Jenikz

"Jenikz's music is relentlessly original, serving as a seamless fusion of electronic, folk, pop and world. Her voice is inspiring and hopeful - something this world could use, don't you think?" James Moore www.yourbandisavirus.com - James Moore - Your band is a virus

By Brock McLaughlin
Where poetic pop meets earth-inspired songwriting, you’ll find the unique and soulful music of singer/song-writer Jenikz. The Toronto native, currently living in Guelph, finds her peace and solace in yoga which she says also heavily influences her music.

When it comes to writing all her music, Jenikz cites artists such as John Lennon as her influence. She wishes to communicate her passion for humanity and the earth through her song-writing the same way that Lennon did.
When asked about her relavency in a generation of Top 40 club hits, Jenikz says she still hopes to reach a huge audience without compromising her artistic integrity and style. She is open to collaborating with all kinds of artists, Top 40 or not as she says “being closed minded is the most expensive thing”. She really respects hard-working/passionate musicians no matter what genre, but when it comes to her own music, she stands firm in her desire to write songs that are honest and from her heart. She believes that you can still get a lot of people listening if you just learn to write a great song, which is something she strives to do—write “great music”.

Jenikz is an earth-loving, spiritual artist whose goal beyond being just another fish in the singer/song-writer sea, is to speak a humanitarian truth through her songs. Her warm and ambient instrumentation in combination with her soulful, sultry vocals and passionate poetic lyrical approach, makes for a very unique and soothing listening experience. She’s excited to share a message in her music that resonates with her and hopes it too, will resonate to those who have the opportunity to listen.
Listen and find more about Jenikz on her website.


Read More: http://zouchmagazine.com/jenikz-aims-to-speak-humanitarian-truth/#ixzz1JFLNDa3T - ZOUCH Magazine

Local artist plays show, seeking effective channel for message of positive change
Jihee (Marie) Park
Last Friday at noon the stage at the Bullring showcased the voice of Jenikz, a Guelph-based musician, poet, and advocate for mobilization of public action. As part of Sustainability Week, her performance ignited the lunch hour crowd into a moment of introspection, critical thinking, and appreciation for the enlightening messages brought through the powerful words of her lyrics.
Her mix of song and intermittent spoken word prose was superbly effective, a delicious matrimony of melody and anguished emotion, an elaborately orchestrated combination of instrumentals and vocals.
Art, to Jenikz, is an important way to deliver a message. In this day and age, we are exposed to information left, right, and centre. This overload of data often leads us to be immune to absorbing any messages that come our way, even the important ones such as halting the deterioration of the environment.
“I think that a lot of people feel pushed and preached at. There is always something that is bombarding us, like advertising, just preaching, preaching, preaching,” she said. “I think that art [offers] a way of expressing yourself, but not pushing yourself into people’s faces. Art is a medium that people enjoy. I think they’re more susceptible to hearing music than being told ‘Save the world!’ Music hits home on a different level.”
Her concerns over the modern world’s passive approach to the international problem of environmental degradation caused by human activity spurs her creativity. However, with the social networking technologies that exist today, she sees so much potential for everyone to take action, build momentum, and create change.
“I hope that my music influences the world to [reach] its full potential,” she said. “What I mean by that is our generation has so much opportunity. We have the Internet and things that past generations couldn’t even have fathomed, freedoms and equalities that they would have just dropped dead for. We have a lot of opportunity at our fingertips through our ability to talk to the whole world.”
Jenikz’s past album, recorded live off the floor, was simply her voice and the guitar. Her new album, Mother Earth, is her first to be officially released for sale. This time, additional instruments and experimental effects add an industrial racket to the organic touch that still underlies the songs. “I love the way that adding those different instruments and sounds have made it a little more rough and dirty. More instruments give more expression – a deeper expression,” she said.
In parting, Jenikz offered her words of wisdom. “I really hope that my music can reach all hearts and open humanity to a new way of doing things. There seems to be a dark force in resisting change. There are so many ways that we can make the world a better place – so many ways. I think that is already happening, and I hope that my music is pioneering in that change.”
In the quest for an informed and motivated citizenry, Jenikz’s vision and passion is paving the way for Guelph towards environmental change. As university students, we can learn from her songs and take advantage of our privilege as members of a technologically advanced society, to push onward for positive action against ignorance and apathy. - The Ontarion

