Returning to the Skirball Cultural Center for their sixth annual celebration, the Songwriters of North America (SONA) honored six prominent music advocates at their fundraiser gala, including Annie Lennox (Artist-Songwriter Icon Award), Desmond Child (Songwriter Warrior Award), Tom Morello (Freedom of Expression Award) , Kobalt Music CEO Laurent Hubert (Executive of the Year Award), KPop Demon Hunters (Global Impact Award) and Chris Redding (Emerging Songwriter Award).

We spoke with Lisa Loeb on the red carpet. “I love that songwriters came together to support songwriters and to make a difference, not just in what they want, but actually through legislation,” she said. “That's huge. That's such an evolution from where songwriters were years ago, where they were put off to the side as artsy people. They are artsy and magical people, but they're also smart people who want to look out for their own.”

Hosted by Bonnie McKee and Shane Stevens, the evening included plenty of surprises, including a video compilation from colleagues and team members thanking Kobalt Music CEO Laurent Hubert for his tireless work supporting songwriters and composers, before Hubert took the stage to humbly accept the honor and express his immense gratitude for being able to work in an industry he loves.

Artist-songwriter Sarah Nagourney (Glassbeat Music, She Creates Noise Podcast) says she feels that SONA isthe closest thing to a songwriters’ union that exists. “Songwriters are downtrodden, they're not making any money,” she says. “It's really important to have an organization like this. You can't promote music if you don't have a song. The DSPs [are] taking more money away, digital cell providers…right now, there's a big fight going on. It's outrageous, and SONA has been in there fighting for us to make a living.”

Street artist and social activist Shepard Fairey presented Tom Morello (Rage Against th Machine) with the Freedom of Expression Award, which Morello aceepted with an impassioned speech about his challenging start in music, and his ongoing commitment to always speak his mind and create art that he believes in.

Paul Stanley (KISS) took a surprise spot on the stage alongside Swedish music producer-songwriter Andreas Carlsson in a tribute to celebrate multiple award-winning and Latin Songwriters Hall of Fame co-founder Desmond Child (whose career catapulted after penning “I Was Made For Loving You” for KISS in 1979), sharing how they first met after Stanley saw Desmond Child and Rouge performing in New York, and bonded over their love of Laura Nyro, and other greats of the time.

Shirley Manson (Scottish singer-songwriter, lead vocalist of Garbage) delivered a fervent introduction before honoring artist-activist Annie Lennox with the SONA Artist-Songwriter Icon Award. With Manson referring lovingly to Lennox as her ‘Freya – the Celtic goddess of love and magic,’ Lennox took the stage, and reminded the room that “human beings cannot be replaced.”

Other presenters included Susanna Hoffs, Paul Williams (2015 Honoree), Ross Golan, Justin Tranter, KIDDO, Kay Hanley, Dina LaPolt, Daniel Wall, and Toby Lightman.

Says singer-songwriter (and founder of Austin Texas Musicians) Nakia, “I’m most excited about celebrating Desmond Child and Annie Lennox, two of my songwriting heroes, both of whom have not just written incredible hit songs but have used their platforms for advocacy, speaking out, and living their own truth authentically. To see them celebrated and honored in this way by our organization I think is exactly right for them and young songwriters coming up in a time where everybody's focused on hits, which is great, but you also have to find the soul in the music. Those two know what the soul of the music is, how to be themselves authentically and tell those stories and songs that sometimes aren't really being told like that anymore.”

SONA Advisory Board member and co-chair of SONA’s Education Committee, Jai Yoko says the best part of SONA is seeing the work happen in real time. “Being in some of these meetings, hearing what we want to do, and then seeing these things…I love seeing the action of the advocacy actually happening.”

Attendees were treated to performances by Susanna Hoffs (“Eternal Flame” alongside Rusty Anderson and Rick Nowels for a memorial tribute to songwriters lost this year), Leo Dante (Aerosmith’s “What It Takes” to honor Desmond Child), and an end-of-evening surprise that included Annie Lennox, Susanna Hoffs, and Leo Dante performing together for a rendition of the Eurythmics’ “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This),” which closed the night with the room on its feet singing along.

Shared Desmond Child, “The most important work that SONA is doing is reminding the world that songwriters' rights are human rights. They're our rights, and we all need to protect them.”

Established in 2015 by founders Michelle Lewis, Kay Hanley and Dina LaPolt, the Songwriters of North America (SONA) is a membership-based advocacy organization leading the charge for songwriter and composer advocacy, including fair pay reform and overall rights for music creators. Providing education, opportunity, and strategy, SONA continues to work tirelessly to represent an inclusive and diverse community of passionate industry professionals with a collective voice defending the Songwriter community at government and industry levels. Concluding SONA’s yearly Awards Week, the annual Awards benefit gala presents an opportunity to pay tribute to the artists and industry professionals who continue to uplift and advocate for songwriters, composers, and their work.

For more information or to become a member, please visit wearesona.com.

Photo credit: Phillip Faraone, Getty Images for SONA

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