While other little girls dreamt of being princess brides, mermaids, or fairies, Jen Woodhouse performed in her parents' living room in front of a captivated audience made up of her two younger sisters, various stuffed animals, and Barbie dolls. Whether she was performing in ballet and piano recitals, or just hula dancing for the neighbors, it was apparent at a very early age that Jen was a born entertainer. Since her sold out living room concerts, Jen continues to mesmerize audiences across the globe.
These days, Woodhouse has been keeping busy. A recent Nashville transplant, Woodhouse has been ceaselessly touring and promoting her highly anticipated album, "The Shaping & Shifting of Objects & Sound." Quickly garnering tremendous word-of-mouth support, Woodhouse's sophomore album follows on the heels of her critically acclaimed 2005 debut, "This Honest Age."
A collection of cleverly spun tales of realism that relate to the many sides of the persona, "The Shaping & Shifting of Objects & Sound" has many highlights, including the hooky, energetic pop gem, "Rearview," the moody, ethereal piano-driven, "Gravity," and the territorial, rollicking, tongue-in-cheek "Vicious." "Impossible", one of the album's standout tracks, combines tripped-out guitars with a quirky Imogen Heap-tinged keyboard groove. Live instruments (piano, drums and bass) mingle with electronic elements while Woodhouse's voice is powerful yet heart-wrenchingly sincere.
Woodhouse masters the delicate balance between strength and vulnerability. These intensely emotional songs bind the elements of self-sacrifice, redemption, and the constant redefining of identity.
The incalculable range found in Woodhouse's music should be of no surprise, considering her traveling forays into different countries and cultures. Born into a military family, Woodhouse divided her childhood in Texas, the Philippines, Alabama, Germany, Philadelphia, and Chicago. Her diverse upbringing clearly influences the music she makes today.
In addition to her rigorous touring schedule, Woodhouse was invited to perform at several high-profile music festivals, including Austin's biggest music event, South by Southwest, Toronto's Indie Week Festival and Atlanta's Atlantis Music Conference. She has most recently returned from The Green Light Tour, a month-long international tour spanning 22 cities in the United States and Canada, promoting her new album and raising awareness about global warming. Teaming up with various environmental organizations such as the Sierra Club and Arbor Day Foundation, Woodhouse and two fellow singer/songwriters planted a tree in every city they stopped in, as well as raffled off "enviro-prizes" to audience members.
Woodhouse continues to tour extensively throughout the United States, Canada, and Europe. Starting in January 2008, she will be touring in Asia for seven months. She will be documenting her daily travels, cultural experiences, performances, and impromptu hotel room writing sessions and posting the videos up on the hugely popular online video community, YouTube.com.
