Warner/Chappell leads race for glory at Ivors: nurturing emerging talent pays off for publisher.(Awards)

Just as it switches emphasis away from signing new writers, Warner/Chappell's success at nurturing songwriting talent has been highlighted in this year's Ivor Novellos nominations.

The publisher has received an unrivalled eight mentions in the shortlist announced today (Monday), double its tally of last year and combining already-proven songwriters such as Dido and Radiohead's Jonny Greenwood with newer tunesmiths such as Goldfrapp.

"I'm particularly pleased for all the new names in there," says Warner/Chappell's managing director Richard Manners. "Obviously you don't think of Dido as a new name now, but it feels very fresh from our point of view."

That mood is reflected across the nominations list as a whole with the likes of Hero/Universal Music's Dizzee Rascal and EMI Music-signed Amy Winehouse competing for glory at next month's 49th annual ceremony, which will take place at London's Grosvenor House Hotel on May 27.

Warner/Chappell's nominations success this year with such new talent as Goldfrapp--whose Strict Machine is shortlisted for the Ivors Dance Award comes as the publisher reduces its focus on signing new songwriters following the Edgar Bronfman Jnr-led consortium's takeover of Warner Music. Instead, Warner/Chappell will mainly concentrate on exploiting its existing catalogue and signing writers with an already-proven track record.

Two years after being named the event's songwriter of the year, Warner/Chappell-signed Dido wins two nominations this time for White Flag. The song, co-penned with BMG Music's Rollo Armstrong and EMI Music's Rick Nowels, is shortlisted for best song musically & lyrically and international hit of the year.

"If you have a 12m-selling debut record, most people would bet on your follow-up selling 2m-3m copies," says Manners. "But Dido made a second record that was universally acknowledged. She was absolutely determined not to let everybody down or herself down and she's proved that and thoroughly deserves her success."