Drea Jeann makes soulful, emotive pop music for the modern age. It’s the sound of a survivor — a sound inspired not only by Drea’s diverse influences, but also by her personal battles and hard-fought victories. A lifelong entertainer who began performing in her native Northern California at 6 years old, Drea Jeann brings two hard-won decades of experience to her autobiographical songs, filling them with the challenging lows and charismatic highs of a songwriter who’s unafraid to shine a light on the skeletons in her closet.
Everything began in San Jose. There, somewhere between a blur of choir rehearsals and local theater productions, Drea developed a wide appreciation for blues, jazz, classical, musical theater, and pop. She listened to it all, from Ariana Grande’s R&B singles to Fun’s bombastic pop anthems to her favorite Broadway cast recordings. From a young age, she began writing her own music by jotting down snippets of lyrics and other song ideas in her childhood journal.
“Even in elementary school, I’d make up my own melodies and write my own verses,” she remembers. “I’d start a lot of songs but never knew how to finish them. I always had it in me, even if I didn’t have the guidance yet.”