JaynaJennings (July 2023)

Living in the Limelight

Only 2% of the population are redheads and Jayna Jennings makes music as unique as her fiery hair. At twenty two years, Jayna has over 80 copyrighted songs, has released 2 albums, an EP, and 11 singles, received 25 nominations in coveted music awards. She received the honor of Folk/Americana/Bluegrass Vocalist of the Year in 2019, 2020, and 2021 at the Josie Music Awards, amassed over 100,000 streams on Spotify alone, and has built a uniquely dedicated global fan-base. Jennings began singing in church at age 3, so it was fitting that her first release would be a project of traditional hymns. In 2016, Jennings released her debut EP, Safe & Sound, featuring one original song titled Lord’s Song, and 4 of her favorite hymns celebrating her musical origin and heritage. She made her radio debut the same year and began doing radio interviews to push the release. Jennings was busy promoting this passion project but behind the scenes she was working on her first album, a collection of Folk/Americana originals that would cement her as a songwriter. In 2017, Courtyards & Aviaries, Pt. 1, Jayna’s first collection of all original secular songs was released introducing her into the Folk/Americana genre. The album was well received and within the first year of its release, all 9 songs from that album received worldwide radio airplay building her following and introducing her to music enthusiasts across the globe. All singles from Pt. 1 were released after the album itself in a strange but effective release strategy. The singles from this album include Maybe Reprise and Hold on. Hold On was nominated for Song of the Year in the Nashville Universe Awards. She was also nominated for Female Vocalist of the Year, Rising Star, and Songwriter of the Year. Jennings hosted a sold-out release party for Pt. 1 and played a few unreleased songs that would later be released on her next album. “Even before I put out Pt. 1 into the world I was already thinking about the next chapter and what I wanted to say,” Jennings stated, “and I really wanted to push the envelope with the next release and explore new concepts to give a fresh musical makeover while still portraying the precepts laid out in Pt. 1.” After 2 years of writing, recording, and strategizing, Jennings announced her second album Courtyards & Aviaries, Pt. 2 would be released August 11, 2019. She released the accompanying single The Blue June 28. The single quickly became a fan and radio favorite. Fans made music videos, blogs shared announcements and reviews, and The Blue quickly became Jennings’ calling card. “The Blue was the perfect choice for a single as it was a wonderful hint of what Jengers (fans of Jennings) would expect from this album in general,” writes Lakisha Skinner of KlefNotes. The second single from Pt. 2 was To Narcissus and was released July 19. Jengers called To Narcissus Jennings’ most mainstream song and found the rhetorical metaphorical allegory a relevant and surefire hit. It quickly surpassed 10,000 streams on Spotify and was Jennings first single to be sent to country radio. An acoustic version of this song was filmed for an Off-Trail Originals video series. Jennings released an accompanying watercolor lyric video hinting at what would come next from her album. August 11, 2019 Jennings released her new album Pt. 2 to positive press and an interested audience while touring to promote the new works. “I had my first mini-tour which was super exciting. Pretty much every other weekend we were going out of town or out of state for a show,” Jennings told Jay Plyburn with 11 Alive. To Narcissus and Don’t Hurt Me, both songs from Pt. 2, debuted on Country Radio in 2020 and charted top 40. “I was doing a radio interview and Chuck Bryant, the DJ, said ‘you’re just climbing up the charts like crazy!’ which was news to me. I was so shocked and I called my publicist and she told me I was top 40 and I was beyond ecstatic!” Jennings shared. In late 2019, Jennings won 1st place in the Chattahoochee Mountain Fair talent show sponsored by 99.3 WCON for her unreleased original, Lost Time. In January of 2020 Jennings performed Lost Time at the Museum of Appalachia in the Tennessee Songwriters Week qualifying round and was 1 of 4 songwriters chosen to perform in the showcase round at the historic Bijou Theater. “To have the opportunity to perform on the same stage where big names like Dolly Parton performed was just insane,” Jennings stated. She had the same enthusiasm when she had the opportunity to perform at Eddie’s Attic in Atlanta. When she was one half of the Americana duo Copper River at 13, the two performed at the Velvet Underground at The Hard Rock Café Atlanta & the Peach Drop, and Jennings’ opportunities have blossomed since then. “I have no idea how two thirteen-year-old kids were able to even be in to The Velvet Underground, let alone perform there, so that has always been an incredible memory. I am so glad that nothing has slowed down since then and that I’m still performing and still making incredible memories in gorgeous venues. I take every chance I get to perform, it’s one of those things I just love to do.” In 2019, Jennings was the host of Canyon Rocks Concert Series at Little River Canyon Center and Jacksonville State University. Performers included Jan Smith & Peter Vogl, American Hope, Erin Kirby, Hunter Callahan, Payton Sells, and Canyonland Band. After completing her first tour across the South East, Jennings was looking forward to another great year of traveling meeting fans, and performing in 2020 but due to the global Covid-19 outbreak, Jennings was challenged with finding ways to continue performing and keeping in touch with her fans while she and the rest of the world were isolated. While being physically distant, Jennings did not put her music and her social relationship with her fans on hold. She organized a virtual tour during which she performed across all her social media platforms and other influencer Facebook pages through live-streams in a personal, laid back, living room setting conversing with her fans, answering questions, and performing fan favorites and new unreleased songs. She continued to do radio interviews talking about Pt. 2 with WOTG Radio and Country Gold Radio. Jennings was interviewed in 2019 for My Cumming News and in July of 2020 she did a follow up interview discussing making music during a pandemic, her recent engagement, and her 5 Josie Music Awards nominations. “Jennings is once again up for Folk/Americana/Bluegrass Vocalist of the Year, which she won in 2019. Her original song "The Blue" is up for Song of the Year, and her most recent album "Courtyards & Aviaries, Part 2" is up for Album of the Year. Jennings is also nominated for Folk/Americana/Bluegrass Artist of the Year and Entertainer of the Year,” Plyburn reported. The Josie Music Awards are the largest independent music award and a prestigious honor in the independent music industry. Jennings also received the Social Stars Contemporary, Inspirational Artist of the Year 2019. Her recent venture beyond the Folk/Americana music produced When I Hear God’s Call, a collaborative effort and her debut in the Contemporary/Gospel genre. After being added to many FM rotations, this track went to Number 1 on several Georgia and Tennessee radio stations and has become a favorite amongst her fans. You, Me, + a Ghost proved a triumphant return to her Folk roots and has had great Spotify success to match her previous singles and paved the way for her bluegrass release, Eliza, later that year. Eliza was nominated for JMA Song of the Year 2021.Jayna’s newest music has revealed her niche- southern gothic storytelling. Stay tuned for her next album- she is already releasing singles and small tastes of this new work. Her latest single, 10:43, exemplifies her songwriting, storytelling abilities, pulling in the listener with both hands into the world she describes. The coming year will feature many new releases, so follow Jayna on all social media platforms to stay up to date on her latest work!