NASHVILLE, TN (August 27, 2026) - CM United proudly announces Sẹlaine as the Songwriter of the Year in its 23rd Annual Christian Songwriting Contest. Sẹlaine, whose song "Temperaments" secured first place in the first quarter, stood out among a talented group of songwriters to receive the competition's top honor.

This long-running annual competition, hosted by CM United through ChristianSongwriting.com, continues to spotlight and support emerging talent within the Christian music community. Each year, the contest brings together a diverse pool of songwriters, resulting in a rich blend of artistic and spiritual expression across a variety of Christian music styles.

23rd Annual Contest Winners:

1st Place Winners:

- 1st Qtr: Sẹlaine - Temperaments

- 2nd Qtr: Alisa Claus - He Speaks To Me

- 3rd Qtr: Devin Jacob - Crimson River

- 4th Qtr: Brian Tucker and Cody Stowe - Searching

2nd Place Winners:

- 1st Qtr: Sonya Raica - Joy

- 2nd Qtr: Cindy Clark - Consecrated

- 3rd Qtr: Randall Cohen - Faith Like Jesus

- 4th Qtr: David Mize - Worship You

3rd Place Winners:

- 1st Qtr: Amy Abernathy-Montgomery - Please Take Control

- 2nd Qtr: Randall Cohen - Faith Like Jesus

- 3rd Qtr: Stephanie Villarreal - Through This Storm (I'm Yours)

- 4th Qtr: Thomas Roscoe - Psalm 1 (Because of You)

As the 23rd Annual Songwriter of the Year, Sẹlaine will receive a grand prize package designed to help expand the reach of her music and advance her career as a Christian artist and songwriter.

Sẹlaine brings an international perspective to her music, with a journey spanning Malaysia, Nigeria and Canada. The Nigerian-born artist, whose given names are ?sos? Elaine Itua, began writing at an early age and creates music shaped by influences ranging from Christian hip-hop and folk to rock and contemporary Christian music. An engineer, worship leader and entrepreneur in addition to being a songwriter and recording artist, Sẹlaine seeks to create thought-provoking music grounded in her Christian faith.

Over the years, CM United's contests have served as launching pads for many successful artists and songwriters. Notable past participants include Jordan St. Cyr, who went on to sign with a major Christian label; Mark Alan Schoolmeesters, a writer whose credits include artists such as Chris Tomlin and Jesus Culture; Shay Mooney, now part of the chart-topping duo Dan + Shay; and Dustin Smith, a well-known songwriter and Integrity Music artist. Other alumni include Band Reeves, brothers Jeramy and Cody Reeves, who went on to sign with Centricity Music.

Alumni success also includes Sam Hart, who along with his wife Christin was named the 17th Annual Songwriter of the Year. After relocating to Nashville, Sam signed with Curb/Word Publishing and has worked as a producer alongside Christian artists. Cale Kight, another former contestant, has achieved multiple Billboard-charting hits and regularly collaborates with Nashville songwriters.

These ongoing stories reflect the meaningful and lasting opportunities created through CM United's contests, platforms that not only recognize songwriting talent but also contribute to the continued development of Christian songwriters and artists.

The 24th Annual Christian Songwriting Contest continues the tradition at ChristianSongwriting.com, inviting Christian songwriters to share their music and become part of a competition that has been discovering and encouraging songwriting talent for more than two decades.

Listen to the Winning Song:

https://youtu.be/YfgdFiE8EA0

Connect with Sẹlaine:

https://www.instagram.com/selaineee

Connect with CM United:

https://christiansongwriting.com/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/christiansongwritingdotcom

https://www.facebook.com/ChristianSongwritingContest

https://www.instagram.com/christiansongwriting

https://X.com/ccmni

 

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