Singer-songwriter is used to define popular music artists who write and perform their own material, which is often self-accompanied generally on acoustic guitar or piano.Such an artist performs the roles of composer, lyricist, vocalist, instrumentalist, and often self-manager.he concept of a singer-songwriter can be traced to ancient bardic oral tradition, which has existed in various forms throughout the world. Poems would be performed as chant or song, sometimes accompanied by a harp or other similar instrument.