"Jenikz is a lovely person and a beautiful artist!" ... Lisa McDonald Live Music Head
THATChannel.com - THATChannel.com

What's the meaning behind the band's name?
Jenikz is the nick name of the lead singer and songwriter, which was given to her in high school because of the popularity of the name Jennifer. Once there was 5 Jennifer's in one class and two with the same Initial last name "R" one student shouted out to her, hey that's ok you'll be JEN X and so that's where it originated and stuck with her from then on. She is a solo artist and songwriter with a killer band. She spells Jen x now J-E-N-I-K-Z cause Jen, for her name; her immediate family calls her Jeni like "jenny." K in numerology is the letter that corresponds to her day force number 11 (if you follow the alphabet A=1, B=2, C=3 ect.) and Z cause she is really into OM and cursively likes to write out Z to kinda resemble the OM symbol... mouth full or what!!!

How did you get started with all this??
Jen has always been the driving force in making her musical dreams come true. She has always been singing and songwriting from the age of 5 and knew she needed an awesome band to complete the magic on stage. She first found Larry Steel, who is a very well known in her local community as a fantastic guitar player, then both were on the hunt for the others auditioning quite a few and jamming with many to find the right fit, then Mac Hunter on bass was found, having a music store near by and just graduating from school he was looking for a band. He liked the message and the mission of the music, he brought along his drum counterpart Sarah Becker whom they have known each other since age 6 or something crazy like that. Then came along Dave Hollingshead on keys who was a music teacher next door to Mac's store... small world but I'm sure it was fate that put us all together!

What's the message to transmit with your music??
The message is simple, to awake to the divinity of who we truly are, and to unite humanity to not only be the best that we could be, but to consciously create a world that has a unified goal to increase the quality of life for all living things. Life is precious and mother earth could really use us to wake up from our bad habits right about... yesterday!!!

What's your method at the time of writing a song??
Sometimes a melody just shoots in the mind, or a phrase that really strikes a chord and won't go away... then its about recording it asap raw just so it doesn't disappear back into the ether. So recording it into an answering machine or garage band what ever is available, then the fun comes in, picking up an instrument and matching the feelings of what it is you mean with the colour of chords, and writing down in the simplest way what it is you need to express, then having fun jamming it out with different ideas and eventually a hook comes that you feel is right and it all comes together. When I am impressed I keep at it, if I am blown away I know its done!

Who are your music influences??
Got a few hours? :) Who doesn't love Radiohead, Led Zeppelin, Bjork, Madonna, John Lennon, Dream Theater, Depeche Mode, Gotan Project, Pink Floyd, Tori Amos, U2 to name a few.

What plans do you guys have for the future??
We have a tour planned that not only do we want to play festivals and clubs but to get into schools, the album also has a series of monologues that makes our concert have a theatrical twist, we want to inspire the world to its inevitable green revolution.

Which has been the greatest day in the band?
Well this summer we had 3 shows in 3 different cities and we knew it was gonna be a challenge but we decided to have fun with it, we got up early warmed up drove to the 1st show, kicked butt, sold cd's, had a bit to eat and went straight to the next show, which had more people more excitement, had an amazing show got to talk to a lot of fans, then headed off the the last show and had another great show, which was like a 3rd wind... the day just got better and better and there was no sign of tired, it was more like wired!!!

What has been the funniest prank you guys have been or took part while on tour or after a show??
Well, I would tell you but its way too embarrassing, I never know what these guys are up to, its always joking, in fact I can't think of a time when they're serious!!!

If you guys were stranded in the middle of nowhere after a show or while on tour. The help is 65 miles away from where you guys are, ¿Who would you guys send to look for help? And if while the rest wait, there's no food and the only way to feed yourself is by eating each other, ¿Who would you eat first?
Well, we'd probably send Larry for help, he's the oldest and has all the gadgets and answers, then if worst came to worse we'd eat Dave, he's the kindest and wouldn't mind, plus he's got more meat on him than Mac ;)

What are your hobbies?
We're concert goers, love yoga, a good flick, messing around with the latest equipment, we gotta throw Sushi in there, golf for sure, and as always music is always on!!!

