Erika POH’s winning entry, Around The Bend We Go, received unanimous praise from adjudicators for its jaunty and imaginative blend of Chinese and Western elements, varied harmonies, and vibrant sense of color.

Erika is a Singaporean composer, singer-songwriter, arranger, and producer whose work spans music-theatre, film, orchestral composition, and pop production. A classically trained pianist, she graduated from the University of Southern California in 2024, studying under Moor Mother, Patrice Rushen, Chris Sampson, Frank Ticheli, and Donald Crockett. Her accolades include the USC Summer Provost Fellowship, Hans J. Salter Endowed Award for Composition, Discovery Prize (top ten artists in the university), and Most Outstanding Graduate Award from USC Thornton.

Erika’s portfolio includes Have You Seen Her for full orchestra and voice, scores for short films, and string arrangements for Josh Wei, Bernice Ong, The Wren, and CL of 2NE1. She now weaves her global experiences into Singapore’s musical fabric, crafting innovative works that blur boundaries between genres, disciplines, and communities.

Thank you to everyone who submitted an entry! The rankings were extremely close and the adjudicators were deeply impressed with the submissions. We look forward to hearing more of your music in the future!