Meet Jennifer Marie

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jennifer Marie a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Jennifer, thanks so much for taking the time to share your insights and lessons with us today. We’re particularly interested in hearing about how you became such a resilient person. Where do you get your resilience from?

Resilience, for me, is something that’s been built through every season I thought I wouldn’t make it through—but did. A lot of it comes from watching other women I love and respect. My mother, for example, who faced adversity with quiet strength and unshakable grace through a difficult family history.

Other examples include women artists that I admire, like P!nk, Alanis Morissette, Natalie Grant, Naomi Raine, Sara Bareilles, Adele. I love their honesty in their art and I can point to many seasons of my life that their music, along with so many others, were truly a lifeline for me when I needed it most.

I also get it from being a mom myself. There’s something about having little eyes watching you that ignites a deeper level of determination—you push through, not just for you, but to show them what’s possible. I love to share the story that for 11 years I put my dreams aside to commit to being present with my two young girls. Now that they are older, I can reclaim the dreams I had in my heart that needed to wait until the time was right.

And honestly, music has been my therapy. Writing and performing has helped me process pain, reclaim joy, and turn hard moments into something beautiful. Being an indie artist is not for the faint of heart. I could give you countless examples of incredibly difficult conversations, failures, and just overall feelings of defeat that were close to halting my efforts, but I knew that my future self would never allow that to happen. I had to keep fighting for what I believed in.

So resilience, for me, is this mix of inherited strength, motherhood, and the healing power of expression.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

I’m a singer, songwriter, and piano player with a deep love for soul, blues, and pop music that tells the truth—raw, emotional, and unfiltered. My journey into music wasn’t linear. Like many women, especially moms, I spent years putting everyone else’s needs first (11 years to be more specific). But somewhere along the way, I realized that part of being a good mother, a whole woman, is also being true to yourself. Music called me back, and I answered.

Now, I write songs that speak to real life—heartbreak, healing, empowerment, and the beautiful chaos of motherhood and womanhood. I’m based in Minnesota and currently performing regularly across the region, building a community of people who feel seen through my music.

What’s special about this work isn’t just the music itself, but the connection it creates. Every time someone tells me a lyric hit home or a performance made them cry (or dance!), I know I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be.

Right now, I’m especially excited about my latest single, “Can’t Escape the Rhythm,” which just dropped this summer. It’s a soulful, high-energy anthem about the love you feel for someone that’s so deep, you feel that you can’t escape “the rhythm” AKA the love. I’ll be headlining a single release show on August 15 at Aster Café in Minneapolis, featuring the incredible Josh Cleveland as my special guest.

If you’re into music that’s honest, moving, and a little bit gutsy, I’d love for you to be part of the journey. This is more than a career—it’s a second act, a full-circle return to the artist I’ve always been.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

Looking back, the three most impactful qualities in my journey have been perseverance, self-trust, and emotional honesty.

Perseverance kept me going when the path wasn’t clear, and when life pulled me in a million directions. It’s what helped me return to music after years of putting it on the backburner. Sometimes progress is slow and quiet, but the people who keep showing up—even when it’s messy or imperfect—are the ones who grow.

Self-trust was a game-changer. For a long time, I second-guessed my voice—both literally and creatively. But the moment I stopped trying to mold myself into what I thought others wanted, and instead leaned into who I actually am, everything shifted. My music became more powerful. My performances became more grounded. And my audience? They could feel the difference.

Emotional honesty is at the heart of everything I create. I’ve learned that people don’t need perfection—they crave connection. When I write or perform from a real, vulnerable place, it resonates. That’s what art is all about.

For anyone early in their journey, my advice is this: Start where you are, use what you have, and don’t wait for permission. You don’t need to have it all figured out. Keep creating. Keep sharing. And most importantly, protect your passion—because that’s your power.

Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?

Yes, I’m always open to meaningful collaboration—especially with people who are passionate about creating honest, soulful, and impactful work. I love partnering with other artists, musicians, songwriters, and creatives who value authenticity and connection just as much as I do. Whether it’s co-writing, live performance opportunities, or creative content projects, I’m all about building community and making art that moves people.

I’m also open to collaborating with local brands, venues, and platforms that support independent music and storytelling—especially those who share a mission of empowering women, moms, and late bloomers chasing big dreams.

If you’re reading this and feel a spark of alignment, I’d love to hear from you. You can connect with me directly through my website at www.jennifermariemusic.com or on Instagram (@jennifermariemusic) and TikTok (@jennifer_marie_music). Let’s make something beautiful together.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Natalie Hanson, Brad Matala, Sara Westcott

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