Janelle ja

At first glance she is demure and petite, with a modest sense of chic and an air of humility. Take another look and you will discover a raging fire ready to devour Chicago. Janelle. Sassy and classy, with a little bit of funk.

Janelle’s music is far from black and white. She brings a colorful and diverse form of neo-folk with a bit of jazz to the scene. Her lyrics are inspired through personal struggles and triumphs. Janelle is a true testament to the quote, “a baby must crawl before it can walk.”From a very young age, Janelle’s great-grandmother encouraged her to follow her heart. Since then, Janelle has been paying her dues and honing her craft. Her first brush with success occurred when she recorded “Play-ing with my Emotions,” which was featured on B96 late night mix set. While attending West Aurora High School, Janelle joined the girl group Vanesse. The group’s music has been featured on radio station 107.5fm WGCI Chicago. The experience had a profound impact on her, both personally and professionally. Janelle’s fierce passion for singing, song writing and performing allowed her to fuse each element together, creating a profound musical foundation. At the moment, Janelle is perfecting her craft. It has been no small feat.

Besides interning with WTTW 11, MTV, promoting for J Records, meeting with Sony Records in New York and working as Production Assistant, Janelle has managed to put together her own music production and demo. “Being a female and having to do all the work has opened my eyes. I know I can do anything if I just work hard.”

Janelle has performed at Lillian Dion Salon for her CD reception and had a full production at Gorilla Tango Theater. During her performance at McCleery grade school, Janelle encouraged children to stay in school and pursue a higher education.
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