Episode 19 - Jenna Andrews

Songwriting For Songwriters

As a performer who was signed to a major label (Island Def Jam) and a music publisher (Sony/ATV) herself, Jenna Andrews is driven by an innate passion for music and a belief in its power to unite and inspire. The Calgary native has worn many hats in the music industry, from vocal producer to A&R/creative consultant, from songwriter and arranger to executive producer, taking both young and seasoned performers under her wing as friend, confidant, advisor and often even therapist.

As a consultant for Sony Music’s RECORDS label (where she is currently working with Swedish pop star Tove Styrke) and a partner in their joint venture publishing company TwentySeven Music at Sony/ATV, Jenna is in more demand than ever after serving as the vocal producer on BTS’ Grammy-nominated global smash, “Dynamite,” and doing similar honors, along with co-writing, for the South Korean superstars’ current chart-topping smash “Butter” as well as collaborating with Ed Sheeran on writing their latest smash, “Permission to Dance.”

‍Among her impressive credits include collaborations with Drake, Jennifer Lopez, Tori Kelly, Jessie J, Noah Cyrus (“July”), Benee (the TikTok smash “supalonely,” being used in over 10 million user-created videos, and streaming over 500 million times to date) and Galantis, David Guetta & Little Mix (“Heartbreak Anthem”), as well as producers Noah “40” Shebib, Diplo, DJ Mustard, Max Martin, Illangelo and Stargate.

The daughter of a psychology professor and a schoolteacher, Andrews started playing piano and performing at the age of five, her mother passing on a love for Billie Holiday, Marvin Gaye and Donny Hathaway before she developed her own idols in Mariah and Whitney. Determined to pursue a musical career, Andrews dropped out of college after six months, where she was studying broadcast journalist, and moved to Vancouver. Famed manager Chris Smith (Alessia Cara, Nelly Furtado) discovered one of her songs on MySpace and signed on to represent her, securing a deal with Antonio “L.A.” Reid at Island Def Jam. When Reid left for Epic Records, industry legend Barry Weiss re-signed her to the label after a showcase. Jenna eventually became a creative consultant at his subsequent label RECORDS, home of Noah Cyrus and 24kGoldn, among others.

Jenna’s fingerprints are all over “Butter,” with a pair of her TwentySeven Music signings, songwriter/producer Rob Grimaldi and co-writer Alex Bilowitz, both contributing to the BTS song along with Stephen Kirk, all of whom receive writing credit on the song along with Columbia Records Chairman Ron Perry and BTS’ RM, who penned the closing rap.

The result was the band’s fourth chart-topping Billboard Hot 100 single, and a major achievement for Andrews and her team, one that has her looking to the future to make her mark in not just the music business, but other ancillary, related projects.

Given her experience working with young artists, particularly female artists, Andrews has launched a podcast, “The Green Room Talks,” in association with the Jed Foundation, a non-profit organization that protects emotional health and prevents teen suicide. Each episode combines her skills in both creative songwriting and psychology, inviting artists and therapists to discuss issues like anxiety, eating disorders, sexual identity, stage fright and panic attacks. The show, conducted via Zoom, is set to go in person, distributed by Spotify, Apple and YouTube.

“It has been an amazing experience,” she notes. “Exploring the marriage between health and music. Songwriting always felt like therapy to me. You come in the studio and purge your emotions. It’s my way of showcasing that process, especially for fans, allowing them to see their favorite artists have some of the same issues they might. At the same time as it shines a light on how their favorite songs were written.”

Adds Jenna, “For me, it’s not just being a songwriter or a producer behind the scenes,” pointing to the way fellow songwriters like Pharrell and Kara DioGuardi have created brands that stretch behind the recording studio. It’s that type of reach that keeps Jenna Andrews motivated.

“I love developing artists, executive producing, all the things I’ve done have prepared me for what I’m doing now,” she says. “I have a great overview of how a project comes together, and the steps to take to make it successful.”

Find more about Jenna at her website: http://www.thejennaandrews.com/