Jenny Grace

“She has such a strong voice, with a tone that can’t be taught. Her vocals soar throughout the song, which is very impressive. Definitely a standout this week. Make sure to add this one to your playlists.” - Jerrett Franlin

The Five Things You Need To Shine In The Music Industry
An Interview With Ming Zhao
Ming S. Zhao
Authority Magazine
Ming S. Zhao

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Published in
Authority Magazine

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7 min read
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Nov 12, 2022




Don’t let the naysayers sway you. I listened to naysayers early on, “You can’t have a career in music”, “You’re not country, you’re from Connecticut”, etc. Yet, I was stationed in Texas and grew up in the army with Southerners, and my parents raised me in VT and CT and we were totally “country” — we are American! We had over 12 acres of land, shot rifles, rode quads, hunted, and fished.

Asa part of our interview series with leaders, stars, and rising stars in the music industry, we had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Jenny Grace.

Born on Merle Haggard’s birthday of April 6th, Jenny Grace embodies the untamed spirit which country music was built on. A wide-eyed kid turned into a mature young woman who served her country at the age of 18. Following four years of army intelligence service and with inspiration from country greats Reba McEntire, Faith Hill and Carrie Underwood, Jenny began writing music and perfecting her voice. Her journey and desire to bring her own grit to country music is reflected in her upcoming 2022 album.

Branded by some in the music industry as having the dichotomy of the mystical soul of Stevie Nicks and the classic, wholesome, heart of Dolly Parton, Jenny is creating a name for herself with her classic voice, prolific storytelling, hard work and dedication. Her musical debut in 2019 on WSM-AM (Grand Ole Opry Radio) launched live performances at Jamfest, Sailfest, Yellow Ribbon Fund, and the Nashville VA Medical Center. She was nominated in several categories for the 2019 Josie Music Awards and is currently nominated for “Album of the Year” (for her collaboration with Danny McMahon) for the 2022 British Country Music Awards. Jenny released her current single “Ghost” on October 28, 2022.

Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Before we dive in, our readers would love to learn a bit about your “origin story”. Can you tell us the story of how you grew up?

Igrew up living in coastal Connecticut and in the mountains of Vermont. I spent my childhood snowboarding, snowmobiling and doing “girly” stuff like dance and cheerleading. I shot rifles and rode dirt bikes as much I enjoyed performing in dance recitals. I sang Sheryl Crow when I was a kid, as my mom had her CD. My mom noticed I could sing when I was about 8, so she asked me to keep singing that day. I was super shy and didn’t want to, but it was one of those key moments in childhood when you discover something special. I performed in the fifth grade as a solo was assigned to me for a musical and I was very shy, but people talked about it for weeks after the show. I did not like the attention.

Can you share a story with us about what brought you to this specific career path?

I started singing when I was young, like 8 off and on and started taking it seriously at 15. I also stopped again to serve in the army, and I picked up the guitar at age 20 while serving overseas. I learned how healing music was. I used to not want a music career because I saw how vain it was and the enormous amount of pressure. However, being deployed and scared and stressed I appreciated how healing writing music was and my friends appreciated the live music I played. I started writing songs in college after I served.

Can you tell us the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?

I was invited backstage at the Opry in October 2022. It was amazing!

It has been said that our mistakes can be our greatest teachers. Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

I worried what the haters thought. I released “Driving with the Top Down” in 2019 and some of the haters came out on my IG and YouTube. I made the mistake of reading the comments and caring. Then, I realized it was pointless and not everyone will like my music or me for that matter.

What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now?

I am releasing music from my new album. I am still in the studio getting these new songs ready and creating music videos for their release. I filmed “Ghost” in the desert of California. During the shoot, we heard coyotes, got attacked by desert flies, and saw what appeared to be a UFO. It was awesome!

We are very interested in diversity in the entertainment industry. Can you share three reasons with our readers about why you think it’s important to have diversity represented in music, film, and television? How can that potentially affect our culture?

