Published Mar 31, 2026 Updated May 8, 2026 9 min read
What the Tallo Music Group’s first songwriting challenge actually surfaced.
In February, we gave the Tallo Music Group one challenge: write original lyrics about love and share them. Romantic love, friendship, family, self-love… the community went everywhere with it!
From all those submissions, three songs rose to the top — the one the community voted up, the one our featured member picked to highlight, and one the Tallo team couldn’t stop thinking about.
Meet the Reviewers
We brought in five people from across the music industry: a Grammy-nominated songwriter, a film music editor with credits on 150+ films, a music tech entrepreneur, an indie artist with TV placements, and our very own Tallo Marketing Director. We gave them the top three songs and asked them to be honest.
Anthony Cardenas
Executive Consultant at VNUE
Bassist and co-writer for multi-platinum, Grammy-nominated Capitol Records artist Great White. Co-founded DiskFaktory.com, an Inc. 500 company. Music tech entrepreneur.
Michael Ryan
Award-Nominated Film Music Editor
Seasoned editor with 35+ years and credits on 150+ films and TV shows, including Netflix’s Wednesday, Spider-Man 3, and Hitch. Four-time Golden Reel Award winner. Voting member of the Academy, Emmy, and Grammy organizations.
Ignacio Izquierdo
Musician and Mixed-media Artist
Musician and mixed-media artist. His project San Igna has been featured by KEXP and Remezcla. His music has appeared in Sony and GoDaddy TV campaigns and independent film.
Allan Rich
Award-Nominated Songwriter
Two-time Oscar, Grammy, Golden Globe, and Emmy–nominated songwriter behind Whitney Houston’s “Run To You” and other global hits. His songs have sold over 65 million copies worldwide.
Eric Meadows
Marketing Executive at Tallo
Marketing and technology leader with 25+ years building large-scale music platforms, including Guitar Center and Musician’s Friend.
What Our Songwriters Were Actually Practicing
Songwriting builds real skills. Telling a story with specific details a stranger can feel. Being honest when it would be easier not to be. Taking an idea and making it land.
Those skills transfer. They show up in music careers, yes — but also in marketing, film, content, education, and anywhere communication actually matters. Every submission in this challenge was practice for something real.
Sample Resume Entry:
Featured Songwriter, Lyrics for Love, Tallo.com | March 2025
- Selected as [Community Favorite / Champion Highlight / Tallo Team Pick] among 40 original submissions in Tallo’s Music Group songwriting challenge; lyrics reviewed and critiqued by five music industry professionals
The Three Top Picked Songs
Double Take
by Arden Eve
Arden Eve wrote a song about loving someone who didn’t love him back, and choosing himself anyway. The ending he landed on wasn’t planned.
“Writing an ending about choosing myself felt empowering. Like I was worthy of my decision. When I began writing the song, I hadn’t planned for the outro to end like that. I was thinking about ending it with how I still missed that person. But I like the ending I ended up writing, and it rang true.”
What the reviewers said…
“The fire was only coming from my side of the smoke. That’s a really interesting visual lyric. Unexpected. It draws you in.“
— Michael Ryan, film music editor (Spider-Man 3, Netflix’s Wednesday)
“She said things in a very powerful way. The thing about her lyric is it’s universal — so many people can relate to this song.“
— Allan Rich, Grammy-nominated songwriter (Whitney Houston’s “Run to You”)
“Blink twice if you’re proud of me. Actually, don’t bother, I’m proud of me. That’s probably the best line in the song.”
— Eric Meadows, Tallo’s Marketing & Analytics Director (Guitar Center, Musician’s Friend)
I Would
by ERC
ERC had been carrying this song for a while before she decided to share it.
“I finally decided to share ‘I Would’ because I got tired of holding everything in. That song came from a real place, the kind of feelings you don’t always say out loud. I hope someone hears it and realizes they’re not the only ones who’ve been scared to love, scared to lose, or scared to speak up. If it makes even one person feel understood, then sharing it was worth it.”
