Daily Inspiration: Meet McKenna Faith Winters

Today we’d like to introduce you to McKenna Faith Winters.

McKenna Faith, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
My dad and I started recording some video covers on Facebook and YouTube during Covid when I was 12 and 13 years old. When I was 14, we attended Seth Mosley’s Full Circle Songwriting event in Franklin, TN. We met some writers and were offered a song to record called “I’m Doin’ Country Tonight”. This became my first single and was released on July 4, 2023 when I was 15.

Since then, I have released 11 more singles with 3 more set for a 2025 release. We have used social media to grow. TikTok has become my largest following along with Facebook and Instagram. My music is available on all streaming platforms. I am performing out more around my home town and in nearby Rockford, IL. We have been primarily doing acoustic shows but just recently formed a full band. We did our first full band show at the Rockford Area Music Industry Awards show on April 25th where I was also nominated for Best Country Act. I have also recently been nominated for “Youth Achievement Award
” with the Tennessee Songwriters Association. In addition to that, I was nominated for the “Breakthrough Artist of the Year” with the Midwest Country Music Organization.

My next single, “I Plant My Own” will be released to country radio and music row on May 27th with full promotion to radio.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
There’s been some bumps along the way. You quickly learn that not everyone has your best interest at heart. There are just some bad people out there that will take your money but not follow through on any of the things you paid them to do. You really have to know who you are dealing with and what their reputation is-sometimes it’s easy to get excited that someone wants to help you and you learn the hard way. That definitely happened to my family and I.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a high school student who has released 12 country/pop singles since July 4th, 2023. I have co-written some of my music (and looking to do more of my own) but have also recorded songs presented to me from other writers that I have loved. I am most proud of the hard work I have put into this and to see the rewards coming in the way of award nominations and recognition, seeing my songs on indie charts (6 of 12 have hit #1 in the US, the UK, Canada and Australia). I have done all of this while maintaining a 3.6 grade point average and playing both high school and travel softball almost year round.

I think what sets me a part from others is my work ethic. A typical day for me is a full day of school, softball practice and a game and either a band rehearsal or show, homework, working on my music or social media content and possibly hitting lessons for softball or vocal lessons. Sometimes it is a combination of several of those things on the same evening after school and softball. Obviously it takes some vocal talent to do what we do but it also takes a level of commitment to doing the work in order to stand out and the mental toughness to work through the ups and downs of the business.

Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
I had spinal fusion surgery in 2021 before my 13th birthday. I had stress fractures on a vertebrae that would not heal. Turns out they were a repetitive stress injury from pitching in softball and I also had a softening of the spine condition. I went through a lot of physical therapy to get back to playing softball and even to pitch again, But more stress fractures ultimately forced me to give up pitching and also to give up playing basketball after my freshman year. The positive has been the time to focus on music which I believe is my future.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://mckennafaithwinters.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mckennafaithwintersmusic/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mckennafaithwintersmusic
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4ckciaXjYaz8YbdAUr0ORQ
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@mckennafaithwintersmusic