Custom Songs

A custom song, written just for them.

Some people deserve more than a card. Tell me about yours. I'll write them a song.

The person you married. The parent you wish you could freeze in time. The friend who answered the phone when your life fell apart.

Or maybe it's your own story, and you're ready to hear what it sounds like outside your head.

I'll take the little details, the big feelings, and the things you keep trying to say, and turn them into an original song.

Let's write your song Here's how it works

$500 for a custom song, written, sung and produced in my home studio · Nashville recordings and rights buyouts quoted separately · Usually ready in about three weeks

Kris in a camo cap grinning down at the fretboard of her Gibson in her studio

One of one

Your story. My probably-too-many feelings about it.

$500written, sung and produced by Kris

Here's what $500 gets you.

A 20-minute story call with me. You talk, I take notes. Tangents encouraged. That weird little detail you almost didn't mention might become the whole chorus.
An original song, written by me. Lyrics and melody built around your story.
A finished recording, sung and produced in my home studio. I'll build an arrangement around the song, giving it more shape and texture than a simple guitar-and-vocal recording.
WAV and MP3 downloads, plus a lyric sheet. Listen, share it with your person, or frame the words.
One round of tweaks. So we can get a name, a detail, or a line feeling right.

Want to bring in the Nashville players?

We can do that, too.

If you're imagining a full-band recording with Nashville musicians, let's talk about the sound you're after. I'll put together a separate quote based on the players and production involved.

We can decide that up front, or talk about taking it further after you hear the song.

How your story becomes a song

Tell me who it's for.Start with the form on this page. A few sentences are plenty. You do not need to arrive with a compelling narrative arc. That's my department.
We get into the good stuff.On our call, I'll ask about the things that make this person yours: their terrible jokes, the words they always use, the moment everything changed.
I write, sing, and produce.Allow about three weeks. If there's a wedding, birthday, or other deadline involved, tell me early so I can confirm what's possible.
You get to give them a song.Play it on the anniversary. Put it in the family slideshow. Hand them headphones across the kitchen table. Have tissues nearby, just in case.

Kris at her studio desk with an acoustic guitar, Logic Pro on the screen behind her

I've spent a lot of years putting feelings into songs.

I've been writing and producing for more than twenty years, with over 200 songs placed in TV and film.

My own twenty-six-song double album, Midnight Church Aftermath, came from telling the stories I'd spent years trying to tidy up.

So you can bring me the messy version. You don't have to make it sound beautiful before we talk.

That's what the song is for.

Want to own the rights, too?

A rights buyout is available for an additional fee. If that's what you're looking for, mention it in your enquiry. We'll discuss which rights you want included and agree on the price and terms in writing.

The standard $500 package is for personal use, with songwriting and recording rights retained by me. If you're planning a commercial release, an ad, or another business use, tell me up front so we can quote the right arrangement. Once I've started writing, the deposit is non-refundable. By then, I'm already doing the work of turning your story into a song.

Who are we writing about?

Tell me a little about them. Or you. We'll start there.

Let's write your song

Tell me the story behind your song.

You don't have to be a writer. Bullet points, unfinished thoughts, and "I don't know how to explain this, but…" all work.

A few sentences per question is plenty. Share what fits, and we'll fill in the gaps on our call.

Your first name Email

Phone (optional, for the story call) 1Who or what is this song about?Tell me their name, your relationship to them, and a little about your story together. If the song is about your own life, a place, or a chapter you've been through, tell me about that instead. 2Why do you want to give them this song?Is there an occasion, something you want to celebrate, or something you've always wanted to say? If you need the song by a particular date, include that here. 3What makes them unmistakably them?Their personality, quirks, little habits, or the way they make people feel. You can include physical details, too: their eyes, hair, laugh, smile, or that one shirt they refuse to throw away. What would make them hear a line and say, "That's definitely me"? 4What's a memory or place you always come back to?Tell me one or two moments that capture your story. Where were you? What happened? What little detail has stayed with you? It could be a first date, a kitchen you grew up in, a road trip, or an ordinary Tuesday you've never forgotten. 5Do you have any words that belong to your story?Pet names, inside jokes, family expressions, things they always say, or a phrase that means something special to you. Write them exactly how you say them, even if they won't make sense to me yet. 6What do you most want them to hear or feel?If the song could say one thing for you, what would it be? You might want them to laugh, feel loved, remember something beautiful, or finally understand what they mean to you. 7What should I make sure to include, and what should I leave out?Share any essential names, dates, or details, along with anything private, sensitive, or off-limits. If a name has an unusual pronunciation, help me say it right.

That's enough to get us started. I'll bring the follow-up questions. You bring the person you can't stop telling me about. No payment yet. We talk first, then I send a simple invoice if it's a fit.

While you're here

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