I think diversity is incredibly necessary. We live in a multi-dimensional universe — it would be so dull and senseless to represent one demographic of humanity. I think there is so much talent that is underrepresented in the arts — and the time is now to bring those oppressed voices out. Our culture in America has always been diverse, but only recently has Hollywood been able to branch out and cast non-Caucasian looking men and women as leading characters. Also, only recently has Hollywood been allowing women to be leaders in film — look at the director for Zero Dark Thirty — fantastic movie and directing! Finally, God created women, men and other genders to represent the world and it is totally necessary to represent all men, women and non-binary peoples of ALL color and races in the arts, no matter their sexual preferences.


What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why? Please share a story or example for each..

1. Don’t let the naysayers sway you. I listened to naysayers early on, “You can’t have a career in music”, “You’re not country, you’re from Connecticut”, etc. Yet, I was stationed in Texas and grew up in the army with Southerners, and my parents raised me in VT and CT and we were totally “country” — we are American! We had over 12 acres of land, shot rifles, rode quads, hunted, and fished.

2. Perfect your talent. There were times I realized I was not ready for the stage… it takes 10,000 hours to get over the hurdles and the nerves. I, one time, started shaking uncontrollably on stage and it caused me to mess up lyrics due to my nerves.

3. Make it your habit to practice every day. I auditioned for X Factor in 2011… made it out of 20,000 people in NJ, only to be nervous on camera and overwhelmed in front of the executives causing me to drop out of the show.

4. Choose a side gig. I wasn’t raised incredibly wealthy, so my parents always instilled in me to work hard for what you want in life. I also never wanted to be poor, so I studied hard in college and worked to have a career where I could balance a music career. The industry is also pretty unstable these days in the arts.

5. It takes time. Be patient and don’t make hasty decisions.

Which tips would you recommend to your colleagues in your industry to help them to thrive and not “burn out”?

1. Workout! Working out helps to de-stress and helps you with stamina on stage.

2. Make lots of friends in the industry as a support system. You never know who can help you down the line!

You are a person of enormous influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)

I would like to do something for the environment. I have been vegan since 2007. I think the world could benefit from not eating meat. This would also greatly help the carbon issues we have on the planet currently.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?

My brother has greatly helped me get my career off the ground. He is my band leader, co-writer, and it’s nice to have family on the road when we have to travel. He has supported my music from the beginning.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

Let go and Let God. This was relevant because I have had to be very patient with my life for certain events. I have learned to not try and control the situation but to leave it up to God.

Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them. :-)

Dolly Parton. The woman is so calm and gracious and has had a successful marriage to one husband, even though she’s a global superstar. I really admire her writing, singing, performing and just who she is as a human being.

How can our readers follow you online?

www.jennygracemusic.com

@JennyGraceOfficial Instagram

www.facebook.com/JennyGraceOfficial

TikTok: JennyGraceOfficial

This was very meaningful, thank you so much. We wish you only continued success on your great work! - Authority Magazine

Premiere: Jenny Grace depicts Romeo & Juliet-style love in ‘Dreaming’ video
By Bee Delores 6 months ago
The singer-songwriter’s new video is like a fairy tale.

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Jenny Grace ripes a page out of Romeo & Juliet for her song “Dreaming,” depicting forbidden love and the societal pressures that keep two lovers apart. “We both have such different lives, and this distance seems so far away,” she laments in the opening verse. Even the arrangement cries in its own way, tearing through the chest and leaving one’s heart on the floor.

Grace’s voice packs a punch, as she regales the tale from her own life. “I had a twin flame connection with someone I barely knew. We were both in other relationships, and the timing just always felt off. However, it seemed like the universe put us together for a reason,” she tells B-Sides & Badlands. “I think in a powerful way, it was bigger than the both of us. I would see this person at a gas station, the gym, or a grocery store at random times — always bumping into each other magically. We also both had these deep, astral dreams of each other for years.”

She continues to unfurl the love that seems otherworldly, transcendent, untethered by time and place. “Did I know you in another life? It seems like our worlds collide,” she sings, turning her eyes to the cosmos. “And now that you’re here, there’s nothing that seems clear / Tell me what you mean when I look into your eyes / It turns me upside down / No I can’t forget you now.”

