“I’ve been told many times to not let a band overshadow my voice,” said country artist Jessica Rae, and with that in mind Rae produced an entirely acoustic album. The self-titled album features tracks that showcase the sweetness of her voice and poignant lyrics. Rae recently finished shooting not one—but two music videos for songs off of her new album. After spending most of her life dedicated to music, Jessica Rae is carving a well-deserved spot for herself as a country music artist.

Rae has experienced an extensive journey in music. At the age of four she began playing classical violin and by age 11 Rae was part of a group of thirty violinists that toured the world and even played for President Clinton. When Rae reached college she studied Violin Performance at Michigan State University on a music scholarship. “Violin was my passion in those years, and I continued to focus all my energy on it throughout my college years,” said Rae.

Rae recalls performing Avè Marie at her grandmother’s memorial service as a defining moment in her musical career. “Alone in the choir loft, I realized that I felt more comfortable singing than I had ever felt with eighteen years of performance violin. My life changed dramatically,” said Rae.

She began working as a session singer, musician and performer, while simultaneously working on regional and national commercials. Rae said that ad executives and friends consistently encouraged her to pursue a singing career.

After playing gigs in Chicago she made the move to Nashville where she truly began her career in country music.

The author, musician, and singer of three albums is now moving into the realm of music videos, and doing so successfully. Her first video featured the sweet, soulful and vocally-driven song, I Could Get Used to This, off of her self-titled album.

“I feel like a conduit for another purpose outside of myself, speaking of the nuances of why people fall in love.” said Rae on singing I Could Get Used to This. “I wanted to use visual interpretations, thus the video, to make the compelling point of the parallel universes between sharing a life and love and the loneliness of being alone.”

The video shows the thrill of getting to know someone new, from fun and romantic, to sad and lonely. “This video successfully shows the complexity of two people sorting themselves out. Love and loss is something we’ve all experienced, and the song poeticizes it,” said Rae.

The storyline of the video was created with help from Liquid 9, a production company based in Missouri who has worked with many notable artists from Tech N9ne to Blitzen Trapper. Liquid 9 created and submitted their concept for the story behind the song, and Rae was pleased with how they were able to capture the message of her lyrics.

But the journey to filming the video for I Could Get Used to This didn’t come without struggles. Rae recognized the importance of having a music video to gain the attention of those in the music industry as well as listeners. She also knew that first impressions are lasting and wanted her first music video to showcase her talent and personality; to successfully do so she needed to find help to finance the music video, and for assistance she turned to an angel investor. “As a struggling artist, an angel investor truly is an angel, allowing artists to produce and publish works,” said Rae, who is extremely happy with the result of the music video.

Rae said she learned a lot about the filming and production process of a music video during the shoot for I Could Get Used to This, which has helped her in the filming process for her second video 24 Hour Church (In Memphis) scheduled to be released in February.

Rae is a believer in the music video as a medium for getting your music to the audience. “As the adage goes, one picture is worth a thousand words, I think the video medium compliments a song’s delivery, is able to reach a broader audience, and successfully positions an artist if done with the necessary sensibility to maintaining consistency of an artist’s brand,” said Rae.

Since its release, I Could Get Used to This has been featured on The Country Network, a station that reaches over thirty million homes and 42 markets, bringing new attention to Jessica Rae and her talent. The Country Network has also expressed interest in her next music video for 24 Hour Church (In Memphis).

Rae’s songs have something to say; whether it is about her, the genre of country or the audience. She prides herself on being authentic, a quality evident in her decision to record an entire album driven by the power her voice. Rae’s minimalistic approach to music does not deduct from her performance, but rather engages the listener. The intimacy of Rae’s music allows the audience to fully focus on the splendor of her voice.

Rae’s goal is to make an impact in the lives of her listeners. “I believe in family, virtue and laughter, and I think my fans recognize this about me when I am performing on stage,” said Rae.