Talena Winters
Award-winning songwriter.
Craft-driven songs. Heart-forward lyrics.
Winner in the international Song of the Year Songwriting Competition across multiple genres. I write both Christian and mainstream music in pop, rock, country, and worship and help artists and producers turn rough ideas into polished, record-ready songs with emotional arc and clean, singable lyrics.
Featured Track
The Promise of Christmas
βThe Promise of Christmasβ is a major-key Christian Christmas pop ballad about how the birth of Jesus brings a gentle but unshakable hope that all the hurt and heartache we feel most at Christmas will ultimately be healed. It gives congregations and listeners permission to be honest about their pain while still pointing them clearly to Christ as their hope.
Listening Room
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A modern refresh of the beloved hymn for worshippers still learning to surrender. Midtempo anthemic arrangement with orchestral backing, suitable for any vocal lead and adaptable for full bands or solo accompaniment. Ideal for worship services, artist releases, and faith-based sync (new master recording required).
Hooky boyβband pop love song about aiming high for the one who lights your sky. Up-tempo at 110 bpm with stacked harmonies, chantβready hook, and a oneβoctave, riffβfriendly melody for rotating male leads or adaptable solo. Ideal for artist releases and film/TV sync (new master recording required).
Sweeping, heartfelt love ballad for anyone whoβs ever struggled to put true love into words. Slow, cinematic pop ballad at 60 bpm with piano and lush strings, solo vocal, and a classic, very singable melody spanning a major 11, suitable for male or female lead. Ideal for artist releases, weddings, and romantic media/sync needing a timeless love song feel (new master recording required).
A reverent worship ballad rooted in Psalm 139, for anyone longing to be fully known and led by God. Band-driven with an intimate female vocal on the demo, though suitable for either gender; powerful yet tender in delivery. Ideal for artist releases, worship projects, church services, and faith-based sync (new recording required).
For when you long to be where love is calling. Major-key pop Christmas ballad with an accessible melody and room for powerhouse vocalists to improvise and soar. Suitable for any gender. Adapts beautifully from pop to country to jazz crooner (new recording required).
Christmas ballad for hurting hearts. Major-key, Latin-influenced groove with optional choir/childrenβs choir. Suitable for church Christmas services, artist/worship releases, and faith-based media/sync (new recording required).
Epic Christmas worship song in a minor key. Latin-influenced groove, pop/rock crossover, strong melodic hook, and a male- or female-led vocal range that also adapts well to choir. Ideal as a show-stopper for Christmas services, concerts, special features, and faith-based media/sync (new recording required).
Making music for lifeβ¦
Welcome, fellow traveller!
Music has always been one of my deepest passions. Iβve been singing since before I could talk and composing since I was nine.
Over the years, Iβve composed hundreds of songs, and several have won awards. My catalogue includes an unproduced musical, Queen of Persia, co-written with Candace Marshall. Iβve also had the joy of writing for and with other talented artists.
I studied music and composition in college, then taught piano for nearly twenty years and served as a worship leader in my local church for much of my adult life. Music has always been a part of my everyday world.
After a decade focused on fiction, Iβm returning to my first dream: professional songwriting. New creative tools have removed the barriers that once held me back. Now Iβm building my catalogueβand Iβm open for collaboration, co-writes, and sync opportunities. Contact me if youβre interested.
From my heart to yours,
Talena
Updates About My Music
Defying Gravity: How this lifelong songwriter-turned-novelist is using AI tools, hard-won creative skills, and a little Wicked-inspired courage to heal an old wound, return to music, and finally pursue a professional songwriting career in 2026.
The reason for another slight tweak to my next epic mermaid fantasy book title, including a behind-the-scenes of how the Romani people came to figure so prominently in my series.
A brief update about my current creative projects, and a check-in about my βword of the yearβ progress.
Ten years after losing my son, I thought I'd have something profound to say about healing and hope. But grief doesnβt follow schedulesβor meet deadlines. In this post, I share where I really am in the journey, how itβs shaping my creative work, and why thatβs okay.
How I gave up my lifelong dream of being a professional songwriter, and how itβs found me in another formβand why that means youβll have new music to listen to, starting today.
On Wednesday, I found I was grieving all the things that Munchkin will not get to do that I wanted him to be able to do. I find that writing songs helps me deal with very stressful and emotional topics, so I wrote "Things I'll Never Do". Here is a quick scratch recording on a video for this song.
A music video for a song I co-wrote called βThe Nails (I Did This For You)β in celebration of Easter.
My online encounter with Broadway composer Timothy Huang, and how it moved me.
"Let Me Love" won a songwriting award!
Dreaming of pursuing my passions, and what recently happened on the music front.
A new demo recording of a song I wrote for Jason by my friend Richie Owens.
A raw, aching pop rock song about trying to put yourself back together when the one you need most just walked out the door. Mid-tempo track showcasing a powerhouse two-octave vocal range with runs (adaptable to a tighter range), suitable for male or female lead. Ideal for artist releases and sync (new master recording required).