2025 Iowa City Songwriter’S Festival Scholars

Violet Clare, the moniker used by 21-year-old songwriter Violet Bowdle, aims to be authentic and unapologetically human. Originally from East Grand Rapids, Michigan, a town she has often referred to as her muse, she began writing stories of all kinds as soon as she could hold a pencil. Through lyrically-heavy reflections, Violet Clare weaves themes of guilt, change, childhood, humanity, and nature through her alternative indie folk music. After ten years of writing in her bedroom (fondly nicknamed “the lab” by her mother), she had her first performance as “Violet Clare” at Grand Rapids venue The Stray in 2022. Upon moving to Chicago at 18, Violet Clare has had the pleasure of performing at dozens of indie venues as well as festivals, on top of her never ending writing, recording, and producing, all done from her Wrigleyville apartment.

Elijah is an actor and music artist based in Chicago. An Iowa City native, he is thrilled to be returning home to share in his love for songwriting with his fellow scholarship recipients and with a world class festival lineup. Elijah has worked as an artist while living in Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and New York City where he made his Off Broadway debut. Recently, he released his self-produced album Things Up There as E.J. Jones, streaming everywhere. Elijah lives in Jefferson Park with his wife Allison Jones, Esq. and cat Seinfeld.

Brett is from Iowa City, IA and has also lived in California. While a student at the University of Iowa he primarily studied English and Creative Writing, with course work in Psychology, Human Relations, American music history, lyrics as literature, poetry, nonfiction, and education coursework, amongst others. He is an honorably retired U.S. Serviceman. In addition to being a song writer, Brett also writes prose, plays guitar and enjoys singing, as well as the process of making and playing music. Brett enjoys spending time with family and friends in addition to supporting and celebrating other musicians and artists.

Photo Credit: Jason Myers

Polly Paulusma signed to One Little Independent, home to Björk, in 2003, and over the last 21 years has been exploring the nature of song and songfulness both through writing, performing, producing and releasing a string of her own critically-acclaimed albums, producing the work of others, and researching from academic standpoints the somatic influence of singing on literary works. Her latest album WILDFIRES, produced by the legendary Ethan Johns, merges spoken-word prose/poetry and song across two hours, some of it recorded in caves, by rivers, and up against holy stones, all of it demonstrating the porous nature of genre boundaries. Her academic book ‘Angela Carter and Folk Music’ explores how Carter’s style was profoundly influenced by singing folk songs. Paulusma is a touring musician, songwriter, researcher and university professor, but in all her work she focuses on song: its production, reception and resonance through our cultural lives. 

Born and raised in Iowa City, Sam Rae (they/them) studied cello with Carey Bostian and with the encouragement of City High orchestra director, Candace Wiebener, decided to pursue a degree in music. Rae went on to receive a BA in Music from the University of Iowa studying cello with professor Anthony Arnone. Their view of music was forever changed after studying improvisation and jazz at the University of Iowa with professors Ira ‘John’ Rapson and Jeffrey Agrell. In a pivotal moment, Rae ultimately decided to focus on learning the art of cello looping after witnessing Zoë Keating perform in 2012 at the Englert Theater. 

Sam Rae has toured extensively around the US with Brandi Carlile (2014-2021), Gregory Alan Isakov (2016) and as an independent artist (2011-present). They have recorded three albums; Ten Thousand Years (Singer-Songwriter 2020), Bring Us to New Islands (Alt-Folk 2017), and Stories from the Marrow (Live Improvisational Cello 2014). Rae’s colorful experience has led to a unique and ethereal expression combining cello, guitar and sweeping alto vocals into a style that feels familiar and unending, as if these instruments were always meant to be together.  

Annelyse Gelman is a poet and multidisciplinary artist who has been writing songs, mostly in secret, for more than a decade. Her work often revolves around human connection and rupture—intimacy, vulnerability, and interdependence. Her most recent publication, Vexations (University of Chicago Press, 2023), a book-length poem and text score inspired by the music of Erik Satie, received the James Laughlin Award from the Academy of American Poets and was longlisted for the National Book Award. Gelman is also the founder and director of Midst—a platform showcasing the writing processes of contemporary poets—and the author of Everyone I Love Is a Stranger to Someone (Write Bloody, 2013), a collection of poems; the experimental pop EP About Repulsion (Fonograf Editions, 2019); and the handmade artist’s book POOL (NECK, 2020). She holds an MFA from the Michener Center for Writers.

Photo Credit: riel Sturchio (@rly_riel)

Holly Lovell is an indie singer-songwriter whose music “bridges the gap between Neil Young and Feist—beautiful, haunting, and lyrically brilliant,” according to Indie Underrated. A self-taught musician, she started performing young and found her footing as a songwriter after her family moved to Australia—a shift that helped shape both her voice and her perspective. Now based in Colorado, her songs blend folk roots with atmospheric production, exploring that quiet space where unflinching honesty lives. Her latest album, Hello Chelsea, is a deeply personal meditation on addiction, grief, and healing. It was recorded in the woods of Wisconsin with Grammy-winning producer Brian Joseph (Bon Iver, Sufjan Stevens). In 2025, Holly was named a finalist in the Grassy Hill Kerrville New Folk Competition and earned an Honorable Mention in the Rocky Mountain Folks Festival Songwriter Showcase—recognition that speaks to the quiet power of her work and the stories she’s here to tell.

