A Q&A With the Heart Toppers Song Contest Promotion Winner, Grace Schweizer

Grace Schweizer is the Heart Toppers Song Contest promotion winner for her song, “A Song for You.”

Speaking to American Songwriter, Schweizer revealed that she penned the tune while experiencing her first relationship at age 17.

“I wrote it about the boy I was dating at the time and all of the little moments we had shared together that summer,” she said. “It was really just about capturing that feeling of being young and experiencing a relationship for the first time, and all of the little things that made that summer so special to me.”

Keep reading to learn more about Schweizer.

Grace Schweizer Q&A

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN SONGWRITING? WHAT GOT YOU INTO MUSIC IN THE FIRST PLACE?

I started writing songs in seventh grade after I moved to a new town. I grew up with music being a big part of my life, but I was inspired to start writing my own after that big change happened in my life. I guess I kind of used songwriting as an outlet for my emotions and all of the change that was happening in my life at that time. It became a really easy way for me to process things and express how I was feeling, and I’ve been writing ever since.

WHY DID YOU ENTER AMERICAN SONGWRITER’S HEART TOPPERS PROMOTION? 

I’ve been writing music for a long time, but I’ve never really been someone who puts myself or my music out there very often. I saw the promotion and thought it would be a fun opportunity to share one of my songs and see what happened! I definitely didn’t expect to win, so getting that email was a very exciting surprise.

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO SUBMIT THIS SONG OVER ALL THE OTHERS IN YOUR CATALOGUE? 

I’ve written a lot of music over the years, but I feel like this one is just very intentional and honest. A lot of my songs are almost stories—stories that I am writing but have never experienced or been a part of—whereas this song is truly honest and comes from a real experience in my life.

I think that honesty and vulnerability has allowed a lot of other people to connect with it and relate it to their own lives. Plus, it’s just a beautiful song. Big shoutout to my brother, who is the mastermind behind the guitar and the true beauty of the track. 

WHAT HAS WINNING MEANT TO YOU?

Winning has honestly meant a lot to me. I’ve been writing songs for so many years, mostly just because I love doing it, so having someone else hear something I wrote and connect with it enough to choose it as a winner is really special.

It’s also given me a little more confidence to share my music and take my songwriting more seriously. I think sometimes when you’ve been creating things privately for so long, you can get in your head about whether or not they’re actually worth sharing, so this has been a really cool reminder that they are!

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

I love Phoebe Bridgers. I think she is one of the greatest songwriters of our generation. I love how honest and specific her lyrics are, and how she can take something that feels very personal and make it relatable to so many different people. I’ve always been really drawn to artists who are vulnerable and aren’t afraid to tell a story through their music.

I have also always loved Briston Maroney as well. I think his music is so great and I love how a lot of his songs feel vulnerable and confessional. It feels very natural and lived in which is something I love.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR PLANS IN 2026.

It has been a few years since I have released any music publicly, but I’m hoping to write and put out some new stuff here soon! I have a bit more free time on my hands now that I’ve graduated from college, and I’m hoping to put that time to good use.

I’ve grown, matured, and experienced so much since I wrote this song and the other music I’ve released, so I’ve found myself feeling more drawn to the newer things I’ve been creating. They feel a little more reflective of who I am now and where I am in my life, which has been really exciting. My brother is my favorite person to make music with, so I’m hoping he and I can have some fun, write some new stuff, and come up with something cool! 

WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST CAREER DREAM?

I think it would be so awesome to put out more music and try and take a music career more seriously. I’ve always thought it would be so cool to travel, so if it ever got to a point where I put enough music out and had enough momentum to go on a small tour, that would be a dream! I think it would be really cool to get to travel, play my music for people, and experience all of that with my brother.

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

I would say just enter! I think it can be easy to talk yourself out of sharing your music, especially when it’s something that feels really personal to you. I almost didn’t enter, so I’m really glad I decided to just go for it. You never know who is going to hear your music, connect with it, or what opportunities might come from putting yourself out there.

Photo by Pearl Schaffer