We Caught Up With Jenna Raine at NYFW to Discuss the MTV VMAs, New Music and More

As longtime fans and supporters of 19-year-old singer-songwriter Jenna Raine, we could not be more excited about what a big year 2023 has been for her.

The artist joined Joshua Bassett on his Complicated Tour, released two EPs—Big Dumb Heart, Chapter 1 and Chapter 2—and had an extremely eventful time during New York Fashion Week. In fact, that's where our own Sienna Leone recently got to meet up with Jenna ahead of the MTV Video Music Awards to discuss everything from her NYFW activities to new music, performing at the VMA Block Party and the upcoming awards show. Read the interview below for the full story.

Sienna Leone: Tell me what you're doing in New York this week. How crazy has it been for you?

Jenna Raine: It's been very hectic! New York trips are a lot, but it's been really fun. It's just been one thing after another. I went to my first New York City Fashion Week show for Sherri Hill, which was so fun and so cool, going to, and I'm going to my first VMAs tomorrow. It's a lot of exciting things.

 

SL: Speaking of the VMAs, this past weekend, you performed at the VMA Block Party. Tell me about that.

JR: It was so fun and such an honor. They had never done it before, so it was cool to be a part of the first VMA Block Party. The crowd was so, so sweet. I hadn't done a lot of shows in New York, so I was excited in general, and the view was gorgeous. I was literally looking out into the city as I was singing.

 

SL: Some amazing people have stepped on the VMA stage. What does it mean to you to follow in their footsteps?

JR: It's been really cool to see the history behind the city and the amount of performances and the awards won at these types of shows. To be a part of that, as an artist who has always dreamed of being in the position of winning those awards and performing on the big stage, has always been a huge dream of mine.

 

Also read about: Jenna Raine and JVKE Dish on Collaboration and New Perspectives on 'see you later (ten years)'

 

SL: There are some huge names attending tomorrow, from Shakira and Diddy to Taylor Swift, Doja Cat and SZA. Who are you looking forward to seeing?

JR: I'm just looking forward to seeing everybody because I really haven't been in a position to see any of these people out in public. The fact that we're all going to be casually walking around each other is just beyond me. Is Taylor going to be there, or no?

SL: I mean as big of a T-Swift fan as I am, I will cry if she's there. I hope to God she is.

JR: I hope she is as well. Honestly, she's the first person who comes to mind. If anyone were to leave me starstruck and not knowing what to say, I think it would be her. It's going to be so fun.

 

SL: What are we going to be seeing from your VMA outfit?

JR: Can I be completely honest? I don't know what I'm wearing yet. That's very like me—very last minute, always in a rush—and it's very fitting for what's to come. Go look at my Instagram, because I'm sure you will have already seen it.  I don't know what I'm wearing, which is really thrilling.  I'm really excited for tonight because I'm getting styled.

 

SL: We're in the same boat! And you are so booked and busy, with new music coming out all the time. Tell me about Big Dumb Heart, Chapter 2.

JR: We had Big Dumb Heart, Chapter 1 come out in May, and then Big Dumb Heart, Chapter 2 just came out, and this is a body of work that I'm so, so
proud of. I had been in songwriting sessions for the past year and a half to put these four songs together, which sounds absolutely bizarre, but I really wanted to come out with a project that really spoke to my heart and who I am as a person. I'm a very light-hearted, happy, joyful human, but I've really only released sad music, and I was like, maybe I should switch this up. What am I doing? I'm not really putting music out there that represents me to the fullness of who I am. This EP, Big Dumb Heart, Chapter 2, represents me and the light that I want to be for people.

 

SL: What's the biggest difference between Chapter 1 and Chapter 2?

JR: Honestly, just the meaning behind each song. The first EP is all about heartbreak and being a people-pleaser and being sad with your friendships and feeling like you're not fully recognized for the love that you put out there, and the second EP is more that I'm finding my friendships, I'm finding the relationship that I want to be in and I'm happy with who I am and where I'm going. It's almost just that growth in between high school me and me moving out of my hometown, which is really cool because you get to listen, top to bottom, from Chapter 1 to Chapter 2 about my experience over the past three years.

 

Also read about: Everything You Need To Know About Singer-Songwriter Jenna Raine

 

SL: What was the inspiration behind "It Is What It Is"?

JR: I had just gotten off tour with Joshua Bassett and I shrunk all of my clothes in the washing machine and then I cried about it and I went to my session. I was so jet-lagged, and I think I was really sick, but I didn't know I was sick, and I just wasn't in the right mindset. Everything was just a blur and I was just about to have a mental breakdown.They were like, so what do you want to write about today? And I just had one title that was sticking out to me on my notes, "It Is What It Is." They were like, what does that mean to you? Heartbreak? Growing? I was like, "I shrunk my clothes in the washing machine and cried about it, so that's what I'm gonna write
about today," and we made it happen. That's literally what we wrote. I'm really proud of that song and I'm very grateful for how worn out I was because that song would not have come to life if that hadn't happened. I still go through my closet and I put on random things that I think would fit me and I realize they have shrunk to two sizes too small because of that one load of laundry.

 

SL: Tell me about going on tour with Joshua Bassett.

JR: It was so cool. I had yet to perform a lot of my music live for an audience.
When "see you later" came out, it was over quarantine, so a lot of people knew the song, but nobody had really seen it live before. I remember so distinctively that Nashville was the first show, and hearing people sing my lyrics back to me was the most surreal feeling in the whole entire world. It was such a cool moment to feel that people resonated with my music even though sometimes it didn't feel like anybody really knew who I was or what my music was. For it to be right in front of my face blew my mind.

 

SL: We've been talking for a few years now and I've seen the evolution of your career and I'm so proud of you being here and excited to see what's next for you. What can we expect in the next few months?

JR: More music is coming very shortly. I'm excited to possibly continue the series that we have going on and I've been working every single day in the studio. I just got out of a songwriting camp, which was really cool, and we're wrapping up the next project already. I have a whole other body of work almost ready for everyone.

 

SL: What's the biggest advice you have for young artists?

JR: I've watched a lot of people in my life be upset with the choice that they made because they didn't end up going with what they loved. I'm watching a lot of my friends go to college and pick majors, and then switch majors because they realize what they're actually passionate about. I always say to chase the dream that you're scared of chasing.

 

For more on recent interviews with our favorite artists, click HERE to hear from Ally Brooke on her new single, "Gone to Bed."