Jessica Rose

Jessica Kartalis ’15 is turning around.

Wearing a cowboy hat and torn jeans, she carries her guitar and sings while strolling starry-eyed (and literally taking a spin or two) past the neon lights of Nashville’s main drag, in the music video for her original song entitled “Turn Around.”

“Sometimes you lose hope / Look around the corner / You never know what’s waiting there / Don’t let anyone bring you down,” she purrs in a throaty soprano, confidently strumming her red-rose-emblazoned guitar.

Could she be the next Carrie Underwood or Taylor Swift? Anything is possible. Recently, she has experienced quite a few ups to counterbalance her inevitable downs. Her spirits and her hopes are high, as is her work ethic.

“A lot of people work hard here, but I don’t sleep anymore,” says the Wagner student who is “studying away” for a year at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee. “I want to be big when I’m 25.”

Kartalis, an arts administration major at Wagner, is the College’s first student to participate in the exchange program offered by the New American Colleges and Universities (NAC&U), a consortium of 21 selective, small to mid-sized schools that share Wagner’s commitment to liberal education integrated with professional studies and civic engagement. In other words, through Wagner’s affiliation with Belmont University, Kartalis has become a domestic (rather than international) exchange student.

Jessica Kartalis stands with guitar in front of Music City banner.
Kartalis performs at the Visitors Center of Bridgestone Arena in Nashville.
“At Belmont University, you can throw a rock from the campus to Music Row, which is all the record labels and publishing companies and all that good stuff, so it’s really a good place to be,” she says. She’s taking courses related to the creation, production, and business of music, while also interning with the artist management company of country music star Toby Keith. “I’m really happy to be able to dive into something Wagner doesn’t offer,” she says.

Jessica was born and raised just a couple of miles away from the Wagner campus. Despite her ambitions, she says, “I never would have left Staten Island if it weren’t for the Wagner-Belmont affiliation. I was a homebody. I would have never come to Nashville on my own. It’s really cool that the exchange program lets people see another world.”

Kartalis, who goes by Jessica Rose (her first and middle names) on stage, started singing in choir as a child. At age 14, she started taking guitar lessons.

The guitar gave her the courage to overcome her shyness and sing by herself. She developed a solid local following, performing in Staten Island venues, at College events, and at weddings.

Then, her mother — Janice Kartalis, who works as an assistant for the College’s human resources department — sent a video of one of her wedding performances in to American Idol’s first online contest to nominate candidates for the show. Kartalis won for New York, and she appeared before the show’s panel of celebrity judges.

They turned her down.

That was last spring. Then, she auditioned to sing at Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville restaurant in Atlantic City, and was hired on the spot to perform at the popular boardwalk venue all summer.

A month into the season, all of the summer entertainment was fired.

But, she bounced back. She was hired to perform at Atlantic City’s legendary Steel Pier. Then, Jimmy Buffett’s manager called her, and she got her original gig back.

“You can’t give up,” she says. “Your dreams are devastated, and then one week later you’re double booked, and everything’s great. So that’s why I wrote ‘Turn Around.’ One door closes, another one opens.”

Because of her Atlantic City experience, she sings regularly at the Nashville version of Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville. She is also working with artist manager Rick Barker (famed for getting Taylor Swift’s career started) and performed during the CMA Music Fest in June, a huge country music bash.

Nevertheless, the loyal Alpha Sigma Alpha sorority member says, “Wagner is home for me.” She will return and complete her senior year in the fall, at the place where it all started. - Wagner College

Jessica Kartalis American Idol 2011 - TV Guide

Jessica Rose Kartalis was born and raised in Staten Island, New York. She is a singer, songwriter who performs country, pop and rock. She’s a one woman band who makes every song her own. At her shows she plays Guitar, Bass Drum and incorporates other instruments such as Ukulele, Banjitar and Harmonica.
Jessica has accomplished more than some would in a lifetime, yet she is still 20 years young. Performing in two of our biggest music capitols in the world, NYC and Nashville, has allowed her to reach many fans with her music. With American Idol, Radio shows, TV appearances and live shows being a part of her background it is crazy to think that the once shy little blue eyed blonde haired girl has grown into a superstar in the eyes of her fans.
Jessica had a love for music her entire life. But at an early age she was too shy to share her talent with others. After attending her first concert she wanted to sign up for guitar lessons. Jessica’s guitar became a shield for her, it allowed her to sing and become who she is today. Some of her favorite artists are Carrie Underwood, The Band Perry, Zac Brown, Jimmy Buffett, Katy Perry, Taylor Swift, and Sheryl Crow.
In the beginning Jess performed for family, friends. She started playing at restaurants and local bars. She then performed shows, concerts, and appeared on the first show of American Idol Season 12 as the first ever nomination winner in Idol history.Digital Advertising System
Digital Advertising System

She created a lot of buzz and was spoken about on the Emmy winning talk show the View, Z100 New York Radio with Ryan Seacrest and other media platforms.
Jessica continued to work hard, auditioned and was hired to open and perform at Jimmy Buffett’s Landshark Bar & Grill on the Beach at Resorts Casino, Atlantic City, N.J. starting May, 2013. She had the honor of being the very first performer to play the opening premier parties and grand opening. Still to this day she is the only single act to perform there among acts of duos and trios. On her days off from Margaitaville she performs at the “World Famous Steel Pier” in A.C.
Currently Jessica is a student at Wagner College in Staten Island and an exchange student at Belmont University, Nashville, Tennessee. She hopes to follow the footsteps of Alumni Florida Georgia Line and Brad Paisley. Jessica has been performing her shows at Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville, Downtown Nashville. She also performs at the Bridgestone Arena Welcome Center, Pucketts, Opry Mills, the Stage and you can also catch her at the famous Blue Bird Cafe! She is an intern for Toby Keith and Mac McAnally at TKO Management Co, a member of BMI and is preparing for her first tour and a performance at Nashville’s famous CMA festival this June! Check out her first original video and song “Turn Around” which is filmed all Downtown Nashville and can be heard on local radio stations. Be on the lookout for Jessica Rose’s first EP it’s coming out this July 2014! - Nashville Talent Magazine

Jessica Rose Endorsed by Luna Guitars - Luna Guitar

NY1 - Jessica Rose wins Nationwide contest and is named 2019 Country Music Rising Star - NY1 Spectrum