At Talent Is Timeless, we spotlight some of the incredible songwriters who are part of our community — inviting them to share a bit more about their lives, their creative journeys, and the stories behind their songs.

This month, we’re featuring 53-year-old songwriter Monica Lee from Vancouver, British Columbia. Monica, who was born in Calgary, joined Talent Is Timeless in 2025 and placed in the Country category with her moving song Farewell. The song came out of a restless dream.

“He haunted my dreams, so I found a way to say goodbye in a song,” Monica explains.

Writing it was part of a long process of letting go of a love that had broken her heart. She hoped the act of songwriting would release her from the cycle of dreams — but, as she admits;

“Sadly, this did not work. I had to forgive him to move on.”

That process of forgiveness became as much a part of her journey as the song itself. Monica has been writing songs for most of her life.

“I was a kid who always sang, making up songs about whatever, wherever,” she recalls.

At 16, her parents gave her a guitar, and artists like R.E.M., Ani DiFranco, and the Indigo Girls fuelled her early writing. Later, discovering Joni Mitchell and Bob Dylan’s Desire “exploded” her world with the possibilities of storytelling in song.

“I have always felt at home in a song, like this was where my life happened.”

Her journey hasn’t been straightforward. Monica has experienced the sting of false promises — producers who dangled opportunities that never materialized, albums that never received their mixes, and years when motherhood left her worried she had lost her spark. But in hindsight, even those quiet years were fertile.

“I realized I had been writing… but in a new genre. Mostly bedtime songs,” she says.

What felt like silence was actually a different form of music-making, one that eventually led to a children’s record, You, Me and The Moon. A defining moment in Monica’s career came in 2004, when she wrote “Judy Lea.” The song, sparked by repeated voicemails to a friend, unfolded just as the crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women came into the Canadian spotlight. Though she wrote it as a personal story, it found its way into a film where it played over footage from the women’s march.

“This experience helped me realize how powerful music can be,” Monica says. “My voice is a muse to the songs that need singing. Once born, they have a life of their own.”

Her proudest achievements are her songs being placed in film and television. Tracks like “Anticipation” and “Judy Lea” were featured in the CBC documentary A Safer Sex Trade, and other singles found homes in award-winning web series.

“These songs spoke to a much bigger topic than my own world. It showed me that music can be a vehicle for social commentary and healing.”

Placing in the Talent Is Timeless Annual Contest has given Monica a renewed sense of confidence.

“It feels wonderful to be acknowledged for my work,” she says.

She also shares that she still has two more records’ worth of material ready with her current producer — proof that her muse continues to flow, whether for children’s songs or deeply personal reflections. For those over 50 still doubting themselves, Monica’s advice is clear:

“Sing from your heart. Use what you know. Be authentic. You are the only one that can be you. Own it.”

Monica’s journey shows how even heartbreak and setbacks can become fuel for creativity — and how songs, once written, have the power to live on far beyond the circumstances that gave them life.

You can listen to Monica’s winning song here: Farewell

And Connect with Monica on Talent Is Timeless here: https://www.talentistimeless.com/members/monica-lee/profile/