There’s a divinity embedded with the song’s light and fluffy layers. It’s a confessional, a perfect exhibit for Grace’s true, unwieldy emotions. “It is truly a divine love, and I wanted to write about this mystical experience and how it made me feel. I think people can relate as a lot of these types of soul connections and divine partnerships are happening in the world today,” she says. “However, people can’t always be together because of the ‘tides that bind’ — society, marriages, property, kids, etc.”

Grace, who co-wrote the song with Brian Mckeever, details the story through a brand new video, premiering exclusively today. The clip, filmed amidst the sweeping hills of New Hampshire, dives into Grace’s hypnotic dreams of dating the dashing young gentleman. “I know I shouldn’t, but sometimes I think about you,” she sings. “And dream about you, oh yeah…”

Director Alexander Thompson (from Studios 15), entices with sharp, glossy, and cinematic imagery. It really is as though the viewer has fallen down the rabbit hole into Grace’s hazy dreams. The visual flutters by like flipping through a stack of polaroids, and Grace commands every single frame she, well, graces.

In a past life, Grace served in the army as an intelligence operations officer and nearly became a spy. But music tugged at her heart, and life took her in a drastically different direction. Between “Ghost” and “Dreaming,” it appears her instincts were correct. Her music positions her as one of the brightest newcomers, destined for greatness.

Teasing what’s coming next, Grace plans to record new music next month that promises to show “the darker side of me,” she says. “I think darkness is a part of life; you can’t have light without the shadows.”

Watch the “Dreaming” video below. - B Sides & Badlands

Jenny Grace Lets Us Into What She’s ‘Dreaming’ About With New Single And Video
by Lisa Hafey | Posted on 13/09/2023
With her classic country sound, Nashville’s Jenny Grace casts a spell on listeners, and her new single, ‘Dreaming’ is no less beguiling. Her fearless storytelling edges into the slightly less perfect aspects of life, tapping into those things we can all relate to.
Jenny grew up in Connecticut, before serving as an intelligence officer in the US Army. She bravely put this aside to pursue a career in music and modelling, and has since gained international recognition due to her songs such as 2022s ‘Ghost’. Not only that, she’s been played on The Country Network (TCN) and received nominations at several independent award ceremonies, including The International Red Carpet Awards in The Netherlands. With her raw and very real songwriting, Jenny harks back to her country roots while at the same time finding common ground with her very modern audiences, with her songs that capture the very 21st century themes of the struggles of life, love, and spirituality.

Jenny Grace’s latest single, ‘Dreaming’, is a tale of forbidden love. Sometimes, despite the emotions and attraction declaring it has to be right, a love just can never be. Jenny sings her tale of forlorn love to the one who go away, layered beautifully over classic country chords and finger picking guitar. It’s a yearning and a cry of deepest longing, in a life that seems to be out to crush the life out of all her dreams.

To add some more drama to the song, it’s accompanied by a gorgeous music video. Set in the rolling hills of New Hampshire, we find Jenny and the object of her affections as they cross paths in a small town. She’s caught by him – hook, line, and sinker. Chilling in bed, scrolling through pics of her dream man, Jenny takes us along for the ride as she imagines dates with her fella; picnics, strolls through the mountains and so on – but it’s never to be. Still, there’s no harm in ‘Dreaming’, is there?

You can watch the music video for ‘Dreaming’ below and find out more about Jenny Grace and her music online on her official website, YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram. - Essentially Pop

Get ready to take a ride on the emotional express with Jenny Grace's latest music video masterpiece, "Dreaming."


This isn't your typical love story; it's a heart-wrenching tale of desire and unattainable love that hits you right in the gut. Hailing from Nashville, the enchanting Jenny Grace thrives in the shadows. Her vintage country vibes and Southern charm captivate listeners across the ages, while her narratives fearlessly delve into life's complexities, capturing both the saintly and the sinful.


Against a backdrop of classic country chords, Jenny Grace's haunting vocals transport you into a world of longing and yearning. "Dreaming" isn't just a song—it's a raw, soul-baring anthem that demands to be heard with the windows down and the volume cranked up.


