Jetty Rae facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jetty Rae
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Jetty Rae in 2013
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| Background information | |
| Native name |
Brittni Stewart
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| Birth name | Brittni Whittaker |
| Born | January 13, 1987 Springfield, Oregon |
| Origin | Happy Camp, California, U.S. |
| Genres | Folk |
| Occupation(s) | Singer-songwriter |
| Instruments | Vocals, guitar, ukulele |
| Years active | 2006—present |
| Labels | Jetty Rae LLC |
| Associated acts | Pen Pals, Heath McNease |
Jetty Rae (born January 13, 1987) is an American indie folk singer-songwriter. She is also part of the music group Pen Pals. Her music journey started in Kona, Hawaii, and she now lives in Michigan.
Jetty Rae has performed at big events like Lilith Fair 2010 and the Ann Arbor Summer Festival. Her songs have been used by well-known companies such as Microsoft, Petco, Amazon.com, and Ben and Jerry's to help promote their products. People say she is great at "taking lyrics and adding a depth that few artists can." Her album Drowning in Grain even reached No. 130 on the CMJ Top 200 Radio charts!
Contents
- About Jetty Rae's Life
- Why "Jetty Rae" is Her Name
- Jetty Rae's Music Journey
- Who Inspired Jetty Rae?
- Jetty Rae's Albums and Songs
- Awards and Special Mentions
- Jetty Rae's Music in Movies, Ads, and Games
About Jetty Rae's Life
Jetty Rae was born in Springfield, Oregon, on January 13, 1987. She grew up in an artistic family near Happy Camp, California. Her parents, Tyvin and Kathleen, were missionaries, so her family moved often. They eventually settled in Charlevoix, Michigan, where Jetty Rae went to high school.
Jetty's mom started a theater group called the Ragamuffins, and Jetty loved acting in many plays. She first got into songwriting because she loved writing poetry.
After high school, Jetty Rae went to a special training school called Youth With a Mission (YWAM) in Kona, Hawaii. During two years, she went on three mission trips to China, Fiji, and Australia.
In 2008, Jetty Rae moved back to Michigan. There, she met her husband, Jason Stewart, on Facebook. They got married in Mexico on December 21, 2008. Jetty also enjoys cooking and doing makeup, seeing them as art forms.
Jetty Rae has three children: a son named Beck and two daughters, Rowin and Jude. She also had a daughter named Ella who was stillborn. Jetty writes about her feelings and experiences on a blog called "The Singing Hitchhiker." She also has a pug dog named Otis.
In 2016, Jetty Rae and her family bought an Airstream trailer. They fixed it up and lived a simpler life on the road for three years. In 2019, she shared that they planned to move back into a regular house.
Why "Jetty Rae" is Her Name
Jetty Rae chose her stage name to honor her paternal grandmother, Jetty Rae Thom. Her grandmother was a full-blooded Karuk Native American. She was known for loving the outdoors and traveling a lot. Jetty Rae (the musician) chose this name to show her admiration and respect for her grandmother.
Jetty Rae's Music Journey
Jetty Rae sees herself as a hard-working musician. She says her music career began after her grandfather passed away. This sad event made her write her first song, "Sunshine." She started writing music to help her deal with her feelings. Now, she uses her music to connect with her fans.
Her very first show was at a bar in Kona, Hawaii. While in Hawaii, she joined a rap and hip-hop group called Soul Chronicle. She toured the Hawaiian Islands and even mainland China with them. She also recorded music with another hip-hop group, The S.O.G. Crew.
In 2009, Jetty Rae won a competition from OurStage. This led to her performing at the grand opening of JetBlue's terminal at JFK Airport.
In 2010, famous singer Sarah McLachlan and music executive Terry McBride chose Jetty Rae to perform at Lilith Fair in Clarkston, Michigan. She won this chance through OurStage. People have said that Jetty Rae's music has grown with each new release, but she always stays true to herself.
Since 2011, Jetty Rae has been chosen four times as a featured artist for the NACA. This organization helps college students find entertainment.
In 2015, Rae teamed up with musician Heath McNease to form the group Pen Pals. They have toured and released albums together.
Jetty Rae is connected with SESAC, which helps protect her music rights. She releases her music through her own company, Jetty Rae LLC.
Who Inspired Jetty Rae?
Jetty Rae has mentioned that Lauryn Hill, Brandi Carlile, and Eva Cassidy are some of her musical inspirations. Reviewers have compared her voice to singers like Norah Jones and Amy Winehouse. Some have even said her style is like a female version of Jack Johnson.
Other artists who have influenced her include Mariah Carey, Damien Rice, and Whitney Houston. Her music is often described as "good-natured acoustic pop."
Living in her renovated Airstream trailer was also a big influence on her music. She also gets ideas from "everyday hopes and heartbreak."
Jetty Rae's Albums and Songs
Jetty Rae has released many albums and singles throughout her career.
Blackberries (2008)
This was Jetty Rae's first album. It was recorded in Bellaire, Michigan, and came out on April 16, 2008.
Jetty Rae has said that when she first started, she didn't know much about recording music. She said, "the whole recording process was a bit of a mystery."
