James Lark wins 2026 Stiles + Drewe Best New Song Prize for 'Father'
James Lark has won the 2026 Stiles + Drewe Best New Song Prize for “Father”, a song from the musical Confessional.
The winner was announced after a concert final at the Other Palace in London. The result was reported on 13 October 2026. WhatsOnStage
Lark wrote both the music and the lyrics for “Father”. Actor Ryan Kopel performed the song on the night. Lark receives £1,000 to put towards developing their work.
Twelve songs reached the final. They were chosen from 140 submissions. The finalists were showcased in performance at the October concert. The evening was hosted by Alex Young.
The event was organised by Mercury Musical Developments and Stiles + Drewe, in partnership with Theatrical Rights Worldwide. Mercury Musical Developments runs the prize for its members, who are writers of new musicals. The Best New Song Prize recognises an outstanding song from a new musical by a member.
A second award on the night went to Cheeyang Ng. Ng won the £250 Voice, Vision and Potential prize for “In the Beginning” from Legendary.
This year’s judging panel had seven members. They were Anthony Drewe, Chris Ma, George Stiles, Joanne Benjamin, Jon Robyns, Miranda Cooper and Rafia Hussain.
The prize is awarded on an annual basis. The 2026 edition was the 19th running of the award. It showcased work by rising UK composers and lyricists. The Other Palace
What makes this stand out is the arithmetic. One hundred and forty entries narrowed to twelve. Twelve songs heard live in one room. For writers working without a full production, that hearing counts.
