We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jackie Therrien. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jackie below.

Alright, Jackie thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

Being a songwriter was something that I obviously have always loved, but wasn’t something I had really given much thought to doing as a career at first. I grew up playing piano, singing in my school’s choir and playing in the concert band. When I was 11 years old, I began composing pieces on piano, writing everything out by hand. Very shortly after that, I became more interested in writing lyrics so that I was able to sing while playing the piano. I immediately fell in love with it; I was obsessed. I was writing every single day. I was writing in the middle of class, all over my notebooks and in the corner of the paper on all of my homework. I made a You Tube channel to occasionally post videos of songs I had been working on. I started writing music because it was the equivalent of journaling for me, not because I thought it would be a career. In fact, for a little while, I was terrified to really even show anyone much of what I was writing. I had no interest in performing my songs live. It felt like it was just something for me. I figured I would get to college someday and have to pick something else to do with my life while waiting music on the side for myself. It wasn’t until I was 13 that I was encouraged by friends and family to enter my middle school’s talent show. I was absolutely terrified, but I did it. I signed up for the talent show as a singer/songwriter, and was going to play and sing an original song…for hundreds of kids and teachers at my school. I am forever grateful that I did it because it changed my life. I was nervous until I got out on stage and sat down at the piano. The second I started talking about my song, and then singing it, for the biggest crowd I had ever played for, all the nerves I had went away. it just felt right. I remember knowing that that was how I wanted to feel for the rest of my life. From then on, I knew I wanted to continue to share the music I was writing, and began to take it much more seriously.

Jackie, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I am a 21-year-old indie folk, Americana, and alternative singer-songwriter originally from Merrimack, New Hampshire. I began composing instrumental music around 11-12 years old, and started writing lyrics to my songs by age 12. Currently, I write and perform all my own music and play piano and guitar.

I grew up playing piano, singing in choir, and playing in concert band, marching band, and jazz band. Music has always been part of my life, but it wasn’t until I started to create my own music that I realized it was something that I wanted to make a career out of.

In October 2019, I released my debut single “Get My Attention,” which has garnered over 14,000 streams across more than 65 countries. In August 2020, I followed up with two singles, “Beautiful Boy” and an acoustic version. My debut album, “Night Music,” released in March 2022, features seven original songs entirely written, recorded, produced, and performed by me.

Most recently, I released a single “I Saw You at the Grocery Store”, which has become my most streamed song yet with over 25,ooo streams!

Now based in Nashville and studying songwriting at Belmont University, I have performed at various venues including The Bluebird Café and the Middle Tennessee Songwriter’s Festival. I have also played at notable locations in New Hampshire and Massachusetts, such as The Burren Backroom and Club Passim in Boston. My music is available for purchase and streaming on all platforms.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The most rewarding thing about being a songwriter is getting to connect with people. Every time I play a show, or release music, or even post a short clip of a song I’m working on, I’m getting to connect with people. Having total strangers tell me that they relate to one of my songs, or that I put into words their exact feelings that they’ve had before makes my entire day. My favorite thing about music is relating to it and feeling heard, so the fact that I’m able to do that for other people is just the coolest thing ever.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

Take time to discover new creatives, and build up smaller ones! Go see live music, buy merch, and if you find an artist or a song you like, share it! Any kind of support is massive for us.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.jackietherrien.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jackietherrien/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jackie.therrien.522
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/jackietherrien4
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCAo4dVbOl5U5GfkAI62Gpgw
• Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6TtVfDD1GnQkrbX05c67or?si=A9d3DRJrSimyOIinQacsEw

Image Credits

Kendall Nicole
Megan McCarthy