We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jenn Bostic a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Jenn, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear about the things you feel your parents did right and how those things have impacted your career and life.
I have been blessed with incredible parents. They exposed my brother and me to the arts from a very young age. We attended concerts and musicals as a family, my dad was always bringing home instruments to experiment with, and we spent many evenings around the piano or dad’s guitar participating in family sing-a-longs. I began taking piano lessons around 6 years old and attended many musical theater camps. At age ten, my father was tragically killed in a car accident. Music, specifically songwriting, became my therapy. My mother lovingly encouraged this artistic outlet and provided countless opportunities for me to explore it. My father was a successful business man, who always said that once he retired he would really press into music and record an album. Sadly, he never had the chance. Mom always encouraged us to chase our dreams and has done everything she can to support both my brother and me along the way.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I’ve been singing for as long as I can remember. Songwriting started as a form of therapy for me after the tragic loss of my father. I have always loved performing and had big dreams to see my name in lights and sing in arenas around the world. However, in 2009, Jimmy Fortune, Zach Runquist and I wrote a song called “Jealous of the Angels,” that changed everything. This song was written for my late father, and for the first time, I was able to fully express everything that went along with losing him. It felt as if a physical weight had been lifted from my shoulders. Initially, I had no intention of performing this song live, however one night as I was performing at The Bluebird Cafe in Nashville, Tennessee, where I currently live, I was compelled to play it. A woman approached me after the show and said, “I lost my dad two days ago and I know you played that song for me tonight.” In that moment something shifted in my heart. I knew that if the worst experience I had ever walked through could somehow have brought a song into the world that would help others feel less alone during their own time of loss, then I had a responsibility to share that. I recorded the song and filmed a simple music video for it in my hometown of Waconia, Minnesota, and now that video has over 4 million views, countless artists have gone on to record their own versions of it, I’ve gotten to sing it at The Grand Ole Opry, and it even reached #1 on the UK singer/songwriter chart. The most amazing part of it all is the way I’ve been able to connect with people around the world by vulnerably sharing my story through this song. I’ve released 5 full length albums in my career, but this song somehow unlocked something in me that gave me the permission and confidence to authentically share my heart in both songwriting and performance. I am incredibly grateful to have the opportunity to tour around the world sharing stories and songs, as well as teaching songwriting workshops along the way. It’s amazing to me that the more specific we are the more relatable our songs and stories become. My faith in God has kept me on this beautiful path, and my latest release is a Christian album called “You Find a Way,” in collaboration with my dear friend Lauren Christy.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
After losing my father, I really struggled with the idea that no one could possibly understand what I was going through. That was completely untrue. As an artist, I try to be incredibly vulnerable in my songwriting in hopes that someone might hear a song and realize they aren’t alone in whatever challenge they might be facing. It is my prayer that they may even find the encouragement, hope, or inspiration to overcome the obstacle at hand.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
I’ve been a full time independent artist for the last 12 years. While I’m incredibly thankful for the journey I’m on, that wasn’t always the dream. After the release of my first album, I was rejected by major labels and publishers in Nashville, Los Angeles, and New York. However, looking back, that was probably the best thing that could have happened to me. I stopped trying to write what I thought a record label or even the radio wanted to hear, and I wrote from my heart. I did have a publishing deal with an incredibly supportive and brilliant man named Jay Frank, who really championed me and believed in me on the days I struggled to believe in myself. Sadly, he passed away a few years ago, but the impact he had on me changed my life. He always encouraged me to own my own masters and I’m so grateful I listened to that wise advice. I love being an independent artist, choosing my tour schedule and locations, having the opportunity to be involved in a variety of projects, and running my own business. While it would be nice to have some additional help in administration and promotion, I am incredibly happy that I get to create the music my heart is beating to make.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.jennbostic.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/jennbostic
- Facebook: Facebook.com/jennbostic
- Twitter: twitter.com/jennbostic
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/jennbostic
- Other: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jennbosticmusic
Image Credits
Sara Kauss Photocillin Photography Bostic Photography