Road Trips and Revelations Winner Shares How Her Song Helped Others Find Healing

Quick Smiles:

• A young singer’s honest song about friendship and healing touched hearts around the country.
• Her music has already encouraged young listeners to seek help and hope.
• Winning the contest has inspired her to keep writing songs that connect people through shared stories.

Sélah Grace never expected her song “Scars” to win a national contest, yet the heartfelt track about supporting a friend through a difficult time struck a chord with listeners everywhere.

She wrote the song as a way to process a childhood friendship that ended after helping her friend find counseling for self-harm.

“I was like 15, grew up sheltered, didn’t even know self-harm was a thing. And then my friend opened up to me and shared that she was cutting,” she said. “I didn’t really know how to respond, but I did my best to help her through it.”

“Eventually she worked through it with counseling, but sadly our friendship disappeared, which sucked,” Grace continued. “Since we don’t talk anymore, writing this song was my way of processing. She doesn’t even know I wrote this song for her. But I pray she is doing well in life.”

Grace began songwriting at thirteen on her family’s farm after being inspired by one of her father’s sermons.

She started singing in her church children’s choir at age five, later learned violin, piano, and guitar, and now leads worship full-time at a Chicago church.

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN SONGWRITING?

“I started writing songs when I was 13 years old. The first time I ever started writing was kind of funny; 13-year-old me was riding a dirt bike on my family’s farm and started singing about a sermon my dad had taught. I ended up writing down the words and eventually released that song, ‘Speak Lord,’ years later at 18 years old.”

WHAT GOT YOU INTO MUSIC IN THE FIRST PLACE?

“I started singing in my church’s children’s choir when I was five, and started violin and piano lessons very young. Later, I learned guitar. I started singing consistently on weekends when I was 15. I moved to Chicago in the summer of 2025 for a worship internship at a church and now work there full-time. Now, I get to lead people in worship every weekend, and it is so fulfilling!”

WHY DID YOU ENTER THE CONTEST?

“I saw this writing contest online and I felt like ‘Scars’ really fit what InspireMore was looking for. I first got into songwriting because I love telling stories through music, but, as I’ve grown, I’ve found myself wanting to help people process their own difficult stories and find healing.”

WHAT HAS WINNING MEANT TO YOU?

“I was actually very surprised when I got the email. It’s been so encouraging to win! I feel like it shows that people love a story and love being able to connect with that story. It definitely encourages me to keep writing for others, to give people something they can connect with that might help them walk through a hard season.”

WHAT SONGWRITERS AND ARTISTS DO YOU COUNT AS YOUR INSPIRATIONS? WHY?

“In the Christian music industry, Rachel Morley, wow. Her writing is so authentic. ‘When Did I Stop Burning’ hits hard in your college years as someone who has loves God, but has felt distant. Her vulnerability to ask questions in that song challenges me so much to write openly, to write about things that I’m scared to admit sometimes. Brandon Lake also, I love his ability to tell stories in his songs. In the secular world, Jamie Miller. Aghh. His writing is INCREDIBLE. So creative and, again, storytelling is absolutely insane. Literally any of his songs. So good.”

TELL US ABOUT YOUR PLANS IN THE MONTHS AHEAD.

“I do plan to release more music! I have a few new songs ready to record, including one about Job that walks the journey of great loss. I’m not sure yet what the exact timeframe looks like, but hopefully soon!”

WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST CAREER DREAM?

“I want my music to impact people’s lives, and I have heard of it touching people’s lives already. Even young girls telling me that ‘Scars’ helped them on the road to stop cutting, which is so unreal to me that my music was able to play a part in that. Obviously, my heart would love to see my music reach even more people. Selfishly, I want that. But as my uncle told me, success in music and life can’t be determined by numbers or awards, otherwise you will never be content. Success is simply determined by doing the thing God has called you to do, and aligning your heart with that. That’s success.”

WHAT WOULD YOU TELL OTHER ARTISTS WHO ARE CONSIDERING ENTERING THE CONTEST?

“Do it!!! I mean why not?? Worst that happens is nothing…and you’re back to where you are literally right now. Just try. It will be good for you as a person whether you win or lose. Rejection is a chance for growth. So go for it and grow from it.”

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