What's the appeal with performing?
For me personally, being in bands is the best thing ever! Getting on stage and creating and sharing an energy with other musicians can be quite intimate and magical. I love performing in general. But being in a band and sharing high moments on stage ...it’s a union of sorts, it’s kinda intimate and public at the same time.
We are sharing something together and then translating it to an audience. However the feelings we get are kinda just for us. It’s a great natural high :) I don’t necessarily feel that with every single band I’ve played with, I think it does require all members to be ‘in the zone’ so to speak, then in that flow, the magic can happen!
I love this answer, as not many understand this concept. It's not always about being the lead, it is the combination of each band member that creates that beautiful magic and energy. Tell us about some of your journey so far.
After playing in my dads band for many years, I eventually started making musician friends and joining various north London Camden/ Holloway bands playing original music. The fact I was stronger on the improvisation front I think sometimes made me an attractive addition to a band, and also on a level footing with the ‘boys’.
It shouldn’t be like that, but to some degree a certain amount of sexism still exists in music as a whole and particularly in bands. Some girls being hired mainly to look nice on stage opposed to what she can bring. Quite soon into joining bands I knew I had to have an equal take in what I was contributing musically, and luckily I always did.
Over the years I’ve played in varying bands supporting great acts or have done sessions for various artists, like Gary Barlow, Take That, The specials, Florence and the machine, Bastille, most recently doing a West End residency and European tour with Michael Flatley in Lord of the Dance and just finishing a UK tour with Beans on Toast.
It is great to see a strong female in the industry. Tell us more about Lord of The Dance
It was an unbelievable experience, that happened quite spontaneously and unexpectedly. I auditioned for Michael Flatley a week before the show went live at The dominion theatre for his final West End residency. It was by far the biggest audiences I had performed to, with such a dedicated and global fan base.
I loved the routine of being a West End performer, with our own dressing room that became like a second home, and the feeling of being part of something quite iconic was a real privilege. After a 6 month residency we went on to do a European tour, of 13 countries, 50 odd cities over a period of months. Travel being part of a musicians job is undoubtedly a positive aspect for me. Exploring cities I previously hadn’t realised existed.
You are part of history for sure Jenna, as Lord of The Dance like you said, has a global fan base and will always be a very loved show. And your recent tour, how was that?
Touring with Beans On Toast was great. Jay has established himself a strong and dedicated fan base over years of hard work on the music/festival scene. I actually watched him from the beginning, so again, a nice privilege to then join his band for the Custy Tour.
It was also at a nice level in terms of a fully paid tour etc, but we still get to do the more band DIY aspects, in terms of travelling in the bongo and doing merchandise etc. So nice big audiences but still a real nice down to earth feel about it too. Chatting to Beans fans after and kinda being in more direct contact with the audience. I write tour diaries, but couldn’t possibly elaborate now, we would be here all month!! :)