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Katy Alex was victorious at the third annual Merseyrail Sound Station Festival on Saturday. Katy impressed a panel of industry judges and beat an array of excellent local talent performing at Moorfieds Station to claim the Merseyrail Sound Station prize. The event featured ten of Merseyside’s most exciting emerging new artists as well as live performances on Merseyrail trains, and was the culmination of a year-long project. The prize entitles Katy to A YEAR OF PROFESSIONAL MUSIC INDUSTRY MANAGEMENT, RECORDING TIME & FREE MERSEYRAIL TRAVEL.

Everyone was equally good, it was a really good day. I’m looking forward to the mentoring and combining some ideas – really cool!

Katy Alex

Sound Station Winner

The award is designed to give an emerging Merseyside artist an invaluable head start in the music industry and is part of a wide-ranging project which encompasses pop-up stages at many of the regions festivals, a monthly podcast and the competition. Having scooped the prize, Katy Alex will now work with a team of music industry professionals, learning how to forward her career in music by taking various live opportunities and promoting her work. She will also record with former Joy Division and New Order Engineer Michael Johnson and receive a year of FREE Merseyrail travel. 

In an interview with Dave Monks immediately after the final on BBC Radio Merseyside Alex said: “Everyone was equally good, it was a really good day. I’m looking forward to the mentoring and combining some ideas – really cool!” before mentioning her highlights from the afternoon, “there was a lot of variety, The Basement Effect were really good, 15 and 16 years, and so, so talented. Gyrus were really different, I couldn’t put a genre on it but really cool!”

Last year’s winner Blue Saint, who was on the judging panel at Moorfields on Saturday, has reaped the benefits of winning the prize 12 months ago. The Liverpool-based rapper has appeared at festivals throughout the summer and is about to launch a new EP after recording at Tankfield Studios with esteemed producer Johnson.

Tankfield is the home to the Merseyrail Sound Station Podcast which is available to download for free from MerseyrailSoundStation.com and iTunes. Presented by Jay Hyde, it features exclusive live sessions with some of the region’s most exciting new bands (past guests include Hooton Tennis Club, The Tea Street Band and Natalie McCool), news on local music, and tracks from the best emerging bands in the region.

Jay Hynde, also hosted the SOUND STATION FESTIVAL at Moorfields Station and presentation event at The Hatch bar on Mathew Street when Katy Alex was announced as this years winner: “Katy hit it out of the park. There was quality throughout all the finalists this year and it was such a great event but I can see why the judges opted for Katy. I think she’s got a really bright future ahead of her.”

An expert panel of judges deliberated long and hard over the 10 performers of this year’s final, and were unanimous in their decision to award the Prize to Katy as one of the most exciting talents around. The 2015 Prize was awarded by Merseyrail MD Jan Chaudhry-van der Velde, and the judging panel consisted of: Christopher Torpey, Editor of Bido Lito! Magazine; Nick Otaegui from Liverpool Sound City; Paddy Cloherty from Sentric Music; Michael Johnson from Tankfield Recording Studios; and last year’s winner Blue Saint, who also performed live at the presentation event at Hatch.

Bido Lito! Magazine Editor Chris Torpey, one of the industry judges on the day had this to say: “It was yet another mightily impressive Final this year, and the judging decision was very, very difficult! But the judges were unanimous that one artist had their extra special element, and that was Katy Alex. We're really looking forward to working with her as a mentor. Special mention to Merseyrail as well, for a business like that to invest so much support into grassroots music is fantastic, and vital to the development of the region's next crop of artists.”

Jan Chaudry-Van der Velde, Managing Director of Merseyrail, said, "Sound Station is a fantastic initiative, promoting emerging young talent, helping really gifted musicians get the leg-up they deserve and tapping into Liverpool’s musical heritage. Katy Alex's success is very well deserved, but we congratulate all the finalists, who were of an exceptionally high standard across the board.’

Over the past three years, Merseyrail Sound Station has become more and more prominent on the local music scene. An increasing number of local artists have become involved in the initiative by filming performances at Upload Locations and performing at festivals at the Sound Station pop-up stage. Entrants posted videos of their tracks to the Merseyrail Sound Station Facebook wall www.facebook.com/MerseyrailSoundStation and ten of the artists were picked to perform at the festival. Sound City, LIMF, Farm Feast, Liverpool Loves, Africa Oye, Wirral Festival of Firsts and Above The Beaten Track have all hosted the yellow marquee this year.

You can listen to the latest edition of the  Merseyrail Sound Station Podcast NOW. Katy Alex will be in session for the December edition due to launch on Friday 4^th December.

Congratulations again to Katy Alex and well done to all of the finalists: Cal Ruddy, Lucy Mayhew, The Shipbuilders, Mersey Wylie, The Basement Effect, Lewis Maxwell, Gyrus, The Mono Sideboards and Rossa Murray.