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A Q&A With the Sounds Like Summer Lyric Contest Promotion Winner, Sean Owens
American Songwriter has profiled Sean Owens, winner of its Sounds Like Summer lyric contest promotion, for his song "Flip-Flops and Alibis." Owens wrote the track from the perspective of a man trying to drink and story his way out of heartbreak, basing the character on a scuba diving instructor he knew while living in St Thomas in the US Virgin Islands. The win matters to Owens as validation of his songwriting after a career path that included journalism school, veterinary school and years as a university professor before he turned seriously to music in recent years.
In the accompanying Q&A, Owens described the song as capturing a "beach song with a hangover underneath it," fitting the competition's summer theme perfectly. He cited songwriting inspirations split between a "front-porch camp" (Guy Clark, Will Kimbrough, Matraca Berg) and a "beach camp" (Jimmy Buffett, Jesse Rice, Erica Sunshine Lee), reflecting time spent living in the islands. Looking ahead to 2026, he plans to keep entering American Songwriter contests, get his strongest songs properly demoed in Nashville, and begin co-writing with more experienced songwriters.
In short
- Sean Owens won American Songwriter's Sounds Like Summer lyric contest promotion
- His song "Flip-Flops and Alibis" is based on a St Thomas scuba instructor
- Owens plans Nashville demos and co-writing collaborations in 2026
Explained simply
American Songwriter magazine runs a Sounds Like Summer lyric contest for summer-themed songs. Sean Owens has won the latest edition with his song "Flip-Flops and Alibis."
Owens has taken an unconventional path to his music career. He previously studied journalism, attended veterinary school, and worked as a university professor for years before turning seriously to songwriting in recent years.
"Flip-Flops and Alibis" is told from the perspective of a man attempting to drink and talk his way through heartbreak. The character was inspired by a scuba diving instructor Owens knew whilst living in the US Virgin Islands, and the song captures what Owens describes as a "beach song with a hangover underneath."