Q&A with Jackie Venson

Enthralled with music since the age of 8, Jackie Venson has studied piano for 17 years as well as singing, songwriting, and four years of intensive guitar study, in addition to composition and studio production at Berklee College of Music.

“In her latest song, Austin singer-songwriter Jackie Venson offers a teaser for what fans can look forward to, featuring high production value and an eighties inflection on ‘Only Have You’,” writes Texas Monthly about Venson’s new single.

Hear “Only Have You” below:

Read Girl Gang Music’s Q&A with Jackie Venson below:

GGM: Can you humble brag for me for a sec? Who are you? What do you do? Tell me all the things.

“My name is Jackie Venson, I am a singer, songwriter, and guitar player. I picked up guitar 6 years ago after getting bored of the piano and have been grinding away ever since. I’d say I’m proud of how quickly I’ve learned to play the guitar but honestly it was 6 hours a day every day for years, as well as 1000+ shows so it doesn’t feel as impressive as it sounds. Lots of blood sweat and tears is what I mean. Now I am just chillin’, writing new music, playing gigs, going on tours and living the music life!”

GGM: What does this song (or project) mean to you?

“All of my songs and project mean everything to me, they’re like pieces of me. This latest EP in particular means a new chapter, more thought into my projects and more care into the songwriting.”

GGM: What was the creative/production process behind the EP?

“I had the songs written already and went into the studio with them as is. What was really fun for me was figuring out how to make them better and more refined. In the past I’ve always just laid em down and left them as is, this time I thought about it more and I love the final product.”

GGM: What’s something most people don’t know about you?

“I have six brothers and two sisters, I also love horses/horseback riding as well as video games.”

GGM: How do you think being a woman in music affected your career?

“In some ways it gives me an advantage, in others it either holds me back a little or causes people to have judgements about me and my ability. Honestly it’s not something I can change so I choose not to care about it. I play the game anyway and navigate around it whenever needed.”

​Follow Jackie

http://twitter.com/jackievenson

http://instagram.com/jackievenson

https://www.facebook.com/jackievenson/

Photos by Jonathan Fasulo

Jackie Venson’s Girl Gang Music Picks

GGM: The most beautiful song on earth?

“Teardrop, Massive Attack.”