Asa Orbison Earns John Lennon Songwriting Contest Recognition With “Hand I Used to Hold”

Singer-songwriter Asa Orbison has been named the Week 2 winner of the 2026 John Lennon Songwriting Contest's Break-Up Songs competition for “Hand I Used to Hold,” a heartfelt collaboration with acclaimed guitarist Ulf Wakenius. The recognition celebrates a composition that explores the emotional complexity of loving someone while gradually realizing that the relationship is slipping away.

Rather than approaching heartbreak through the familiar perspective of a relationship's aftermath, Asa Orbison examines the quieter, often more painful experience of losing someone while they're still beside you.

Speaking about the inspiration behind the song, Asa Orbison explained that it captures the feeling of loving someone while still holding their hand, even as that connection begins to disappear: “slipping through the fingers of the hand I hold.”

It's a particularly affecting interpretation of heartbreak, one that recognizes how emotional separation can begin long before two people officially say goodbye. Through this deeply personal perspective, Asa Orbison brings an understated honesty to a subject that has inspired generations of songwriters.

The John Lennon Songwriting Contest recognized the composition as its second weekly winner, awarding Asa Orbison and Ulf Wakenius Audio-Technica wireless headphones and placing the song in contention for a limited-edition Taylor GS Mini acoustic guitar.

The international competition celebrates original songwriting, with entries evaluated on melody, composition, originality, and lyrics rather than professional production quality. Its Break-Up Songs competition ran through October 18, 2026, providing songwriters with an additional opportunity for recognition.

For Asa Orbison, the achievement highlights the enduring power of thoughtful songwriting and the ability of a deeply personal experience to connect with listeners through a universal emotion.