Two hugely-talented singer-songwriters, Crispin Burton and Dilettante have been crowned the victorious winners of Casio Music UK’s highly renowned ‘Casio Sessions’ competition.
Taking place last night (Wednesday 4th September) at Brick Lane’s stylishjazz bar, Ninety One Living Room, 15 singer-songwriters performed original compositions on Casio’s flagship digital piano. The finalists played in front of judges and a captivated live audience, bidding to win an incredible prize – an award-winning, Casio PX-S7000 digital piano worth £2,249, plus an exclusive mastering studio session for their winning song, with the song then pressed to 250 7” vinyl records – courtesy of competition partner Breed Media.
After much deliberation, Crispin Burton and Dilettante (aka Francesca Pidgeon) will each receive the top prize, as two very different, yet equally impressive performers. Crispin wowed the audience with his captivating and personal song ‘If You Hear My Voice’ as his rich, warm voice and technical piano ability flooded the room. Dilettante’s soulful ballad, ‘I’m In Love With Falling In Love’’, had shades of Kate Bush, with a swing that got the audience’s hips moving, as her performance showcased her impressive vocal range.
Casio Sessions 2024 winner, Crispin Burton, said: “It’s such an honour to win. I’ve never properly won a competition, so it’s nice to prove to myself that I’m going in the right direction. There was so much incredible talent, I was shocked! And I think I’ve found about 14 other new artists I’m now a fan of. Thanks so much to Casio and Breed for this amazing opportunity.”
Casio Music UK is committed to championing grassroots musical talent and is delighted to elevate the careers of such inspiring musicians. The two winners from last year, May Payne and Stefan Mahendra, have since released EPs and toured the UK, demonstrating the opportunities that can arise from winning Casio Sessions. May and Stefan returned to the Sessions stage during yesterday’s final to perform two brand new songs.
Neil Evans, Head of Casio EMI, said: “A massive congratulations to Crispin and Dilettante. Their performances captivated the audience and demonstrated high levels of skill, so we just had to split the award! We are delighted to award them both a PX-S7000, the exclusive mastering session and vinyl run. Tonight we watched fifteen amazing performances, showcasing the depth of talent that is out there. Casio Music is proud to give a platform to such inspiring individuals and Sessions is testament to how much talent is out there.”
