(BIVN) – The annual celebration of the art & craft of songwriting is returning to the Kohala Coast this week.

The Hawai’i Songwriting Festival will connect musicians “of all levels from all walks of life” during the event, which runs from July 19-21 at the Mauna Lani Bay Hotel.

The Hawaii Songwriting Festival is presented by the non-profit 501 (c)(3) organization “The Kauai Music Festival”, organizers explain. “The festival was held annually on Kauai for 12 years, and in 2015 the festival was moved to the Big Island and re-branded as The Hawaii Songwriting Festival,” a recent festival news release says. “During the past 15 years this festival has garnered a reputation as one of the best of its kind in the U.S., and as a result, it attracts the top hit songwriters, publishers, and music supervisors for film and TV. The festival is made possible in part by Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism, Creative Industries Division, State of Hawaii, as well as local sponsors and donors.”

Festival president Charles Brotman recently sat down in his Waimea studio to talk about the upcoming event, which includes the “Hit Makers” Concert on Saturday, July 21.

From the event organizers:

This is an intimate, unforgettable night of rare, stripped-down performances by professional songwriters including special guest Kenny Loggins. Viewers have the opportunity to see some of the nation’s leading songwriters perform at this memorable event on Hawai`i Island at the Mauna Lani Bay Hotel’s Hale Hoaloha.

The songwriters will each perform and share the stories behind some of their biggest hit songs:

• Special guest Kenny Loggins – Grammy Award-winning songwriter of “Footloose,” “Danger Zone,” “This Is It,” “I’m Alright,” and “House on Pooh Corner” to name a few)

• Pamela Sheyne – multi-platinum selling songwriter of “Genie in a Bottle” by Christina Aguilera, “He Loves U Not” by Dream, “Irresistible” by Jessica Simpson, and dozens more

• Andre Merritt – Grammy-nominated songwriter of “Forever” by Chris Brown, “Down” by Chris Brown feat. Kanye West, “Disturbia” by Rihanna, “Don’t Want to Dance Alone” and “Going Nowhere” by Fifth Harmony, “Favorite Girl” by Marques Houston, “Entourage” by Omarion

• Shelly Peiken – Grammy-nominated songwriter of “What A Girl Wants” by Christina Aguilera, “B*tch” by Meredith Brooks, and more

• Richard Harris – #1 Billboard Dance hits “Lie to Me” by Cole Plante and “Meet in the Middle” by StoneBridge feat. Haley Joelle

• Chikk – multi-platinum K-pop writer for EXO, Girl’s Generation, BoA, and ShinEE

• Jason Blume – “Dear Diary” by Britney Spears, “Back to Your Heart” by the Backstreet Boys, “Why Don’t You Kiss Her” by Jesse McCartney, “Show Me the Honey,” and more

• Streetlight Cadence – Na Hoku Hanohano Award winners

• Katie Herzig – “We Belong” with RAC and “Girls Chase Boys” by Ingrid Michaelson

• JoLi – “Everything is Awesome!!!” from The Lego Movie

• Amy Stroup – of Sugar & the Hi-Lows and I Am Orfa

The songwriters will be freshly inspired coming out of three intensive days of the Hawai`i Songwriting Festival. They will be collaborating, creating and sharing the knowledge and the necessary tools to help to most promising up-and-coming talent grow their musical careers.

Learn more at hawaiisongwritingfestival.com.