“A Little Sunshine” by Syante

Winner of The Perfect Stranger Songwriting Contest with Jesse Colin Young

Singer-songwriter Syante’s new single, “A Little Sunshine,” is out now following her first-place win in “The Perfect Stranger Songwriting Contest.” The competition, hosted by legendary folk artist Jesse Colin Young and nonprofit label Future Youth Records, in partnership with Taylor Guitars and Sound & Vision Magazine, encouraged artists aged 18-24 to create and submit a song reflecting unity and positive social change.

Launched to honor the re-release of Young’s 1982 album The Perfect Stranger, the contest drew entries from across the globe. Syante’s song stood out for its heartfelt storytelling and powerful themes of trust and connection. Inspired by an unexpected act of kindness—a stranger offering her a ride when she was stranded with a dead phone battery in Los Angeles—“A Little Sunshine” captures a wish for a world built on trust and unity.

Syante shared, “That experience made me reflect on how rare it is to trust strangers, and I wrote this song as a reflection of that moment, and a wish for a world where we can feel connected to, and trust, even those we don’t know.”

Syante co-produced “A Little Sunshine” with Jesse Colin Young, Jason Wall, and Maxwell Fink at the renowned Stagg Street Studios in Los Angeles. Accompanied by legendary musicians Laurence Juber (Wings, Rockestra, Half Brother), Kenny Aronoff (John Mellencamp, Elton John, Paul McCartney, Melissa Etheridge, Jon Bon Jovi, Sammy Hagar, Smashing Pumpkins), and Jorgen Carlsson (Gov’t Mule), this collaboration delivers a stunning new single that embodies the contest’s mission of fostering creativity and connection.

acknowledgment and credits

Song Production

Written by: Sayanti Ghosh

Producers: Jason Wall, Jesse Colin Young, Maxwell Fink

Recording Engineers: Trent Slatton, Brayden Stark

Mixing Engineer: Willie Samuels 

Recorded at Stagg Street Studios in Van Nuys, CA

Studio Musicians: 

  • Syante (Vocals) 

  • Kenny Aronoff (Drums)

  • Jorgen Carlsson (Bass)

  • Maxwell Fink (Synthesizers)

  • Laurence Juber (Acoustic and Electric Guitars)

Executive Producer: Jason Wall, Jesse Colin Young

FYR Team: Kelly Figueroa, Robyn Flans, Donald Larkin, Tausha Hanna (Storyteller Music Marketing)

Jesse Colin Young Team: Connie Young, Brian Massengale (Venture Music)

The Jensen Communications Team: Michael Jensen, Erin Cook, Nichole Good, Leo Lavoro

Studio Photographer: Chris Jensen

Album Art: Photo by Alex Solca; Design by Storyteller Music Marketing

Special Thanks to: Jesse Colin Young, Connie Young. Donald Larkin, Sound & Vision, Stagg Street Studios, Mike Mettler, Jon Iverson, Monica Pacini, Victor Janacua, & Manoj Mhapankar