Interview - Jenna Louise

In a music landscape that thrives on authenticity and emotional resonance, few voices cut through the noise quite like Jenna Louise. Hailing from the North East of England, this rising artist has built a name on raw, emotive songwriting and a vocal delivery that’s as soulful as it is unforgettable. Now, Jenna steps further into the spotlight with her luminous new single, “Better With Us,” a spirited collaboration with Leeds-based folk-pop favourites The Dunwells. Blending elements of pop, indie, rock, and soul, Jenna continues to carve out a genre-fluid identity shaped by modern influences like Ella Henderson and James Arthur, while echoing the timeless power of legends such as Whitney Houston and Cher. We caught up with Jenna to talk about her musical roots, her latest release, and the journey that’s only just beginning.

Welcome to MeloDrift. Can you tell us a little bit about your musical background?

Thank you so much for having me! I've always loved music from a very young age. I grew up obsessed with watching all of the music videos and Top of the Pops, making my own dances up to the songs I knew I wanted to sing. Moving on through school and college, I performed in bands, played at charity events and studied Performing Arts. I left music to go and work in retail at 17 and had a break. Fast forward to 2017, I was given an experience day to visit a recording studio, and I never looked back. I started writing in 2018 after a year of recording covers, and I eventually finished my album in October 2023. I planned my album launch for March 2024 and sold out the venue; it was amazing. Since then, I have slowly been working on a new style and trying new genres and collaborating with other artists and musicians. 

If your life had a theme song, what would it be? 

Right now, it would be Jessie J - Living my best life, if you'd asked me a couple of years ago, I'd have said something like Better Days by Dermot Kennedy. What a reflection moment I've just had writing this - it really makes me see how far I've come and that there is light at the end. 

Who or what have been the most impactful influences on your musical style and sound?

I take inspiration from legendary powerhouses such as Whitney Houston & Cher, P!nk and then through the years have fallen in love with Jessie J, Ella Henderson, Becky Hill, Ed Sheeran, James Arthur, and so many more. Being a genre-fluid artist means sometimes I'll be rocking out to P!nk and others singing softly into a piano ballad or raving to house music. I love so many artists, and they have all shaped my sound depending on how I'm feeling the day I walk into the studio. Recently, my songwriting has leaned more towards happiness and love - I have my gorgeous partner to thank for that inspiration. 

How do your life experiences shape your songwriting, and what emotions or ideas do you hope listeners connect with in your music?

I'm such an open book with songwriting, I literally wear my heart on my sleeve in everything I write. Whether that's showing my happy times, the sad times, the grief and loss. I'm hoping my listeners hear the emotion and really feel it, relate to it and hopefully take something from it to help them going forward. My album is called 'My Journey' because it quite frankly was that, the good, the bad and the ugly - it was a rollercoaster 5 years in the making. 

Each phase of music-making—writing, recording, rehearsing, and performing—has its own unique rewards. Could you share a memorable moment from each stage?

The whole process is just amazing, I absolutely love to watch it come together. Writing this song in particular was so special. One of the main hooks, 'Everything works better with us', came from a place of feeling nothing but happiness and safety when I was spending the day with my partner and his children. I just remember the feeling of warmth and happiness, and that was a memorable moment for sure, that shaped that lyric. The music making was special, watching Joe and Dave come together and shape the song was just magical. I don't play an instrument and I struggle to read music, but I do have ideas and hear instruments before they're in the song, and it's great to be able to share those ideas in a room with talented musicians and it be recognised as a great idea! I think being involved in the music-making process of some sort is a rewarding moment for me because I feel the song shaping, and it makes me happy. Everything else, from recording to rehearsing and performing, is nothing short of electric. The feeling of happiness knowing you've created a fantastic song, having a laugh in the studio and then seeing people sing your song back to you in a crowd is overwhelming but phenomenal. 

Is there a song of yours that holds particular personal significance? We’d love to know more about the story or the inspiration behind it.

'Like i Do' I just love it. I wrote this song in 2023 with Carl Pemberton with the perfect 'wedding aisle' song in mind, and it was actually the first song I'd written, which was totally fictional. The past year has made me realise that it was a manifestation of how I hoped I'd feel when finding the love of my life... and now I really resonate with my own song more than ever, it's so emotional, and I also perform this for brides now to walk the aisle. 

If you could swap lives with any musician for a day, who would it be and what would you do?

The answer to this question is super hard because I have so many idols, I'd love to be in their shoes for a day, but I'm going to go with Clementine Douglas - because, what a woman! Clementine was a dinner lady, and she is now one of the hardest-working, talented and humble artists out there. Producing her own music, writing and singing some amazing songs with world-famous producers/DJs, and I'd just love to be on stage as her one day and look at how far I've come and know that anything is possible if you really just believe and put the hard work in. 

What’s a guilty pleasure song you secretly love but might surprise your fans? 

Five - Keep On Moving - I have nothing but good memories with this song. 

Looking ahead, what are some goals or dreams you have for your music and career?

I want my music to be heard by many, I want to connect with real people and real stories and build a network of people who love my storytelling through music. I'd love to headline my own shows and big performances. To be known as the perfect wedding songwriter would be amazing. I have a lot of passion for helping upcoming artists get their spotlight, so to be more involved in helping the younger generation get into music would be fab. I'd also love a songwriting session with my female icons - we can all dream. 

Finally, is there anything else you'd like to share with our readers before we close?

Just - THANK YOU! Thank you for this opportunity, thank you to anyone who's listened to my music, shared it or just talked about it - I'm so so grateful. I genuinely thought that at my age, I would be wasting my time, and I'm here proving to myself that people are listening to my music and actually enjoying it. I am so grateful for all of the help and support I've received so far, especially on this latest release. I'd love for the readers of MeloDrift to listen to my album as well as my new song - this really has been a journey, and I am super proud. 

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