Want this badge?Jen Foster wants you to hear her music. Whether she’s singing about the time her lover moved out and took everything she owned in “Taking Bob Dylan†– or about our jaded American culture in “Closer to Nowhere†– she has something she needs to share with you.
An award-winning singer/songwriter who regularly sells out shows all over the country, Jen draws a devoted following to her live shows, though her largest fan base resides in the southeast. Her bond with fans creates a captive audience, anxious to hear her stories and take in her unique sense of humor. Foster always delivers, making her audience laugh, even if it’s at her own expense.
Influenced heavily by classic artists such as the Rolling Stones, U2, and Bob Dylan, Foster has spent the last several months in a Nashville recording studio working on her upcoming third album (tentatively titled Thirty-Nine), which aims to tighten that bond with listeners through frank and sincere storytelling. Foster, along with co-producer, Greg Droman, put together an all-star group of musicians, including Peter Stroud (Sheryl Crow), Rami Jaffee (The Wallflowers), Sean Hurley (Vertical Horizon), and Fred Eltringham (The Wallflowers, Dixie Chicks, The Wreckers). Embodying a blend of sounds which range from soft, lazy-day melodies to more raucous guitar-driven tracks, the forthcoming new collection includes two tracks (“Closer To Nowhere†and “Venice Beachâ€) which have recently garnered nominations in the International Songwriting Competition.
Always independent, Foster is no stranger to marketing her own music. She started her own label – now called Fosterchild Records - in 2003. Her debut release, Everybody’s Girl, garnered national radio success at the Triple A format, as well as positive reviews, praising her no-frills, unfiltered lyrics. Songwriting awards followed, and Jen hit the road and started building what is now a formidable fan base. She has also secured some impressive Film/TV placements, with songs placed in the popular television soap opera All My Children as well as a recent placement in an American Pie movie sequel.
Foster’s close relationship with her fans has been key to her success. “I always say that if the fans aren’t there, it’s just a rehearsal. They give meaning and life to what I do, and I want them to know how much I appreciate them.†Foster cares so deeply for her fans that she returns every email from them, no matter how long it takes.
Foster’s 2006 sophomore CD, The Underdogs, was in many ways a powerful tribute to her supporters. The title track evoked such a strong reaction, that it won “Song of the Year†at the Out Music Awards. “To this day, people approach me after shows to share with me how deeply they relate to that song. I think it’s a strong memory many of us have – that feeling of being an outsider.â€
Foster definitely knows what it feels like being an outsider. Growing up in a very conservative, Houston, TX, suburb, she never quite felt like she fit in to that world. Singing and writing songs quickly became Jen’s way of expressing feelings she couldn’t otherwise express.
Foster credits another outsider, Ani DiFranco, for inspiration in her business model. “Ani did it her way, and she inspired me to do it my way. I’ve created a fairly unique situation. I’ve built a team of people I trust at my label and also, a community of fans,†Foster proudly notes. “It’s always challenging to take off the artist hat and put on the business hat, but it’s a challenge I embrace. My music means too much to me to blindly put it in someone else’s hands.â€
Foster’s new album, Thirty-Nine, is slated for a summer 2008 release, with a four-song EP, Songs From Thirty-Nine, due out in early spring.April 10, 2008
*Jen Foster has just won first place in the Triple A category in the International Songwriting Competition for her song "Closer To Nowhere." There were over 15,000 entries and the judges included: Amy Ray (Indigo Girls), Nelly Furtado, Tom Waits, Macy Gray, Loretta Lynn, & more. Check out the winners and the competition here .
April 9, 2008
*Jen will be appearing on Nashville's radio station Lightning 100 on April 16th at 3 p.m. TUNE IN! And for those of you outside of the Nashville area, you can listen online and find more information here . Jen will be debuting her new radio single, "Closer To Nowhere" as well as another new track from the forthcoming EP.
April 3, 2008
*The Nashville Rage has a full page article this week on how Jen, as an independent artist, has capitalized on the success of MySpace. Read the electronic version here . Or view the actual article here .
