Her Prayer-Inspired Song Just Won — Wait Until You Hear the Faith-Restoring Story Behind It

Quick Smiles:

• Songwriter Tracy Nitschke wins contest with her beautiful adaptation of the Lord’s Prayer into a powerful worship song
• She spent years perfecting every line to stay scripturally accurate while making it her own heartfelt prayer
• Music became her lifesaver during tough times, and now she’s inspiring others with her faith-filled creativity

Tracy Nitschke has just been named the Early Bird promotion winner for her stunning song, “Our Father.” The moment captures everything wonderful about faith meeting creativity — and the result is absolutely soul-warming.

“This song is so special to me,” Nitschke shared after her big win. “I think the ‘Lords Prayer’ is such a powerful piece of scripture. I thought to myself, ‘What if it were a song that could be played as a prayer over the people who hear it?’ So I set my mind to trying to adapt it.”

“When I say I labored over each line, I truly put my everything into trying to make sure I was always scripturally accurate, never changing a single meaning, yet also adapting it into song that held my own thoughts and words,” she added. “… But I think all the overthinking paid off, I’m so proud of this song, and I feel like it accomplished my goal of feeling like a reassuring prayer over the listener who hears it.”

Getting to Know Tracy

When asked how long she’s been songwriting, Tracy’s answer might surprise you. It feels like she’s only been at it for a few years, but she wrote her first song in college — almost 10 years ago now!

Her creative journey didn’t start with an instant love for music, though. “I’ve always loved being creative. Music, drawing, painting, ceramics, construction; I see it as experimenting and playing with the world,” she explained. “But I have to give all the credit to my parents who had me learn piano at a young age… Surprisingly, I actually didn’t like it at all.”

Tracy quit piano as soon as her parents allowed and picked up guitar at age 13. But something magical happened — piano called her back just a year later, and it became a complete game-changer.

“I used music to deal with a lot of hard experiences and it became my therapy,” she shared. “I could sit down at the piano feeling like I was at the lowest of my lows, play out all my emotions, and then leave feeling like I could do this after all.”

About winning the contest, Tracy’s gratitude shines through.

“I am just so honored to have been picked. I poured a lot of myself into this song and it feels so wonderful to have it be seen and loved.”

Her musical inspirations include Noah Kahan, Cameron Witcomb, Joel Ansett, and NeedToBreathe — artists known for thoughtful, meaningful lyrics. Tracy dreams of creating a “folky worship” album someday, blending her love of faith with creative storytelling.

What’s Next for This Rising Artist

Tracy has been working on a worship covers album since 2020, and the wait is almost over — it should be available on all platforms very soon. As for 2026, she’s living abroad and planning her wedding, so original music will take a brief backseat. But she has big hopes for 2027, and that “folky worship” album might just become a reality.

“I think I’m at a stage where I’m still just figuring things out,” she said. “I adore creativity and have been working in film—in set decoration and props—the last four years. Life is full of transitions and I’m feeling a new one starting. It could be pouring more into music? It could be something else? All I know is that my biggest dream is to be creative, play with life and the world, and see what happens from there.”

Her advice to other artists considering entering the contest is simple and encouraging.

“I would say, just do it. You never know what will happen! The surest way to fail is by never trying… so why not try?”

Tracy’s journey reminds us that sometimes the most beautiful things come from combining faith, persistence, and a willingness to share your gifts with the world. Her prayer-turned-song is already touching hearts — and we can’t wait to see what she creates next.

Photo courtesy of Tracy Nitschke

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.