Survivor Songwriter Workshop Inspires

By Jamie Park, Celebrity Partnerships & “Play It Back” Music Program Manager

“I had an amazing time at the songwriter camp. I learned so much and it was so cool to hear other writer’s songs! Graham is a song wizard! So cool to see him work with my groupmates’ songs!” – Daniel Ray Hilsinger, Play It Back Artist

We hosted an inspiring Play It Back Virtual Songwriting Workshop led by four legendary hitmakers, Lauren Christy, Graham Edwards, Desmond Child, and Shelly Peiken whose work has shaped some of the most iconic songs of the past few decades. You might know them by name but I guarantee you know the songs they wrote like Avril Lavigne’s “Complicated” and “Sk8er Boi”, Bon Jovi’s “Livin’ On A Prayer”, Ricky Martin’s “Livin’ La Vida Loca”, Christina Aguilera’s “What A Girl Wants” and “Come On Over”, Shakira’s “Don’t Bother” and so many more.  We were so lucky to have these songwriting legends share their tips and wisdom with our community.

Fifteen Play It Back artists attended the session.  Ahead of the workshop, we had asked each of the fifteen artists to submit a “work-in-progress”, anything from a voice note to lyrics so the songwriters could review in advance. We organized everything into a shared google drive, which allowed each mentor to come prepared with some thoughtful feedback and guidance. We broke into 4 small groups with each group led by one of the legendary songwriters, allowing for personalized feedback, creative exploration, and meaningful collaboration around each unfinished piece.

When we came back together, artists shared powerful takeaways and a few even performed a portion of their song ideas that were sparked during the workshop highlighting just how impactful the experience was in real time.

Throughout the session, the songwriters generously shared their creative wisdom. From embracing “opposites” in songwriting to building strong character arcs and writing authentically, the guidance offered was both practical and deeply inspiring. One simple but powerful reminder stood out: write for yourself, not for anyone else.

More than anything, the workshop was a testament to the power of music as a tool for expression, connection, and healing. We are so eternally grateful to these incredible songwriters for sharing their time, insight, and heart with our Play It Back community.We look forward to hosting many more of these inspiring workshops, empowering our artists to keep growing, learning, and refining their unique voices as songwriters.