Today we’d like to introduce you to Jenna Weidner.
Hi Jenna, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Yes absolutely! My is Jenna Weidner. I’m originally from a small town called Evergreen, CO. My whole life I grew up singing and performing. Throughout my childhood, I was involved in choir, dance and musical theater. No matter where I was or what I was doing, I was always humming a tune in my head, and still do to this day! When I was 11 years old, I started learning how to play the acoustic guitar. This love for the guitar eventually lead to me writing my very first song called “Dance With Me Tonight”. From there I kept writing songs and performing in showcases around Colorado such as the lake house concert series in my hometown, Evergreen and in music festivals up in areas like Copper Mountain. My choir, guitar and piano instructors were a huge support system for me in finding opportunities to share my voice and grow as a performer. I am very fortunate to have had the opportunities to sing on stages such as Carnegie Hall in New York City, Red Rocks Amphitheater (though I hope to perform there outside of a choir setting one day!), and in the Colorado All State Choir at the Colorado Convention Center.
When the time came around to thinking about college, the Lord was already one step ahead of me! I learned about Belmont University through a family friend from church whose son was in the process of applying to at the time. I had never visited Nashville or any area of Tennessee prior to learning about Belmont and knew very little about the actual music business. The only thing I really knew was that Blake Shelton and pretty much every country singer on The Voice said that they were from Nashville! My parents and I visited Nashville for the first time in February 2016. I knew by the end of that visit that Belmont was the school for me. I remember the president of the university at the time, Bob Fisher, telling all the students visiting that if we were to come to this school, we would learn how to use our God given gifts to serve others. We had to understand that it wasn’t about serving ourselves, it was about serving others. Going to a school located just a block away from Music Row and that had recording studios on campus was already really exciting, but when I heard Bob Fisher say this, I knew that this was where God was calling me in the next season of my journey.
I graduated from Belmont in 2021 with a degree in music business. During my time at Belmont, I not only discovered my voice as a songwriter and as an artist, but I also grew in my relationship with Jesus. While some kids stray from their faith in their college years, my experience was the complete opposite. Jesus has blessed me with the most amazing opportunities to grow in my faith and in my music. From leading worship during the summers at my hometown church in Golden, CO to getting to work and be friends with some of the most talented people I know, I surly would not be where I am today if God had not orchestrated every step.
My songwriting has grown and matured with my experience living in Nashville. In 2024, I released my debut EP called “Breakthrough”. These songs were all written during the Covid season and are a reflection of my trust and faith in God in the midst of questioning and troubling seasons. My musical influences include Brandi Carlile, Colbie Caillat, Ellie Holcomb, Joy Williams, and Sara Bareilles. I am about to release my debut Christmas EP “Believe” coming out on December, 5th. I will be releasing a single off of the EP every Friday starting November, 14th leading up to December, 5th starting with a song that will certainly get you in the Christmas spirit called “Mocha and Mistletoe”. I am so thankful to have gotten the opportunity to work with my producer and good friend Rocco Fiorentino on this project who also produced my “Breakthrough” EP. I am so excited to kick off the holiday season with releasing new Christmas music that will hopefully stick with you for years to come!
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
If you’re pursuing any career related to entertainment, the journey will always have its bumps in the road. I’m very thankful to know that Jesus is in my corner, because I certainly would not have the strength to pursue the path of independent artistry on my own. As a songwriter living in Nashville, I do a lot of writers rounds. While these performances are a great way to meet other writers and share my original songs, they can be tiring and are often unpaid and done in front of smaller crowds which can at times, be discouraging. I put a lot of pressure on myself, and though I try not to, I sometimes compare myself to other creatives in this city who are pursuing the exact same path as I am. Late nights can be spent listening to the same mix of a song I recorded over and over again, writing out notes for my producer to make the song as close to perfect as I can get it. For a perfectionist like myself, this process often takes a lot of my time and energy. Don’t even get me started on social media! Being independent has its benefits such as owning my work and creating the kind of music I want to make, but it also means that I am not only the writer and performer, but I am also the booker, the manager, the content creator, and the funder all in one. It’s easy to feel like I’m not doing enough when I compare myself to other singer-songwriters in this town who might have a bigger following or more monthly listeners on Spotify than me.
After graduating from Belmont, I wasn’t exactly sure what my next steps should be or why God had kept me in Nashville. When I wrote “Breakthrough”, I was not only allowing the Lord to speak over me in confirmation of His promises and His plan, but I was declaring over myself that better days were coming and that there was a purpose for the season I was in. Breakthrough was coming, and it still is. God has assured me that I am part of a plan that is bigger than my music and is bigger than me. Even when I fall, Jesus is always there to catch me and pick me right back up.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
As a singer who did choir throughout her entire childhood, singing backup and harmony has become second nature to me. I call it my superpower to be able to sing harmony with anyone regardless of their tone or genre. One of my most favorite things is singing with other people whether its in someone’s living room or on a giant stage. Living in Nashville, I’ve had multiple singing opportunities that I wouldn’t have anywhere else. This past October, I got to sing in the backup choir for Brandon Lake, Jelly Roll and Jon Batiste at Bridgestone Arena for the GMA Dove Awards. I have also gotten to sing in music videos for other artists and love creating and singing harmonies on my own music as well. One of my dreams is to go on tour as a backup singer for an established artist.
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
I’ve come to recognize “luck” as really God making a way when I couldn’t. It was God who lead me to Belmont and who has provided for me every step of the way. I am also very blessed to have a big support system from my family who believes in me and my talent. I am very blessed to be surrounded by great friends and co-workers who I can depend on and cheer me on. Some of my best friends are also my favorite artists and songwriters. If I hadn’t met them in Nashville, I might not have heard their music otherwise. I continue to trust that the Lord will continue to put good people in my path and that will not be because of luck, but because of His goodness and His promises. Any downfalls I have, I take as a lesson and as a way to depend on God even more.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://jennaweidner.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jennacwmusic
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jennacwmusic
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@jennacwmusic
- Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/jennaweidner
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4iTeFtf8xn1IDQkULQDQ1y?si=LVzQOQxFSLa5zESMTj6-jQ