March 29, 2008
*LOVEGIRLS online Magazine posts their exclusive UK interview with Jen. Though Jen is in the midst of a busy touring schedule she was happy to give a candid interview to LOVEGIRLS. You can check out the interview here .
March 26, 2008
* Van Preston , a Nashville-based country songwriter and performer recently cut one of Jen's songs, "Everything I've Never Seen." The song just recently went to 21 on the European radio charts (that's out of 800 stations!) and it has stayed there for two weeks straight.
Jen co-wrote this song with Greg Crowe who has also written songs for Montgomery Gentry, Sammy Kershaw, and more. He also wrote, sang, and produced the official song for The Tennessee Titans Radio Network, “We’re Fired Up,†and was nominated as a producer for European country music.
You can check out Van's version of the song here . Congrats to Van! ENJOY!
January 29, 2008
* Jen was just nominated as a semi-finalist in the 2007 International Songwriting Competition for two of her new upcoming tracks, "Closer To Nowhere," and "Venice Beach." The finalists will be notified on February 4th and then you, the fans, will have a chance to vote in the ISC's Peoples' Voice. A link will be posted next week.
January 24, 2008
*Great Response from an awesome MYSPACE Site-The Lesbian Lounge. The Lesbian Lounge podcast got over 3,000 downloads JUST THIS WEEK alone!! That's huge numbers for this podcast, and they credit me, my music, and my AWESOME dedicated fans.
January 20, 2008
* NEW MUSIC IS COMING!!
Jen has been busy in the studio over the past few months cooking up some great new music that I'm sure you'll love. New EP's in the next month and a full CD coming in the Spring. Check Out Jen on her MYSPACE BLOG for more info and upates.
SONGWRITING AWARDS
1) "CLOSER TO NOWHERE" - WINNER, TRIPLE A CATEGORY, INTERNATIONAL SONGWRITING COMPETITION
2) "TAKING BOB DYLAN" - GRAND PRIZE, INTERNATIONAL ACOUSTIC MUSIC AWARDS
3) "TAKING BOB DYLAN" - BEST FEMALE ARTIST, INTERNATIONAL ACOUSTIC MUSIC AWARDS
4) "THE UNDERDOGS" - SONG OF THE YEAR, OUT MUSIC AWARDS
5) "AMEN" - WINNER, GOSPEL CATEGORY, USA SONGWRITING CONTEST
6) "SHE" - WINNER, POP CATEGORY, 2001, JOHN LENNON SONGWRITING CONTEST
7) "SHE" - WINNER, POP CATEGORY, 2001, GREAT AMERICAN SONGWRITING CONTEST
8) "EVERYBODY'S GIRL" (FULL RECORD) - WINNER, BEST DEBUT RECORDING - FEMALE, 2004, OUT MUSIC AWARDS
9) "IN BETWEEN POSES" - WINNER, 1st ANNUAL AWARDS, BEST FEMALE ARTIST, INTERNATIONAL ACOUSTIC MUSIC AWARDS 10) "TAKING BOB DYLAN" - WINNER, NASHVILLE SONG & LYRIC CONTEST
FILM & TV PLACEMENT
1.) "All This Time" (By Jen Foster) is featured in the American Pie sequel American Pie: Beta House.2.) "I Just Wanna Be Happy" (By Jen Foster/Kathy Scott) was recently featured in the ABC soap opera All My Children.3.) "She" (By Jen Foster) is featured in the well-known film, Girlplay, directed by Lee Friedlander.
4.) "The One Who Got Away" (By Jen Foster/Glenn Rosenstein) is featured in Happenstance, an award-winning short film directed by Joyce Draganosky.
5.) "Seize the Moment" (By Jen Foster/Randy Bachman) is featured in the LOGO special, Suzanne Westenhoefer: A Bottom On Top.
6.) "Amen" (By Jen Foster) is featured in a Public Service Announcement on teen pregnancy by the organization One Milwaukee. 7.) "Without Michelangelo" (By Jen Foster/Kathy Scott) is featured in a television commercial for Chamberlain Nursing Schools.