The Tune Into Nature Music Prize, founded by Professor Miles Richardson from the University of Derby, aims to highlight the need for a new, stronger relationship with nature while providing vital support for young creative talent.

The competition welcomed entries from unsigned musicians and singer/songwriters aged 18-30 whose original work demonstrates a true collaboration with nature including sounds of the natural world.

Two entrants, of very different styles, wowed the judges so much that they awarded the prize jointly. The first winning track, Dawn by Josephine Illingworth, offered total engagement in the sound world of the mountain. The second winning track, Nightingale by Wildforms, aka Dan Cippico, turned mesmeric bird song into a brilliant drum n bass track.

Nine other artists were shortlisted for the Prize, including a range of genres from Hip Hop, Rock and Pop to Jazz, Folk and Classical, showing the universal appeal and relevance of nature as a source of inspiration and connection.

Listen to the winning and shortlisted tracks.

The BBC has supported the shortlisting and judging process with expertise from their music teams, presenters and BBC Introducing. The final tracks were previewed across BBC Radio networks, including Radio 1, 6 Music and Radio 3, which has devoted a special edition of Unclassified to featuring the winners and shortlisted artists, with further airplay of track excerpts planned on Radio 2.

The creative initiative responds to research that shows the decline of nature connection among teenagers as well as data that shows the reference to nature in contemporary music has decreased consistently since the 1950s.

The two prize winners will both receive £500 as well as opportunities provided by the judging panel, including a professional remix should they wish, with access to one of the world’s finest archives of nature field recordings from The Listening Planet and the potential to opt in to have their original track or remix featured on NATURE’s profile on major streaming platforms.

Judges for the prize include the musicians and artists Cosmo Sheldrake, Madame Gandhi, Andrew Fearn (Sleaford Mods), Jason Singh, Jinny Lyon, Melissa Harrison, Sam Lee, and BBC presenters Sian Eleri and Elizabeth Alker.

Alongside backing from the University of Derby’sNature Connectedness Research Group, the competition is backed by a collaboration of recognised environmental-loving organisations including YSP, The Conservation Foundation, EarthPercent and Sounds Right.