Songwriting Tips from Award-Winning Songwriter Katherine Lynn-Rose

For this year’s Songwriting Competition, we’re joined by a very special Guest Judge - Katherine Lynn-Rose, who won the competition back in 2021! Since her win, Katherine has had great success building her career as a songwriter, director and actor, and was even a semi-finalist on Canada's Got Talent. Read on to learn all about her work and what she’s looking for in a winning entry.

When did you start making music, and what made you fall in love with it?

I've been performing ever since I was young—singing, playing guzheng, and doing musical theatre. But it wasn’t until the pandemic that I really started exploring songwriting. With all my extracurricular activities put on pause, I suddenly had the time to experiment with writing my own music.

What made me fall in love with songwriting was the creative agency it gave me. Growing up, I rarely saw stories in musical theatre that reflected my own experiences or identity, and that made me feel like I didn’t fully belong in that industry. But when I started writing my own songs, I realized I didn’t have to wait for someone else to tell my story; I could tell it myself. That was a huge turning point for me, and songwriting quickly became one of my favourite ways to express myself.

You made it to the semi-finals of Canada’s Got Talent when you were 19! What was it like performing your own music on such a big stage, especially as a young person?

It was incredibly nerve-wracking! Not only was I performing in front of a massive live audience, but I was also being judged by celebrities I had grown up watching. I remember being especially nervous about performing in front of Lilly Singh, since I had followed her on YouTube for years, and Howie Mandel, who I knew wasn’t a fan of musical theatre from watching America’s Got Talent.

Despite my nerves, it was such a rewarding experience. Hearing the judges' positive feedback, especially that Lilly resonated with the themes of my song, meant the world to me. And after the performance, several young girls came up to me saying they loved my act, which was so heartwarming. It felt like a full-circle moment—like I was getting to be the kind of representation I wished I had when I was younger.

In 2021, you won WtW’s Songwriting Competition for your song “Top of My School,” which is about academic success and parental expectations. Was that song based on personal experience? In what ways can music explore complex topics like that one?

Yes, the song was definitely influenced by personal experience, though in an exaggerated way. I originally wrote it for a high school assignment, where we had to create an original character. I ended up basing the character on what I felt were the worst parts of myself—feeling that my entire self-worth depended on my academic achievements. In many ways, the song became a cautionary tale about what happens when you let external validation dictate your sense of self.

I think music is an incredible tool for exploring complex topics like these because it allows emotions to take centre stage. A song can distill a feeling into a melody and lyrics that make the experience feel immediate. That’s what makes songwriting such a powerful medium for storytelling.

Your short musical film “Class Crush” (content advisory: violence, mature themes) has been accepted to film festivals in Canada and the U.S. – congratulations! Can you tell us about your writing process for that song, and then how you brought it to life in a film?

Thank you! “Class Crush” actually started as just a song. I wrote it about my fear of confessing a crush and the possibility of hurting the one you love most. When I started taking my first film production class at Cornell, I realized I wanted to do more than write songs—I wanted to tell stories visually as well. So I decided to turn “Class Crush” into a short musical film. It was my first time directing, and I had to learn how to manage a full cast and crew, balance the music with the visuals, and translate the emotional arc of the song into a narrative that made sense on screen. The process was both challenging and exciting, and seeing the finished film be selected for such prestigious festivals has been a very rewarding experience.

When you’re not doing auditions, you’re a performing and media arts student at Cornell University. What's it like to be pursuing the arts as a career? Any suggestions for other young people considering a creative career?

It’s been an incredibly fulfilling journey, but also one that came with a lot of self-doubt in the beginning. For a long time, I tried to convince myself that pursuing the arts wasn’t practical, that I needed a more "stable" career path. Fun fact: I actually came to Cornell as a math major! But by the end of my freshman year, I was failing my classes, and I had to take a hard look at what I truly wanted for my future. Once I switched my major to Performing and Media Arts, I knew I was finally on the right path.

For young people considering a creative career, my biggest piece of advice is to put yourself out there. We’re living in a time where the internet has made it easier than ever to share your work, connect with other creatives, and find an audience. Don’t wait for someone to "discover" you—create your own opportunities. Whether it’s posting your music online or making short films with friends, every step you take brings you closer to building a career doing what you love.

What are you looking for in a winning entry? Any other advice for the writers, especially those who are new to writing songs? 

I’m looking for a song that tells a story! A great song doesn’t just sound good, it takes the listener on an emotional journey, whether that’s through the lyrics, the melody, or both.

For those who are new to songwriting, my advice is to focus on honesty. You don’t need to write about something grand or dramatic—some of the best songs come from the simplest, most personal moments. Think about a feeling or experience that has stuck with you, and try to capture it in a way that feels true to you.

About the Guest Judge: Katherine Lynn-Rose is an award-winning Chinese-Canadian director, songwriter, and actor. Katherine wrote, directed, and starred in her debut short film Class Crush, which premiered at TIFF Next Wave. As a singer/songwriter, Katherine was a semi-finalist in the second season of Canada’s Got Talent, and her music has amassed over 60 million streams across platforms. She is represented by Rebel Creative Group for acting in theatre, film, and TV. Katherine is currently studying Performing and Media Arts at Cornell University. She won Best Performance in Write the World's 2021 Songwriting Competition for her song "Top of My School."