Today we’d like to introduce you to Jessica Holloway.
Hi Jessica, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I am a singer/songwriter/pianist/performer from South Georgia. As far back as I remember, I was a daughter of ministers in the church. My father was a pastor and my mother was very active in everything from teaching children to cleaning the pews. I literally spent my childhood in the church running around with my sister, playing hide-and-go-seek, turning on the microphones and singing as if we were singing for a thousand people. This is where I found my love for singing and playing the piano.
Long before my love for singing into microphones, playing melodies on the piano, and finding harmonies with my sister, my love for music came from my dad. Driving around in his old datsun with holes in the floorboard, we would listen to the classic rock station. Right as every song would start, he would name the artist, the album the song was on, what year it came out, and if he had seen them perform live. He had a true love for southern rock like the Allman Brothers Band, Janis Joplin, and Lynyrd Skynyrd. But there was no one he loved more than John Prine. My dad sang so much Prine I remember hearing his songs for the first time on my own thinking he ripped my dad’s songs off. “Who is this guy singing my dad’s songs?!” My dad passed in 2024 and I never feel closer to him than when I hear “Irene Goodnight”
I began my professional music performing career on St. Simons Island, GA. Even though I had sang and played in church my entire life, it was really a completely different experience than playing out at bars and venues. I had some amazing and patient music mentors that helped shape the musician I am today. I had a band called Soul Gravy. We played amazing shows, shared the stage with world renowned musicians, and recorded an album together. In 2014, however, we had a bitter breakup and I began to think about moving out west. I had a few acquaintances that helped me line up a job and an apartment, and off I went to Colorado. As fate would have it, I met a group of local musicians at a jam. We began to rehearse and we formed the band that is now Jubilingo. The drummer and I particularly hit it off and began dating. We tried to keep it a secret from the rest of the band, but the googly eyes at each other and the sneaking off to kiss made its way to the surface. Since then, we fell in love, got married, and have a beautiful son together. He is such a driving force in our band and in our lives together. I found my dream life with him. I’m so glad I took a chance on the unknown and moved here!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Being raised in a southern church, I learned a lot of phrases! One of them being:
“You can’t have a testimony without a test.” Which means, you can’t talk about how you made it through the storm and the dark times and trouble if you don’t go through the storm and the dark times and trouble. Things have not always come easy for me. I was brought up in a pretty poor home where the expectations of real accomplishments were kind of a pipe dream. The biggest obstacle I have to overcome, to this day, is myself. The ceilings I create over my dreams and what I’m capable of are the biggest things that hold me back.
A more tangible challenge I remember was when I first moved here and I tried to pay for my parking at a meter. I remember my debit card declining from lack of funds. I literally didn’t have a dollar to my name!! I just stood there crying thinking I should just pack my bags and go home to my comfortable life I had on St Simons Island. I called my grandmother and she gave me the strength to hang in there and keep going for another day. She was my rock and my inspiration for packing up and leaving my home and everything I knew. She left her war-torn country under far worse circumstances and arrived here in the U.S. as a 17 year old immigrant with nothing to her name. She built a life for herself and I wanted to be just like her. I still do.
My biggest challenge today is juggling motherhood and my music career. I’m constantly questioning if I’m giving enough to my family. Or if I’m pursuing my dream with enough fervor. Or if I’m good enough.. I love music. It means so much to me. It is like the sense of smell where you can literally be transported somewhere with it. I can hear “Whipping Post” and I’m at Chastain Park, GA in 2012 getting my heart ripped out by Gregg’s performance that night. Nothing makes me feel like music makes me feel, except the sweet voice of my son. It is a balancing act that I’m still learning.
I have a wonderful support system and at the end of the day, there are people that are in my corner to encourage me and hold me accountable when I need that.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
My main project is my band, Jubilingo. In 10 years, we have played some pretty amazing shows, shared the stage with greats, recorded an album, released several singles, and gearing up to begin our 2nd album on vinyl. It is truly a passion project. I am able to express my southern roots with my bandmates who have inspirations from every genre. It feels good to really feels good to feel that flow of sound when we are together. We really meld together to form a unique sound. I’m excited for where our path will lead us!
Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
I love what I do! I love being on stage! I could be on the verge of a panic attack right before I walk out and the moment I begin to make music and lead with my heart, it all just melts away. I feel like I’m at home when I’m performing. It’s my safe place! I love to share my gifts with people. I know it is my purpose. I want people to leave my show feeling better than how they felt when they walked in. The power of music is undeniable. My preacher kid roots really start to appear when I ask for an “amen” during a show or request a solo by saying “Testify!” Hey! They don’t call me “Hallelujah Holloway ” for nothing!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Jubilingomusic.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jubilingoband/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jubilingo/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaoNKk9QeLoeAewQNrDTP6Q
