I just got news that my song “Heads Up” is a semi-finalist in the rock category for the International Songwriting Competition. To be an Asian female writer and performer and be a semi-finalist in the rock genre is quite unusual and gratifying. There were over 18,000 submissions to the contest in over 20 categories and I’m honored to be among the ~100 or so rock semi-finalists.

You can hear the song here:

HEADS UP

[Verse]
When the world won’t listen and your screams are weakened to whispers
You start to wonder if you’ll ever be heard like you deserve
Remember the trouble that stays with status quo
Let’s not give the dust time to settle on our knees

[Chorus]
Keep our heads up,
Keep our heads high
We’ll never give up
We’ll never stop Oh
Keep our heads up
Just a matter of time
It’s not a gamble
As long as we’re alive
We’ll keep our heads up
Keep our heads up
Keep our heads up oh
OOOOH
OOOOH

[Verse]
It’s been a long time coming but I can feel we’re getting closer
The harder we fight, the sweeter the final victory
As long as we stick together we got nothing left to fear
Coz nothing’s gonna break us, we’re not gonna take no for answer yeah

[Chorus]
Keep our heads up,
Keep our heads high
We’ll never give up
We’ll never stop Oh
Keep our heads up
Just a matter of time
It’s not a gamble
As long as we’re alive
We’ll keep our heads up
Keep our heads up
Keep our heads up oh
OOOOH
OOOOH

[Bridge]

[Breakdown chorus: octave lower]
Keep our heads up,
Keep our heads high
We’ll never give up
We’ll never stop Oh
Keep our heads up
Just a matter of time
It’s not a gamble
As long as we’re alive

[FINAL chorus]
Keep our heads up,
Keep our heads high
We’ll never give up
We’ll never stop Oh
Keep our heads up
Just a matter of time
It’s not a gamble
As long as we’re alive
We’ll keep our heads up
Keep our heads up
Keep our heads up oh
OOOOH
OOOOH