What country you guys would love to play?
IRELAND!!!... hey maybe we got a shot at it this INDIE WEEK Toronto 2010 HA!!!

With what bands you guys would love to share stage??
Definitely the influences mentioned above, and so many others but Porcupine Tree, Air, Keane, Gorillaz, Metric, Cold Play, there are too many to mention, like I said you got a few hours... maybe days?

Are you guys OK, with the direction the band is going actually? Oh yeah, things are heating up, and were totally excited, everyday its getting better and better, we have to thank the fans for that.


Check out more: www.jenikz.com - Vents Magazine

June 23 2010 ~ Travis Dhanraj and Deja Gordon host Mississauga's Daytime, an entertaining lifestyle show that highlights the people, events, and topics in and around the Peel Region. Guests will help reveal the richness and diversity of our community, while professionals will offer their expert advice. daytime is “local talk” about “life matters” including topics such as fashion, fitness, cooking, lifestyles, and more. Join us today with special guest singer songwriter Jenikz!

- Roger's TV Mississauga

It’s like Enya, with an edge.
On her self-titled debut CD, Mississauga native Jenikz (nee Jennifer Rego) merges folk and worldbeat in a style she has dubbed “folktronica.”
She hosts a CD release party this Sunday at On The Curve.
“I think the live show is even more powerful than the CD. And it’s a big band,” she says. “It’s a very nice live sound that gets people intrigued.”
And while many recording artists dodge labels as best they can, Jenikz www.jenikz.com bills herself as a humanitarian singer/songwriter. Her record bears titles like Mother Earth, and Heaven Inside; she says it all comes from “a deep love of the earth”.
“The music I wanted to convey was more of a global, humanitarian force,” she says. “I want to inspire humans to awaken to the beauty.”
That may be a bit much for your average metalhead to digest. But, as a yoga teacher by day, she does “practice what I preach.” And there’s no denying her argument that music can be “more than just 'Hit me baby one more time.'"
The singer/acoustic guitarist began playing open jams while still attending Father Michael Goetz Secondary School. She spent two years with the pop/rock band Phylo, before opting to go her own way, working with Larry Steel on lead guitar, Mac Hunter on bass, Sebastien Dion on percussion, Kerry Josey on drums and David Hollingshead on keyboards and samples.
Jenikz has also done poetry, dance, and theatre and appeared on the OLN travel shows Don’t Forget Your Passport and Discover Your World. Meanwhile, she’s already written half of her next record.
She played three Canada Day gigs in Ottawa and was also on the bill at the recent Peacefest in her new home base of Guelph.
“Guelph has this green awareness. I really resonate with,” she adds.
There’s an 8 p.m. start at On The Curve, 55 City Centre Dr. Admission costs $20 at the door or $25 per couple. You get a free CD with admission.
- Mississauga News July 7 2010 - By Mike Beggs (Live Wire)

Internet Radio host Deirdre Mallehe interviews Jenikz, discussing her latest cd, music, art, influences, unusual performances and more! Listen again on www.jenikz.com (media page) - The Haze FM.Ca