But hold onto your heart because the music video takes the feels to a whole new level. Nestled in the lush hills of New Hampshire, we follow Jenny and her crush as they navigate chance encounters in small-town spots. It's like stepping into their world of romantic tension and what-ifs. And let's talk about dream sequences.


Prepare for picnics amid breathtaking scenery, idyllic mountain walks that redefine goals, and a chemistry that practically sizzles through the screen. But here's the twist: This love is tantalizingly out of reach. As you watch Jenny scroll through snapshots of her love interest, you're right there with her, feeling the ache of a connection that can never fully materialize.


Jenny Grace's "Dreaming" music video is an emotional rollercoaster. It's an invitation to explore those moments of unspoken yearning we've all felt. So go on, hit play, let those emotions flow, and sing along like your heart depends on it.


"Dreaming" isn't just a music video. It's a three-and-a-half-minute journey through the labyrinth of unfulfilled desires.



Your latest music video for "Dreaming" is a visual journey through the complexities of unattainable love. Can you share the inspiration behind the song and video with us?


Most people are generally unhappy in their current relationships. Many people settle down young because they want to be married before they're 30 or achieve some check in the box for their lives. The universe doesn't work that way, and you can't choose things like love from a place of practicality and control. Throughout the centuries, arranged marriages have occurred. Everyone remembers the stories of Romeo and Juliet and Tristan and Isolde; it's the age-old curse that true love never runs smoothly. Also, some loves could never be; maybe they were too mighty for this world. The song was written based on actual events.


New Hampshire provides a stunning backdrop for the 'Dreaming' music video. How did you decide on this location, and how do you feel it enhances the emotional depth of the story?


I love New Hampshire. I have been going there since childhood to Santa's Village and North Conway for vacations. I wanted a "Yellowstone" type of mood for this video. Instead of flying to Montana, I tried to capture the beautiful mountains of New England, especially because I grew up in the region. New England has a vibrant history and timelessness, with an underlying spooky energy, especially in autumn. The song is spiritual and has some dark elements to it compositionally, so I needed scenery that would reflect this hidden sadness the way New England does.


The song "Dreaming" has struck a chord with listeners due to its relatable themes of longing and desire. Could you share your creative process in bringing this passionate country ballad to life, particularly in weaving storytelling into the music?


My guitarist friend Brian Mckeever sent me an entirely produced demo with banjo, drums, and acoustic guitars. The night he sent it to me, I wrote the song. The hook came to me quickly, and I worked out the verses soon after. I tracked vocals with my microphone and sent them back with the demo track, and Brian responded, "Another hit." Lucid dreams were a big part of my twin flame experience, so I thought this was perfect for the theme of "Dreaming" to portray the torment of dreaming of someone you can't be with. The dreams for these connections can go on for weeks and even years, as mine did. In the video, I tried to portray the element of star-crossed lovers with the scene on the bridge where Antonio and I bump into each other: the lyrics say, "Did I know you in another time?" - as a lot of these connections are also rooted in past life connections.


The chemistry between you and your crush in the video is palpable, yet it's a love that seems just out of reach. How did you approach portraying such raw emotions on screen, and did any personal experiences influence your performance?


Antonio Decilla and I are both represented as models. We are trained to portray a particular look on camera for a photograph or commercial. However, sometimes the camera doesn't lie, and real chemistry has to be there. It happens with actors when they meet on set; there is this potent chemistry, and the crew and the audience can feel it. I am glad we were able to create some magic in this video and allow the viewers to feel something.


What's next for you?


The more I keep releasing music, the more opportunities arise. I am recording new music in September and will be releasing a follow-up single to this one. I also just got my merch line, and I am so excited to partner with a woman-owned Long Island company, Madam Merchant, who designs all my products. I had a show this weekend where I am back in New Hampshire, playing alongside the Zac Brown band! The show sold out, so it was awesome. I also love Zac Brown's band and loved seeing them live for the first time.


I will also be playing in Nashville at Tin Roof in September and traveling out west to California for some shows in October. I want to keep making music and memories with the amazing people I've met on this journey.


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Nominated for;
2023 International Red Carpet Awards in Holland
2019 Josie Award Show Nominee -