Nicole Upchurch is a singer/songwriter, banjo player and educator currently residing in Iowa City. She performs regularly with Awful Purdies, an eclectic female folk quintet and The Feralings, a folk americana quartet. She is the children’s programming instructor with Family Folk Machine, a local intergenerational choir. In addition, Nicole is a nature-based preschool teacher at Creekside Forest School   at Indian Creek Nature Center where her love of music, language and nature intersects daily. Her song “Something in the Water” – recorded by Awful Purdies – brings awareness about water quality and climate issues in Iowa and was awarded “Best Song By a Local Artist” in 2021 by Little Village’s Best of the CRANDIC. Nicole’s involvement in these projects present meaningful ties to her community through activism, educational outreach and live performance. 

Kathy Zhou is a genre-bending songwriter whose signature sound combines her piano virtuosity with imaginative folk lyrics and a hauntingly whimsical voice. Her mesmerizing style and presence captivate audiences, inviting an atmosphere of avant-garde magic and prompting heartfelt reflection and discussion. Each piece keeps audiences on their toes with unique twists and unexpected turns. In 2023, Kathy’s music video to her single, “Strange Child,” was a finalist in the international Indie Memphis Film Festival. In 2024, her performance of the song placed in the regional semifinals of the TN Songwriters Week competition. In 2025, Kathy released her second single “Storm Eulogy.” Kathy’s upcoming EP, “A Vivid, Magic, Scene” is a collection of songs about processing the past and coming to terms with the present, drawing on nature/fantasy themes.

A folk singer/songwriter originally from Washington State, Lauren Wanamaker finds influence in both classic and contemporary traditions, aiming to transport listeners through surreal expressions of everyday experiences. Reemerging from a hiatus under the stage name Woman Alive in 2020, she began performing around the Pacific Northwest, eventually releasing her EP, Rest & Reprieve in early 2023 under her full name. A vocally dominant record with nods to broader Americana and alt-country instrumentation, Rest & Reprieve quickly amassed Wanamaker a local following.

After regional touring in support of Rest & Reprieve in 2023 and 2024, Wanamaker relocated to Nashville, Tennessee in late 2024 and released a 5-song EP, Glitter in March 2025. Exploring themes of family, spirituality, grief and identity through a more honed blend of roots genres, Glitter has been praised for its authenticity, introspection and personal subject matter, establishing Wanamaker as an important emerging voice in the folk sphere.

Graylight is the musical project of Mathias Olson, a New Mexico-based indie folk singer-songwriter who writes songs about grief, hope, and other things you probably shouldn’t bring up at dinner. His newest album, All I Can Hope For After, is full of dusty melodies and lyrics that toe the line between poetic and “should I be worried about this guy?” Influenced by songwriters like The Tallest Man on Earth, Josh Ritter, and Gregory Alan Isakov, Mathias blends fingerpicked guitar, wandering thoughts, and a voice that sounds like it’s seen some things. When he’s not writing songs, he’s a husband, father, teacher, and frequent overthinker. He promises the songs are sadder than he is. 

I used to be a right-wing extremist, a lot of the people I grew up with still are, but not everyone bought into my troubling views. I often debated folks, but none of it changed my mind. 

Then years later by accident, I bought a book called “Profit Over People: Neoliberalism and Global Order,” by Noam Chomsky. I thought it was about “new liberals” (I was young and a bit of an idiot).  And it finally got through to me because I wasn’t bracing for a fight. 

Years later I told Chomsky the story about how the title and the cover art attracted me to the work, and how without it I wouldn’t have read it. Chomsky looked back at me and said, “well you should probably write a letter to the editor because I don’t pick out the titles and I don’t even see the cover until they mail me some copies.” It was funny, but it stayed with me, because it felt like so many great ideas are trapped, without those beautifully designed entryways that Chomsky got. Music can’t get at everything, but I think it can give you the most important part, the heart of an idea, and be an entryway to another person’s life. And either way, it’s what I love about folk music, and it’s what I hope to make.

