Ludwig Göransson and EJAE Lead Society of Composers and Lyricists Awards Winners

The seventh annual Society of Composers and Lyricists (SCL) Awards, celebrating excellence in music for visual media, were held at Los Angeles's Skirball Cultural Center. Hosted by actor Kevin Bacon and his Emmy-winning composer brother Michael Bacon, the ceremony saw composer Ludwig Göransson and songwriter EJAE emerge as the evening's major honorees for their work on the film "Sinners" and the animated feature "KPop Demon Hunters," respectively.

Ludwig Göransson, the Oscar-winning composer known for his scores for "Black Panther" and "Oppenheimer," was a double winner. He secured the award for Outstanding Original Score for a Studio Film for the thriller "Sinners," his latest project with director Ryan Coogler. This fruitful partnership, which began with 2018's "Black Panther," also earned the duo the Spirit of Collaboration Award. Additionally, Göransson shared the prize for Outstanding Original Song for a Dramatic or Documentary Visual Media Production with Raphael Saadiq for "I Lied to You" from the same film. In the independent film category, the award went to Bryce Dessner, a guitarist for the critically acclaimed indie rock band The National, for his score for "Train Dreams."

Television and interactive media were also recognized. Theodore Shapiro won for Outstanding Original Score for a Television Production for his tense, minimalist work on the acclaimed series "Severance," while Cristóbal Tapia de Veer's instantly recognizable, haunting theme for "The White Lotus" took the prize for Outstanding Original Title Sequence. For video games, composer Austin Wintory, whose Grammy-nominated score for "Journey" helped elevate game music's artistic profile, won for his work on "Sword of the Sea." The David Raksin Award for Emerging Talent, named for the composer of the classic film noir theme "Laura," was presented to Chin-shan Chang for "Laws of Man."

The evening featured special musical performances, including a major tribute marking the 50th anniversary of the film "Rocky," conducted by its composer, Bill Conti. Conti, who scored five films in the franchise and co-wrote the iconic anthem "Gonna Fly Now," received a standing ovation. As film music scholar Dr. Elena Rossi noted, "Conti's brass-heavy, triumphant style didn't just score a boxing movie; it created the sonic blueprint for cinematic perseverance, influencing countless sports and underdog narratives in its wake." The In Memoriam segment was poignantly underscored by singer Melissa Manchester performing her Oscar-nominated song "I'll Never Say Goodbye," a tribute to the late lyricist Alan Bergman.

The full list of winners is as follows: Outstanding Original Score for a Studio Film: Ludwig Göransson ("Sinners"); Outstanding Original Score for an Independent Film: Bryce Dessner ("Train Dreams"); Outstanding Original Song for a Dramatic/Documentary Production: Raphael Saadiq & Ludwig Göransson, "I Lied To You" ("Sinners"); Outstanding Original Song for a Comedy/Musical: EJAE & Mark Sonnenblick, "Golden" ("KPop Demon Hunters"); Outstanding Original Title Sequence: Cristobal Tapia De Veer ("The White Lotus"); Outstanding Original Score for Television: Theodore Shapiro ("Severance"); Outstanding Original Score for Interactive Media: Austin Wintory ("Sword Of The Sea"); David Raksin Award for Emerging Talent: Chin-shan Chang ("Laws Of Man").