What the reviewers said…
“There’s a sense of desperation, but also defiance. ‘Lucky I care about you, wouldn’t want to be there without you, I’m the only one who thinks about you.’ There’s a relishing of the meaning of that love.“
— Michael Ryan, film music editor (Spider-Man 3, Netflix’s Wednesday)
“Deep vulnerability and genuine honesty, with such few words. ‘Time could bruise, but it’s healed by your love.’ It acknowledges the pain and the love at the same time.”
— Ignacio Izquierdo, musician and artist (San Igna)
“Still My People”
by Kelisia Chill
Kelisia wrote a love letter to friendship — to the people who stay even when everything shifts.
“I want them to feel that little tug in their chest. ‘I didn’t stop caring, I just fell back.’ I want it to hit the place they don’t talk about, the part that still misses somebody but never says it out loud. Not guilt, not pressure. Just truth.”
What Our Judges Said…
“If the first song is self-love, and the second song is yearning love, this is a love of others.”
— Anthony Cardenas, touring musician and music tech entrepreneur
“Some bonds don’t break, they just bend and sway.’ That’s kind of cool. Being a little older, I have friends I’ve known for 40-plus years. That one was the one that really resonated with me.“
— Michael Ryan, film music editor (Spider-Man 3, Netflix’s Wednesday)
“It touched my heart, thinking of the friends who were in my life for a season, but left a forever mark.“
– Anonymous review from Team Tallo member
Honorable Mentions
“When the Chords Don’t Stop”
by Liam M.
Liam’s emo rock submission was one of the most complete, intentional entries we received — the lyrics, the writer’s note, the image, all of it working together:
“For me, love shows up in a lot of different ways, and sometimes it shows up in one person who changes the way your whole world sounds. “When the Chords Don’t Stop” is about that kind of love—the kind that sticks with you like a melody you can’t shake. It’s inspired by someone really close to me, someone who makes everything feel louder, brighter, and a little more like home, even on the quiet days.
This is my entry for the challenge, along with the album cover art and genre. I wanted it to feel honest, nostalgic, and true to what love has been for me lately. Hope you guys enjoy :)”
Three more writers stood out from this challenge:
Angelina wrote an R&B/Soul, breakup song with a songwriter’s eye for image: “Smile painted like a stained glass, so sweet but sneaky like a serpent.” She used something that looks holy to describe something that isn’t. Her sharpest line hit right in the chorus: “Your public image matters most of all.”
“Before there was the break-up, there was love. I loved so hard I didn’t think about consequences. I want people to see all the hidden meanings and connect to the song. To love it in all kinds of ways.” – Angelina M
Anna wrote her song for her late uncle, using a chord he made as the backing track. This was the only entry that went there. That took courage. And after the challenge ended, she kept writing and sharing her stories in the community. This is the type of continuous learning attitude we love to see!
“I wrote it, not for others, but for me, my sister, and my cousin, who all miss my uncle. He was a really big part of my life.” – Anna F.
Sienna wrote about falling out of love. About the questions it raises, and the relief of finally letting those feelings become a song.
“I was questioning EVERYTHING. The song came from the bottom of my heart, where I store my feelings away, until they decide to become a song. It’s better to get it out than to bottle it up.” – Sienna D.
What These Reviewers Said About Building in a Creative Field
The reviewers split: two pointed to “I Would,” two to “Double Take,” one to “Still My People.” Three songs good enough that five people from across the music industry couldn’t agree. But outside the song feedback, they had a lot to say about what actually matters in a creative career.
“Talent is the least of it. Networking is maybe even more important than the actual songwriting. If you’re gonna get out there, you better make sure you’ve got the goods — because you only get one or two shots.”
– Allan Rich
“Luck is preparedness meeting opportunity. Know your stuff. Be good at it, be prepared. When opportunity knocks, it may not be exactly what you’re looking for — but it may be a way to get there.”
– Michael Ryan
“If there is no sale of a gig, there is no gig. You have to be a jack-of-all-trades — a videographer, an editor, a promoter. It requires so much more studying and learning than most people expect.”
– Anthony Cardenas
The full reviewer interviews are coming soon to Real Careers, Real Journeys™, powered by Tallo. Their full career paths, what they actually look for, and what they’d tell someone starting out now.
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Don’t wait for the “perfect” experience to land in your lap. Start building it yourself, one challenge at a time.