen to Aria’s first-prize winning song “99 Bottles” here.
Eva Westphal writes purpose-driven pop. Transparent about her coming out journey, sobriety, and mental health recovery, she encourages listeners to join her musical world of vulnerability and resilience. Each song tells a story -- from the inner child healing of recent releases “Adult” and “Belong” to the queer anthems “Loud,” “Understood,” and “Proud of Me.” She is humbled by the support she has received throughout her career -- from being featured in the 2023 Converse Pride Campaign, to a sold out headliner at The Mercury Lounge and performances at SXSW 2024. However, the highlights she most cherishes are the moments she shares with fans. Eva says, “every time a fan comes up to me after a show and tells me I’ve helped them on their own journey, it reminds me why I do what I do.” Motivated to spread self-love, and with a passionate fanbase by her side, Eva has cemented herself as a rising artist to watch in 2024. Listen to Eva’s award winning song “Proud of Me” here.
Peyton Marie is a Nashville-based singer/songwriter navigating her life through the punk, rock, and riot-grrrl genres. Growing up, she gigged around her hometown of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where she developed a passion for songwriting and decided to move to Nashville two years ago. She is currently enrolled at Belmont University studying Music Business and is an active independent artist in the local alternative scene. Her third-place winning song "final girl" is available on her debut EP "music to bury your ex to.” Listen to Peyton’s award winning song “final girl” here.
About the BMI Foundation
The BMI Foundation is a nonprofit organization founded in 1985 to encourage the creation, performance, and study of American music. The Foundation’s programs include competitive scholarships for songwriters and composers, operating grants for nonprofit arts presenters, and support for innovative music education initiatives in schools and communities across the country. For more information about the work of the Foundation, please visit our website at www.bmifoundation.org. For exclusive news and content, follow @bmifoundation on Twitter and Instagram, and like BMI Foundation on Facebook.
