Marching Into Greatness: Voices of Tomorrow

Marching Into Greatness: Voices of Tomorrow is the second original student album from the award-winning MNPS Songwriting Summit.

The seven-track album, now streaming on all platforms, features original songs written and recorded by Metro Nashville Public Schools students and educators. Students worked alongside Grammy Award-winning artists and Nashville music professionals to bring each song to life.

Stream the Album

Music That Tells a Story

album cover with green, blue and purple stripe that says Marching into Greatness

Marching Into Greatness: Voices of Tomorrow is more than a collection of songs.

The album tells a larger story about growth, perseverance, belonging and purpose. Each track represents a different part of the student journey.

Together, the songs invite listeners to think about their own path toward greatness

Track List and Songwriters
Student Performers

Track List and Songwriters

Students Take the Lead

The album was written during the 2026 MNPS Songwriting Summit, a weeklong summer experience that brings together high school students from across the district who are interested in songwriting, vocal performance, music production, musical theatre and creative careers.

During the summit, students collaborate with professional songwriters, producers, recording artists and educators. They write and record original music based on their own experiences, ideas and perspectives.

Track List

Marching Into Greatness, featuring Mr. Talkbox
Confidence
Grounded
Beside You
Above and Beyond
Make It Undeniable, featuring Tiera Kennedy and Luca McLaughlin
Here, featuring Kingston Kharif

Marching Into Greatness

The album opens with Marching Into Greatness, written by Songwriting Summit Director Dee Hammonds and featuring Grammy Award-winning artist Mr. Talkbox.
The title track is a joyful call to keep moving forward with purpose. It reminds the MNPS community that greatness is not a destination. It is a commitment we make each day.
The music video was produced by The Moving Picture Boys. It celebrates excellence across MNPS academics, arts, athletics and student leadership.

Here

Here was written and performed by Kingston Kharif, a senior at Nashville School of the Arts.
The energetic song celebrates perseverance. It reminds listeners that where they stand today is the result of courage, resilience and refusing to give up.

Make It Undeniable

Make It Undeniable brings together elementary and middle school students from the MNPS Studio Stars summer program.
Written by Dee Hammonds, the song reflects the district’s 2026–2027 theme.
It features Tiera Kennedy, who sang on Beyoncé's GRAMMY Award-winning Cowboy Carter album, alongside rising seventh grader Luca McLaughlin. The track was produced by rising seventh grader Carter Hammonds.

Songs Created Together

Confidence, Grounded, Beside You and Above and Beyond were written by student songwriting teams.

The songs explore identity, friendship, resilience, hope and personal growth.

All seven tracks were recorded at East Iris Studios in Nashville. Students worked alongside professional producers, engineers, musicians and creative artists throughout the recording process.

Student Performers

Songwriting Summit

Aria Hanna
Ariah McEwen
Ava Pope
Chloe Hammonds
Corinne Bryan
Darren Ekezie
Eva Luna
Katherine Abbott
Kingston Kharif
Leslie Hammonds
Millie Miree
Seth Robinson Jr
Troy Whitaker
Gabriella Flores
Laila Bighem
Savannah Bell
Maleigha Jones-Crawford
Corrian Phillips

Kingston Kharif on CBS Mornings

CBS Mornings featured Nashville School of the Arts senior Kingston Kharif, the writer, producer, and featured artist of "Here," the final track on Marching Into Greatness:

Behind the Scenes

The talent has always existed within Metro Nashville Public Schools,” said Franklin Willis, Director of Visual and Performing Arts.

Our responsibility is to remove barriers, open doors, and create opportunities that amplify what our students are already capable of achieving.

Marching Into Greatness: Voices of Tomorrow continues the MNPS commitment to ensuring every student is seen, heard, valued and empowered to share their story.

