Entertainment Spotlight: Jen Porter
Acclaimed singer, songwriter, and entertainer Jen Porter has been called one of the hardest-working women in her industry. She has been performing upbeat, energy-filled live shows for over two decades. She began performing professionally in her college years, working in an original band, a cover band, and a wedding band. She moved back to Chicago and quickly made a name for herself in bars and clubs in and around the third-largest city in the country. She still performs at iconic locations such as Redhead Piano Bar downtown and Slugger’s Dueling Pianos next to Wrigley Field. Additionally, Jen is honored to be a resident singer of the National Anthem for MLB’s Chicago White Sox since 2007.
Jen quickly expanded from her hometown to performing at several locations throughout the United States, as well as on several enviable islands in the Caribbean and multiple countries in Europe. She enjoys residencies at several locations like Aruba, St. Maarten, and Amsterdam. She also continues to steadily write and record original songs, boasting 5 albums under her belt, available on all major streaming services, including a new single dropping in April 2024.
Critics often compare her live-show energy to that of Janis Joplin, her piano stylings and voice to Natalie Merchant, and the intensity of her songwriting to Fiona Apple.
Her fourth album, “Closer to the Surface,” was released to enthusiastic reviews. Andy Downing of the Chicago Tribune says, “[Porter’s] voice swing[s] between striking moments of intimacy and tornadic outbursts, while her piano . . . matches each emotional surge lockstep.”
Indie-Music.com’s Barney Quick says, “This is real music, wide and deep. It’s accessible but still invites you to take your time to see what’s really there. I don’t need any comparisons to get a handle on what she’s doing. She’s setting a standard by which others down the pike will be compared.”
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
- Released five full-length studio albums to date: What’s Next ©2018 - Closer to the Surface - ©2009 - Moving On… ©2006 - It’s About Time ©2002 - Faces ©1999
- Performed for an audience of 200,000+ people on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.
- Regular performer of U.S. National Anthem for the nationally televised Chicago White Sox since 2007; has also performed for the Chicago Cubs, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Fire, and Detroit Pistons
- Named Best Local Musician (Chicago) by the Chicago Free Press (2003)
- Regular performer at many international destinations, including several Caribbean islands and several countries in Europe
- Featured on Stonecutter Records’ Acoustic Chicago compilation
- Featured Chi-Tunes performer in Red Eye, a Chicago Tribune Publication
- Continuous radio airplay and interviews across the U.S. and Europe, including satellite and terrestrial radio
- Original music solicited for film and television projects
Check out Jen’s new song just released: https://jenporter.hearnow.com/ or https://linktr.ee/jenporterrocks
