Casio Music is delighted to announce that Akin Amusan has been crowned the winner of Casio Sessions 2026 – its highly renowned singer-songwriter competition for piano-playing musicians.
Returning for its fourth year, the live final of Casio Sessions took place last night at Shoreditch Jazz Bar, Ninety One Living Room. Sixteen budding musicians took to the stage to perform their original music to a crowd of music enthusiasts. Each finalist performed while playing Casio’s flagship PX-S7000HM digital piano – the same piano the winner would take home – showcasing both their songwriting and technical skills.
Each finalist was hand-picked to perform in the live final, making the task of selecting just one winner no easy feat. After watching all 16 performances, judges Neil Evans, Head of EMI; Dan Henry, Field Sales Manager; and Emsy Petersen, EMI Marketing Specialist, all from Casio Music UK, were joined by special guest Martin Turner, Head of Harlesden Evening Centre at Brent Music Services, to decide who would be crowned this year’s winner and take home the fantastic prize.
After much deliberation, the judges decided that the 2026 winner would be Akin Amusan, who silenced the crowd with his moving performance of Carpenter. Akin’s rich, powerful voice reminded the judges of some of the greatest soul singers, from John Legend to Sam Smith, while his songwriting blended deep, emotive harmonies with strikingly honest and reflective lyrics.
Akin Amusan said, “This is a complete shock! I’m so honoured to be chosen from such an incredible group of performers. Songwriting is the purest form of expression for me, so it means a lot to see it celebrated in this way.”
Neil Evans, Head of Casio EMI, added: Congratulations, Akin! It’s been incredible to see the competition grow over the past four years. Every year, we’re truly blown away by the talent on display, and this year was no exception. What’s been particularly meaningful is seeing the community of budding musicians that has grown around the competition. Casio is honoured to play a part in supporting these artists and being part of their journeys.”
This year, Casio was delighted to present the winner with a prize package of a Casio PX-S7000 digital piano with a matching bench, worth £2,549, alongside an exclusive mastering studio session for their winning song. Designed to support both performance and creativity, the PX-S7000 features a hybrid wooden hammer keyboard and built-in vocal effects, making it a fitting prize for an emerging singer-songwriter. All 16 finalists will also receive professional photography and videography captured on the night to help them advance their careers.
Casio Sessions is a national competition dedicated to supporting piano-playing singer-songwriters and providing a platform for emerging artists to develop their careers. Previous winners have gone on to release new music and perform sold-out shows, demonstrating how the competition can be a launchpad for future talent as well as a community for aspiring musicians.
More information about Casio Sessions is available here.