Marching Into Greatness Staff Spotlight

DaJuana Hammonds, Dean of Fine Arts, Warner Arts Elementary

Year 3 is in the books, and I am absolutely blown away by what we experienced at this year’s Songwriting Summit! New faces, fresh ideas, and GRAMMY Award-winning artists!!??? Our students absolutely rose to the challenge of writing incredible songs, some with people they had just met and others with friends they had connected with at previous summits. I was so inspired watching their creative processes that I found myself already thinking about next year’s summit!

That’s what “Marching Into Greatness” is all about. I wrote the title track as I reflected on the amazing things happening with our summit students, an Emmy Award and four Telly Awards! Then my mind started wandering to the incredible work happening across our district. Even though I knew celebration was warranted, I found myself thinking, “What’s next? How can we top ourselves? How do we keep moving forward and raising the bar?”

I made a quiet commitment to myself that I would celebrate the victories, but I would also continue moving forward toward the next great thing. I want people, especially our students, to recognize that balance. We don’t have to choose between victory and growth. We can be winning while simultaneously getting better at what we do!

As people listen to this entire project, I hope they hear what is possible when we believe in students and give them the space, support, and guidance to do high-level work. They are capable of so much more than we sometimes realize.

My favorite part of the process was when each group came into the room with Mr. Talkbox and Chad Hammonds to receive feedback on their songs and hear their music tracks for the very first time. Their enthusiasm and excitement reminded me why we take the time to do this work with students every summer. It is totally worth it!

Nate Bean, General Music and Choir Teacher, Jere Baxter Middle School

MIG is a HIT!!! It's catchy, the vibe is right and the lyrics are on point! I watched students step outside of their comfort zones, still finding confidence in their voices, and realize they were capable of more than they imagined. I loved watching it all coming together.

I hope that when people listen to “MIG,” they don’t just hear a great performance or great vocals—they hear hope. They hear unity. They hear the sound of young people refusing to settle for average and choosing to walk boldly into their future.

My favorite moment was watching everything finally click. Seeing the students go from uncertainty to confidence, encouraging one another, smiling, and performing with conviction reminded me why I do what I do. Those moments can’t be taught—they’re cultivated. Watching them realize that they were part of something bigger than themselves was the greatest reward of the entire summer.

I’m grateful to have been a small part of their journey, and I can’t wait for the world to hear what greatness sounds like.

Dr. Jacqueline Hanna, Music Educator, Glenview Elementary

Studio Stars was nothing short of amazing! It was a true pleasure working with such a talented and inspiring group of students. Witnessing their enthusiasm, confidence, and energy throughout the experience made me even more excited to see the finished product.

The song performed by these students is sure to touch the hearts of everyone who hears it. More importantly, it carries a powerful message that will inspire other students to believe in themselves, persevere through challenges, and recognize that their potential is undeniable.

Their passion, dedication, and resilience serve as a reminder that when you believe in yourself and keep pushing forward, your dreams and aspirations become undeniable.

“When I listen to these songs, I hear more than incredible music. I hear students who know their voices matter. This album reflects the creativity, resilience, and limitless potential of our young people. Programs like the Songwriting Summit demonstrate what is possible when students are empowered to tell their own stories through the arts.”Superintendent Dr. Adrienne Battle

About the MNPS Songwriting Summit

The award-winning MNPS Songwriting Summit has earned local and national recognition for giving students authentic opportunities to create and share their work.

In 2025, the program received a Midsouth Emmy Award in the Cultural Documentary category for Every Student Known.
The Summit also earned four Telly Awards for I Believe, I Belong, the district’s first original student album.

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The 2026 Songwriting Summit was made possible through support from the CMA Foundation and the Tennessee Titans One Community Foundation.

The CMA Foundation’s investment expanded opportunities for students to work with Grammy Award-winning artists, learn from music industry professionals and create original music in a professional recording studio.

Support from the Tennessee Titans One Community Foundation also helped provide meaningful creative experiences for young artists across the district.

We are grateful to every artist, educator, mentor and community partner who helped our students dream bigger, grow their skills and share their voices.