1. Hi Jenna, can you tell me a little bit about yourself before you became a country musician?

I have been doing music most of my life, and loving country music since I was a little whipper snapper waiting on my grandaddy to bring the cows around, singing “Wide Open Spaces” on my four wheeler. But I’ll tell you about high school Jenna. I did a LOT of musicals, sang in four choirs (church, school, all-state and a special smaller ensemble at church), and learned as much as I could about ranching from my grandaddy and my uncle. I played basketball and ran cross country, drove a hand-me-down F-150 and listened to Kanye with the windows down. I had a lot of friends, but no one I considered a real “best friend” until college. I felt like everybody thought they knew me when they didn’t. I hung out with my family a lot (two sisters, one brother) and I was a serial kisser, haha…I’m not that girl anymore, but the good things about my history are all still evident in who I am today:

– I’m a country singer, and my passion for musicals in high school helped with acting in my music video

– I still love ranching and am at the ranch every chance I get (I’m actually on a plane headed home to work cows as I write this!)

– I drive another hand-me-down F-150

– I don’t listen to Kanye much anymore, but I DO listen to Zayn…and a lot of country (of course).

– I have a lot of great friends and a few besties.

– I’m athletic

– My family is #1

– I kiss my husband a lot 

– I LOVE what I do.

2. How did you get into country music and how did you know you wanted to be in it?

I knew I wanted to be a country artist when I was eight, watching a LeAnn Rimes concert on the Disney Channel, but got distracted by people telling me that I should do Broadway in high school. Musical theater and Broadway is what ended up getting me into the college that laid the foundation for how I go about doing country music now. So it certainly came full-circle.

3. Who are some of your musical icons?

George Strait – he knows who he is and he does everyone on purpose. He’s who I look up to the most. Plus, he represents the kind of men I respect. Long live the cowboy and long live King George! 🏻

4. What is the story behind your newest single “Coolest Girl In Town?”

CGITW actually stemmed from another song I was writing called “Soundtrack to my Youth”. There was a line about a guy making a girl feel like the “girls they sing about,” and I was like, “we need to write a song about just that.” So my cowriter and I did! That’s where CGITW came from… and let’s face it, I am a sucker for a good playlist or mixtape with some country love songs on it, which the song talks about. 

5. Where do you see yourself in the next 5 to 10 years with your music?

I hope to be successful at radio, playing arenas, and able to influence younger girls in a positive way.

6. If you could sing a duet with a singer or group who would it be and why?

Sam Hunt, because I dream about singing the harmonies that Hillary Lindsey sings on “Make You Miss Me” one day on stage with him. I think our styles are complimentary.

If I could duet with a female, I think Kacey Musgraves and I could do something cool because we both have smooth voices, and I’d love to hear her more traditional sound mesh with what I do… I just love her.

7. Is there anything else coming up with your music for the rest of 2017?

I have a Christmas song I’m working on right now! It’s an obscure one, but it’s one of my favorites. We are also working on getting on the road ASAP.

8. What are few of your favorite places in Nashville?

– Urban Cowboy for drinks

– Mas Taco, for obvious reasons (TACOS!)

– Little Octopus for a nice meal

– Portland Brew, for the best ice coffee (it tastes like liquid chocolate!)

9. What is one of your favorite quotes?

“You can get everything in life you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want.” 

-Zig Ziglar