Today we’d like to introduce you to Jenny Baker.
Hi Jenny, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I was born and raised in a small beach town in Maine and knew from a very young age that I wanted to pursue music. One of my favorite memories is from the 1st grade when I was presenting an “About Me” section in front of a group of parents.
When I answered the “what do you want to be when you grow up” question with “a rockstar,” the room of adults giggled at me, and I clearly remember being upset and thinking to myself “why is that funny??” For me, there was no other option.
Most people list the artists their parents listened to as their main influences growing up, but since I have a sister who is 9 years older than me, the music I was raised on consisted of 99% Kelly Clarkson circa Breakaway, with some Taylor Swift Fearless Album sprinkled in. Both of these artists, especially Taylor, have had a massive impact on my musical journey.
I first started performing at the end of elementary school through musical theater. From ages 10-18 I was in shows year-round, and truly discovered my love for music during this time. Through my love for performing came an interest in the choir, classical and jazz music, a cappella, and basically every opportunity my tiny public school had to offer. I started writing songs in middle school but didn’t fully immerse myself in them until I experienced my first heartbreak. From thereon out it became a sort of addiction, and to this day I cannot experience a single thing without running to my notes app and writing about it immediately.
I always knew that I ultimately wanted to pursue music, but there were so many other things that I was extremely passionate about that I wanted to continue to study. So when it came time to pick a college, I set my sights on the Dual Degree Program with Harvard and Berklee College of Music, and somehow, crazily enough, I got in. Through this program, I studied Sociology with a focus on social inequality and public policy at Harvard, while simultaneously taking classes in songwriting, performance, and music business at Berklee.
My biggest dream is to utilize my musical platform to educate others on the issues I care about, and most importantly to uplift the voices of people who are already out there doing incredible work. I had the enormous privilege of having this education, and I want nothing more than to be able to make an impact by sharing that with my audience.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
There were absolutely struggles along the way. I’ve battled with anxiety my entire life, and have had to overcome even more mental health obstacles over the last few years.
Most of my favorite songs have come from the darkest of places at the lowest of times. Without the battles I’ve faced mentally and emotionally, I would never have had to interrogate my head and my heart in a way that has allowed me to find my artistic identity.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am a pop singer-songwriter, and my absolute favorite thing to do is to name and explore emotions in a way you maybe haven’t heard them said before. My favorite artists help me understand the inside of my brain more, and my dream is to be able to do that for other people by articulating the fears and thoughts we may be scared to say out loud.
When I wrote my song Trial Run, I felt like I was the only person in the entire world who could possibly be feeling that way. But when it found a large audience on TikTok, it became clear that it was an extremely universal experience, and that none of us are alone. It’s moments like that that make me the proudest. Moments when my music really resonates with someone and helps them process or heal. Every single message I receive saying that one of my songs helped someone through a breakup, or a hard time, means the absolute world to me and is the reason I do what I do.
Risk-taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
Risk-taking is an essential part of growth and success. Although I always knew I wanted to move to Los Angeles and fully pursue music after graduating, I couldn’t help but compare my path to my peers at Harvard who were either off to grad school or starting an extremely fancy high-paying job.
Even though that security is something I envy at times, I knew that I had to take the risk, move across the country, and dive in. I also love to take risks musically, especially when it comes to lyrics. I care less about what is on the radio and more about saying exactly what I’m feeling as I’m feeling it.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.jennybakermusic.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jennybakermusic/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jennybakermusic
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/jennybakermusic?lang=en
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP3rV4K4LWK455X7Co5m9Aw
- SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/jennybakermusic
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@jennybakermusic?lang=en
Image Credits
Holy Smoke Photography, Zemo Visuals, Duju Film Collective, and Mia Doyon
