Spotlight On: CASSANDRA JENKINS

ABOUT this week’s podcast guest + radio hour featured interview:

Even though this week’s guest has had a life immersed in music, it is only in the last couple of years that New York City native, Cassandra Jenkins, became comfortable with calling herself a career musician. As a young child, Cassandra was introduced to the life of touring with her parents and two siblings in a family band. The now multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter, and producer learned guitar before she was twelve. In addition to music, her interests led her to study visual art in college, and to take a job at the New Yorker after graduation. But by the time she was in her late twenties, Cassandra had once again become a touring musician (this time in various bands), and started releasing her own music in 2013 with a self-titled EP. 2017 saw the release of her full length debut album Play Till You Win. In the years between that album and her breakthrough, the critically hailed 2021 sophomore album An Overview on Phenomenal Nature, Cassandra toured with Craig Finn, and Eleanor Friedberger. Her sophomore album was at the top of nearly every year-end “Best Of” list, and yet, the future of what her path in music would look like going forward was uncertain. Lucky for all of us, we are celebrating the release of her third album this week called My Light, My Destroyer. Cassandra Jenkins joins us to share her journey to finally embracing the identity of musician, but redefining what that looks like. I’m thrilled to welcome Cassandra Jenkins as this week’s SHERO in the Spotlight.