JENIKZ
Passion, justice and a dash of trying to change the world.
Meet Jenikz, also known as Jennifer Luis Rego, a singer/songwriter/actress who currently calls Guelph her home. She writes and plays music to make you think, inspire and, well, just pass on a feeling of positivity.
It’s no wonder she often plays activist shows, including this summer’s Peace Festival.
“I think that’s where my music is most gracefully placed. The music that I write seems to either be a love ballad that is just peacefully for two lovers who are talking or seems to come from a place of positive emotion wanting to express itself for the betterment of the world,” she said.
It’s not only in her music. As Billie Holliday played in the background of a local coffee shop, Jenikz sat on a plushy couch and spoke in such an expressive, animated and honest manner about that it was difficult to not be pulled into her enthusiasm.
“I love the pieces that I write. They’re very emotional and sometimes my biggest challenge at activist concerts is not to cry while I perform, because I still get very emotional, the songs are still very fresh.”
For Jenikz, music has always been a part of her life. Since first hearing the radio as a little girl, she has been mesmerized. Nothing like it took her attention like anything else.
“I can’t go long without music. Even if I was to quit today and say, ‘That’s it, I’ve had it. You know, like I can’t take it anymore, this industry, or whatever, I’d be like, I quit, and the next day I’d wake up and ‘huh! I have a song!’ and I’d record it right into my little garage band. So I think it was always in me and luckily I discovered it early.”
And the drive continued throughout her school years: she would start a band every year, but always found that her band mates were not committed enough.
Continuing with singing and performing, she was eventually encouraged to record an album.
“I guess it just evolves from being in the music scene and always writing my own stuff and always taking it to the next level. Just performing, recording, playing live, and recording and keep going, and then all of a sudden you just have an album and you’re just playing here and playing there and people are actually calling you … and you’re like ‘finally, something’s happening.”
Her current band has been together for about a year, and consists of Mac Hunter on bass, Larry Steel on lead guitar, Sebastien Dion on percussion, Kerry Josey on drums and David Hollingshead on keys and samples. And she’s happy with what they bring to the music.
“My music is not easy to play … playing live has a very epic dynamic to it … it almost has a theatrical element to it.”
Music isn’t the only creative outlet Jenikz has dipped into. She’s acted on ‘Don’t Forget Your Passport’ and ‘Discover Your World’ and will soon be involved in a stage play.
“I have actually written a play, with monologues … so the concert that I have, with the eight songs of the album, they correspond with monologues that I’ve written.”
Not surprisingly, the show will be centered on world issues, such as pollution and peace.
“It’s meant to inspire, it’s meant to, I guess the word would be ignite. I hope that this show ignites people into saying ‘hey, we’re the co-creators of our reality and we can make whatever it is that we want to make, so why not make it good? Why we gonna make it crappy?’”
For the next two months, she will be in rehearsals and would like to take the show into schools for September to January.
In terms of her ideal spot, she’d be playing as part of Live Aid, in Holland, with three million people in attendance.
“… and there’s not even a cause we’re fighting for because the cause it already implemented and we’re just partying because we’re celebrating the beauty of humanity and the peace on earth and I would just be singing to celebrate that beautiful peace. That would be the ideal.”
With her first album out, Jenikz’s next album is half-written … but there’s less of a humanitarian feel to it than her current CD.
“This album felt like a calling. Like, just do it, who cares if nobody gets it.”
L. Mariel Olsen
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Check out Jenikz on Saturday September 11 at 7pm at Nuit Blanche in Guelph, and Sunday September 19th at Exhibition Park in Guelph.
For more information visit http://web.mac.com/jenikz/jenikz/Rendition.html - KW-Plugged In

April 29 2010 ~ Inside Guelph, is Rogers TV's new daily talk show devoted to keeping you connected with what's happening in Guelph. Local Singer Song Writer Jenikz Interviewed by Trish Stevenson. - Rogers TV

May 7 2010 ~ Indepth and intimate 45 minute live interview with Jenikz. Radio personality 'Stine gets the inside scoop on who Jenikz is! Hear it again on www.jenikz.com (media page). - CFRU 93.3 FM

May 19 2010 ~ Daytime with Jay Chagnon & Susan Cook-Scheerer weekdays for your daily dose of what's happening in and around Waterloo Region with terrific guests, scrumptious recipes, health & lifestyle tips, entertainment, and what's on around town. It's the perfect way to stay connected to the people, events and organizations in our region! Today's featured Guest, Artist Singer Songwriter JENIKZ! - Rogers TV Waterloo

June 3 2010 ~ 1 hour talk show with host Cooper Harrison, located from Ottawa, Ontario. Special guest tonight, singer/songwriter Jenikz calling in tonight for the show. Tune in again at www.jenikz.com (media page) - blogtalkradio.com/cooperharrison