Ginger Winn on stage playing guitar and singing her songs

A Love Letter to My Younger Self by Singer Songwriter Ginger Winn

By inside + out | February 21, 2025

Music and love—what a powerful combination! Think of all the love songs you cherish, the tunes that remind you of that special person, and the lyrics that tug at your heartstrings.

Welcome to our series of Love Letters, where singer-songwriter Ginger Winn and several local changemakers and visionaries were invited to express their ode to love in their unique ways. They can honor a person, place in the region, or something in nature. Let’s read Ginger’s letter to her younger self.

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Dear Ginger,

Life will be hard, but it will also be easy. Some people won’t like you, but many others will love you and want only the best for you. Hiding who you truly are is selfish. The most selfless thing you can do—for yourself and for others—is to share your true self. I know it’s scary to walk into a room and let down all your walls, but no matter who you are or who you’re trying to be, 50% of people will like you and 50% won’t.

One day, you’ll learn a weird word– coddiwomple, and you’ll find out you’ve been doing this all along, and you’ll write a song with that title. My favorite line in Coddiwomple has always been:

“I find myself while I’m finding you.”

It represents the journey of discovering different sides of ourselves as we go through the world and encounter new people and experiences. I’ve learned that when we reveal our genuine and vulnerable selves, we can receive lessons from others and truly grow as people.

You are a gift from the heavens; embracing that gift means sharing your genuine self.

Yours truly,

Ginger Winn

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Read More Love Letters Below!

INSIDE+OUT Upstate NY Love Letters Series

A Love Letter to our Hudson Valley Rivers by Eric Archer Dahlberg

A Love Letter to Community by Amanda Cassaday

A Love Letter to Love by Artist Mimi Young

A Love Letter to an Oak Tree by Rebecca Collins Brooks

A Love Letter to My Backyard by Amanda Russo Rubman

A Love Letter to Ria by Todd Spire

A Love Letter to Balance by Tamika Dunkley

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Ginger Winn performing at a Le Fanfare event

MEET GINGER WINN

Ginger Winn is a rising singer-songwriter with a soulful, atmospheric sound that blends heartfelt storytelling with rich production. A native of South Carolina, she left school at 16 to pursue music, honing her craft while working as a pastry chef and taking online production courses. Her journey took a serendipitous turn when a short trip to South Africa became a two-year adventure, where she made a living composing jingles and transforming personal lyrics into full-fledged songs.

Through an unexpected collaboration with lyricist Matthew Baione, Ginger co-wrote and produced more than two dozen songs, leading to the creation of her debut album, *Stop-Motion*. To bring the project to life, she teamed up with renowned producer David Baron at Sun Mountain Studios in Boiceville, NY. Baron, whose credits include work with The Lumineers, Shawn Mendes, and Shania Twain, recognized Winn’s raw talent and unique artistic voice.

Recorded in the Hudson Valley, *Stop-Motion* is a testament to Ginger Winn’s evocative songwriting and adventurous spirit. With her captivating voice and deeply personal lyrics, she is quickly carving out a space for herself in the music industry.

Red Balloon at the carnival with Ginger Winn