Tough times are always difficult to get through, but that does not stop singer-songwriter Jenny JAM from focusing on the positives. Whether dealing with personal struggles or helping to tackle third-world problems of health and poverty internationally and domestically, Jenny is motivated to overcome obstacles and take on the challenges at the heart. Rejecting negativity and adversity, she looks to empower the community and make positive changes across the globe through both her music and volunteer work. Please read our exclusive interview below to learn more!

Where are you based?
I am based in Los Angeles, California and have lived there for just under four years.

Have you always wanted to be a singer / songwriter?
I actually trained as an actress first but did Musical Theatre at Drama School, which included singing lessons. I would say I started off wanting to act first, however I always loved singing and recorded with different artists in the UK before moving to Los Angeles and deciding to write my own music. I have always written poetry, but have always recorded on other peoples’ projects until more recently. I have now turned a lot of my poetry into my own songs.

What got you interested in music?
I have been interested in music since I remember. I apparently loved Nina Simone as a baby and would always dance to her. If I don’t listen to music for a few hours, I feel like something is missing in my life. You will always catch me walking around with headphones in my ears!

Can you tell us a little bit about your new song Morning Bottle, and how it empowered you?
‘Morning Bottle’ came from a poem I wrote one morning. I was sitting on the couch of this place I was crashing at in Venice Beach, drinking whiskey by myself, when the lyrics came pouring out my head.

The music is inspired by the terrible people I had met in LA, and my abusive relationship which had ultimately driven me to hit the bottle. I was in a very dark place at the time. The song is about morning drinking, but my message is that no matter what happens to you, (in my case - the people, the drink, my ex), they can’t take who you are away from you. Hence the lyrics in the chorus “You can’t take that away from me”. Writing this song was a massive form of release for me. I find expressing myself through music the ultimate therapy. It made me want to change my life…and here I am!

We love that you use music as a form of empowerment, but you are also very interested in giving back. Can you please tell us a little bit about how you got involved in building a school in Ghana? What compelled you to undertake this endeavor and can you tell us more about your experience?
I was always taught to give back. You cannot just take in life. It will get you nowhere. There was a program that came up through a teacher at my high school and I knew instantly I wanted to go on it. I was only 16 at the time but knew I had to get myself to Africa to experience an entirely different culture. I had never traveled with my parents, as we did not have the money. I somehow knew that travel was the most important education. I worked four jobs for eight months to pay for the trip. I taught English in a school with no roof, in a village where 70% of the population were HIV positive with no access to medicine. Yet the biggest killer in that village was Malaria...

The people were the most warm, welcoming and positive I have ever experienced even until this day. I then traveled around Ghana to understand more about the culture and history. The country is rich in cocoa beans, coffee beans, gold and other raw minerals, yet has extreme poverty. All I can say is that there is a lot of terrible world-wide exploitation of this beautiful country.

What were some of the challenges you faced working there?
I got sick in the first six days of being there which was very challenging because I didn’t have access to medicine. I just stuck to a very plain diet and had to wait it out, haha! Eating after that was definitely a challenge! Not having proper running water or toilet paper was also a big challenge, but you do acclimatize. I very much appreciated all these things when I returned to the UK!

Can you share any stories from your time out there?
I took a picture of the main border between the two areas of the country. (Half of the country is Christian and half is Muslim and they have a border crossing which separates them.) I got pulled off the bus and held at gunpoint. I was told to hand over my camera to which I refused, as being a teenager I was cocky and thought they would never actually shoot me! My camera was a disposable one and had my entire trip on the film. After an hour of arguing and my body-guard getting involved, I was free to go!

My body-guard was furious with me because he said they were seriously considering throwing me in jail and I should have just given them the camera. At least I kept all my pictures!

Jejune loves that you give back both internationally and locally. Can you tell us a little bit about cooking for the homeless populations in Los Angeles?
I generally started off by cooking too much for myself. (I’ve always cooked for three people for some reason- terrible at measurements!) There are quite a few homeless people that live on my block, so I decided I should be giving the extra food to them. Some of them think my cooking isn’t salty enough (we were told it was bad for your health to cook with too much salt in the UK!) but some of them like it… I think!

You also live near Skid Row. What is that like? Is that why you got involved with the homeless population there?
Living right by Skid Row has its challenges! There can be a lot of shouting/people shouting at you as there are a lot of drug issues around there- especially with Meth. You do get to know the people though and I’ve never had any problems. It is easy to get involved with homeless people when it is right on your doorstep. They are just people who need help.

What would you like to see be done about the LA homeless problem? Why do you think it is such a big issue?
I think addiction and mental health is a hugely unaddressed issue in America. There just isn’t the funding to support it. Hence, why you have so many addicts/ex-addicts/people with chronic metal health issues on the streets. In all the countries I have been to, I have never seen such a widespread issue like this in a developed country. There needs to be free health clinics and clean, safe shelters setup. In a State as wealthy as California, this should absolutely not be an issue.

Are there any organizations in particular that you work with?
I don’t currently work with any organizations, as I work directly with the people myself.

We love that you pull from personal experiences in writing you music. Does any of your humanitarian work influence your music?
My music is based on stories and influences in my life. I wouldn’t appreciate being made stronger by the bad things that have happened to me and be as grateful for what I do have, if I hadn’t traveled and seen some of the things I’ve seen. I know everything is relative, but how can I complain about my life and the things that have happened to me when there are people whose whole families have died of AIDS, or people who have to work as young children, or worse-as child soldiers? I’ve seen a lot of poverty in India and across Africa, yet they are some of the most appreciative people I’ve met. It has taught me to always have a positive message through dark times- which is what I write about in my music.

Are you currently working on any new music/projects?
I am currently working on finishing my album. Each song is about how people have made me feel or things that have happened to me, each with a positive message.

What is your life motto?
Life Motto: Live everyday like it’s your last but don’t kill yourself trying.

Basically take every moment as precious- I’ve lost friends and family very young. You never know how long you have so you might as well make sure every day you are doing something positive like something you love, giving to others, or something that advances your dreams. Being negative is purely a waste of time. I often also overdo things, which has affected my health and I am currently learning a balance between work/living and relaxing, spending time with myself.

Please list any websites and social media you would like Jejune to promote:
My Youtube channel: Jenny JAM
Facebook: Iamjennyjam
Instagram: @jennifermoxham
Twitter: @iamjennyJAM
Website: https://www.iamjennyjam.com
Spotify/Apple/all major streaming platforms: Jenny JAM

Jenny JAM Transforms Negativity into Positivity