Makenna Budke is a 21-year-old songwriter from Marion, Iowa, with a deep-rooted love for storytelling. She began writing lyrics at just seven years old and has had a passion for creating music ever since. Now in her fourth year at The University of Iowa, majoring in English and Creative Writing, Makenna balances her studies with frequent trips to Nashville, where she writes for pop, country, and indie artists. Makenna is a part of Song House, a collaborative collective of artists and writers known for creating viral hooks and content on social media, and loves writing with such talented artists. She also completed a songwriting-focused music certificate through Berklee College of Music online to always continue sharpening her craft. With a passion for honest, emotionally resonant storytelling, Makenna aims for every lyric to deeply connect with listeners. Follow her journey: @makennabudkemusic

A recent graduate of Grinnell College, Maya Llewellyn (she/they) wants to write songs that speak truth. After making emo bedroom indie pop in high school (Bittersweet at Best – Sheepish), Maya went to Grinnell College and thoroughly embedded herself in the student music scene. She plays keys, guitar, and sings in a band with her best college friends; the folk-rock group released a self-titled EP this spring (My Best Friend – My Best Friend). In addition to writing and performing, Maya has been honing their teaching and group facilitation skills via founding a songwriting circle and teaching a summer songwriting elective for middle schoolers. They’re eager to learn from others at ICSF and to root their post-grad life in Iowa’s creative community.

Based in Las Vegas, NV, Win Miranda F crafts introspective songs inspired by the sounds of the American songbook and global folk traditions. She released her debut song collection, a home-recorded and self-produced EP, I Look At My Hands in the summer of 2023.

Since then, Win has received a scholarship for the 7th Wave digital residency as a writer and is a 2025 fellow for the Periplus Mentorship Collective. Most recently she is a recipient of a scholarship for the Iowa City Songwriters Festival.

Her music has been described as soothing and captivating, and her performances often blend traditional music, originals and contemporary covers unified by the thread of her understated minimalist style. She enjoys performing in accessible community settings – backyards, yoga sessions, art galleries, museums and festivals. Her follow-up song collection, as well as more performance dates can be expected in the fall of 2025.

Naya Thomas is a first-generation Jamaican multidisciplinary artist based in Des Moines, Iowa. With a background in Afro-Caribbean dance, theater, and poetry, she has recently shifted her focus to songwriting as a space for storytelling, healing, and connection. Inspired by artists like Brittany Howard, Nina Simone, Leon Bridges, and Corinne Bailey Rae, Naya is excited to deepen the skills she’s been developing on her own. She looks forward to learning from experienced songwriters, building community, and stepping more fully into this next chapter of her creative journey. She recently launched a Substack called, Brown Girl in the Ring, a sonic journal exploring personal folklore through music, electric guitar practice notes, her Jamaican roots, and ritual. As a 2025 Iowa City Songwriters Festival scholarship recipient, Naya is honored to grow her craft, share her voice, and be in community with fellow artists.

Lucinda Hearn is a songwriter, maker, and innovation expert exploring the terrain where technology, music-making, and community intersect. With a sharp instinct for both poetic hooks and creative systems, her work spans from studio to strategy room. As the curator of Midnight Voice Memos, an ever-evolving archive for music-makers, she uplifts the quiet, messy, and often revelatory moments of the creative process. Under the artist name Fieldings, she’s released three albums and numerous EPs, crafting songs with emotional precision and sonic curiosity. Whether she’s prototyping tools for musicians or crafting a melody, Lucinda’s practice centers on the human impulse to make together.

Leah Latella is an artist, educator, and storyteller who weaves narratives through visual mediums and music.

Originally from North Carolina, Leah has called Iowa City home for three years after developing careers in New York and Austin as both a songwriter in local music scenes and a visual journalist in global newsrooms. As a working musician, she has written, recorded, and performed original songs with folk and bluegrass bands, an electronic rock duo, and as music director for an award-winning Fringe Festival musical. As a journalist, she’s produced visual storytelling for The Wall Street Journal, ABC News, Time, and Newsweek. Leah continues to merge these passions by producing photographic exhibitions with live music, performing at an annual photography workshop, and organizing documentary projects with Iowa photographers. Currently, she shapes stories on global issues at the Stanley Center for Peace and Security while teaching at the University of Iowa School of Journalism and Mass Communication. She also instructs children’s music at Preucil School of Music.

Leah’s songwriting practice has quieted as she’s planted new roots. This ICSF scholarship represents a return to Leah’s musical voice and a commitment to bringing her whole self, musical soul included, to a community that has already given her so much.

Samantha Tuttle is a poet from Salinas, California. She lives in Iowa City, with her cat Lucinda, where she works full time as an advocate for survivors of sexual assault. She believes in music as a tool for healing and art as a daily practice. She is inspired by musicians whose work reflects the sights, sounds, and cultural traditions of their upbringing and those whose songs embody the long-standing practice of oral storytelling. Her writing is often reflective of her own upbringing in the agriculturally rich Salinas Valley, a place whose immense natural beauty is only outshone by the beauty and resilience of its inhabitants.

Elisha Marin is a multidisciplinary artist and community-builder using creativity to spark change in rural spaces. He co-founded the Freeborn County Arts Initiative and is leading the revival of a historic 1918 YWCA in Mason City, Iowa—now being transformed into a hub for artists, performances, and public gathering. His work blends storytelling, music, and hands-on restoration to make the arts accessible and meaningful for all. His debut album Shining Out, funded by the Minnesota State Arts Board and the GRAMMY Foundation, reflects the same warmth and optimism found in everything he creates.