Meet Molly Jenson: Singer/Songwriter, Voice Over Actor & Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Molly Jenson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Molly, let’s start by talking about what inspires you?
I am inspired by so many things. Movies, movie soundtracks, nature, other people’s music, fashion. I often get ideas while I’m walking, driving, or taking a shower. I think it’s because I’ve allowed my mind to take a break from really searching for something new and interesting to create. It’s like I have to stop trying for the muse to start speaking. I guess it’s just really a reminder that my job as an artist is to sit back, quiet my mind, and listen. 

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I have been making art in one way or another since I could talk. I think singing was my first love as that was the most consistent thing I did throughout childhood and my young adult years. I dropped out of college to sing in a band and made my first album when I was 24. But I found early on that focusing on one thing is not something I really enjoy. I get bored and burn out pretty quickly. In my late 20’s a friend asked me if I wasn’t playing music for a living, what would I want to do. I answered without hesitation “I’d do voice overs.” He said he knew someone who was a successful voice over actor and I emailed her that night. I had set up my first voice over coaching session by the next day. For the next 10 years, my life was voice overs and music. I was touring a lot with a country band and at night after shows, I’d do voice overs in my hotel room. It was a lot of work but I’m super proud of how I learned to adapt to my situation and I figured out how to record legit sounding voice overs from almost any setting (as long as it was quiet enough). In my mid 30’s, I went through a divorce. I was still touring a lot and though I tend to process my feelings through songwriting, I felt too surrounded by music to do that. So I started drawing. Any time off I had on tour, I would find a coffee shop and draw whatever came into my head, which was usually strange looking people with big teeth saying what I was feeling and brightly colored. It was hugely therapeutic and something that I continue to do to this day, though my style has changed a bit and now I mostly draw monsters with little teeth. Being an all-around artist has been hard for me. I think sometimes if I’m not focusing on one specific thing like music, then people don’t thing I am serious about music. Maybe they see my hand in different baskets and they think I won’t give enough attention to the one that they think I should. But I see how my music, voice overs and art all go together and now there is no other way for me. I have had many side jobs and a few day jobs but ultimately I’m at my happiest when whatever I am working on is somehow related to either music, voice overs or drawing.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I would definitely take a friend to Griffith Park, the back side closer to Burbank, because it’s less crowded. I love a good hike and Griffith Park is really beautiful. We’d also go for a hike at Wildwood Canyon in the Burbank hills. That’s even less crowded and the view is gorgeous. We’d drive through Laurel Canyon and the Hollywood hills to just look at houses. I’d take them to The Guest House in Los Feliz for breakfast. I love their food and the vibe of that place is mellow and inviting and always less crowded than their sister restaurant, Home (right next to them). It’s my favorite place to write and draw for hours. I’d take them to Franklin Co for dirty martini’s and soft pretzels (YUMMM). We’d go to Coffee Commissary in Glendale for an oat milk latte, Buffalo Exchange on Melrose, the Rose Bowl Flea Market, Griffith Park Observatory, and spend at least two nights at Largo for a comedy show and a music show.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My parents have been huge in my success as an artist. From a young age they knew that I would not take the conventional route and they encouraged me to create and use my imagination. I also have felt a ton of a support from The Speranza Foundation. I received the Lincoln City Fellowship artist grant through Speranza for 2019. It came after a 10 year break from creating my own music and I wanted to make an album but didn’t know how to get started and honestly didn’t really believe in myself enough to push forward on my own. But having the support of Speranza and the 7 other fellow grantees pushed me to make an album I am very proud of and I can’t wait to release. There are so many other people who have been little guides for me throughout this journey. It would take me a very long time to list them all but I hope they know who they are.

Website: https://www.mollyjenson.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mollyjay
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/molly-jenson-92a45b185/
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/mollyjenson
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mollyjenson
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/mols222
Other: Drawing IG: https://www.instagram.com/heyjollymay Voice Over IG: https://www.instagram.com/mollyjensonvo Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/molly-jenson-official

Image Credits
Braedon Flynn Wes Marsala