All songs written and composed by Brittni Stewart.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Won't Be Here" | 3:18 |
| 2. | "Danielley's Song" | 3:50 |
| 3. | "Restless Sea" | 2:34 |
| 4. | "Gualamina" | 1:20 |
| 5. | "Mad at You" | 2:56 |
| 6. | "Beggar" | 3:55 |
| 7. | "Sunshine" | 4:22 |
| 8. | "Waiting" | 3:50 |
| 9. | "Holes" | 3:55 |
| 10. | "Wings" | 4:06 |
| 11. | "Blessed Child" | 5:38 |
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Total length:
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39:24 | |
Nobody (2009)
This was Jetty Rae's second album, which is an EP (a shorter album). It was recorded in Nashville, Tennessee, and released on August 20, 2010.
All songs written and composed by Brittni Stewart.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Bad Apples" | 3:04 |
| 2. | "Forget Me Not" | 5:39 |
| 3. | "I Love You" | 4:30 |
| 4. | "Little Girl" | 4:27 |
| 5. | "Blink of an Eye" | 3:39 |
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Total length:
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21:19 | |
La La Lu and the Lazy Moon (2011)
This was Jetty Rae's first album where she helped produce the music. It came out on July 1, 2011. This album is a lullaby album, meaning it has gentle songs for sleeping. Jetty Rae says it was one of her most successful albums, even though it didn't cost much to make.
All lyrics written by Brittni Stewart except "Puff the Magic Dragon" which was written by Peter, Paul and Mary, all music composed by Joseph Barker and Brittni Stewart.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Lazy Moon" | 3:45 |
| 2. | "Airplane" | 5:04 |
| 3. | "Rainy day" | 3:38 |
| 4. | "1,000 Buttons" | 5:41 |
| 5. | "Puff the Magic Dragon" | 5:19 |
| 6. | "Imagine" | 5:29 |
| 7. | "Michigan" | 4:52 |
| 8. | "By and By" | 4:04 |
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Total length:
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37:52 | |
Drowning in Grain (2012)
This was Jetty Rae's fourth album. It was recorded in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and released on August 1, 2012. The album has been described as unique and interesting. It reached No. 130 on the CMJ Top 200 Radio charts. The song "Nice Ones" was even featured by American Songwriter.
All songs written and composed by Brittni Stewart.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Nice Ones" | 3:45 |
| 2. | "In Love" | 4:42 |
| 3. | "Frayed Ends" | 4:10 |
| 4. | "Alien" | 4:16 |
| 5. | "Favorite Song" | 3:26 |
| 6. | "Yarn" | 4:27 |
| 7. | "Freedom" | 3:41 |
| 8. | "Chocolate Sunrise" | 5:04 |
| 9. | "Movies" | 5:18 |
| 10. | "Promise" | 4:11 |
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Total length:
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43:00 | |
Climbing Clouds (2013)
The main song from this August 2013 album, "Climbing Clouds," was released with a music video on August 6. Another song, "Fallin'," came out on August 27, also with a music video. The last song from the album, "Kerosene," was released on October 11 in memory of her daughter. A music video for "Kerosene" was also made.
The music videos for this album were made possible by a successful crowdfunding campaign, where fans donated money. Jetty Rae says this album tells her own story and was inspired by the sadness she felt after losing her first child, Ella Rae.
All songs written and composed by Brittni Stewart.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Off The Grid" | 4:08 |
| 2. | "Climbing Clouds" | 3:04 |
| 3. | "Fallin'" | 3:44 |
| 4. | "Too Big" | 3:12 |
| 5. | "Kerosene" | 4:39 |
| 6. | "Fallin' (Ballad)" | 3:15 |
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Total length:
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22:02 | |
More Than December (2014)
This is a Christmas-themed album released on November 26, 2014. It includes two original songs, "More Than December" and "Christmas Kiss." It also has four classic Christmas songs: "O, Holy Night", "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas", "Little Drummer Boy", and "Auld Lang Syne". The album was made very quickly and produced by Eric Sproull. Chris DuPont and Katie Lee also sang on it. The main song has been called "energetic."
All music composed by Brittni Stewart.
| No. | Title | Length |
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| 1. | "Little Drummer Boy" | 2:52 |
| 2. | "O, Holy Night" | 5:16 |
| 3. | "Christmas Kiss" | 2:45 |
| 4. | "More Than December" | 2:46 |
| 5. | "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" | 7:08 |
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Total length:
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20:27 | |
Forever and Always (2015)
This is a single song released on March 16, 2015. Jetty Rae says this song is special because her vocal performance was recorded in one continuous take. The song is 3 minutes and 18 seconds long. It was produced by Eric Sproull and recorded in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Can't Curse the Free (2017)
This album was released on February 17, 2017, and is about 39 minutes long. It was produced by Grammy award-winning producer Mitch Dane. Many members of the band Jars of Clay also played on the album. It was recorded in just three weeks.
Jetty Rae describes the album's main idea as "victorious." She says that while her previous albums told her own story, this album tells "other peoples' stories." She also shared that the song "Can't Curse the Free" was inspired by her brother, who asked her to write a song about someone who is "cursed."
The album was very popular on music platforms like iTunes.
All lyrics written by Brittni Stewart with co-writers Chris DuPont and Ryan Horne on "The River" and "Another Town" respectively, all music composed by Brittni Stewart and Mitch Dane.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Can't Curse the Free" | 3:28 |
| 2. | "Queen of the Universe" | 3:35 |
| 3. | "Take me to the Mountain" | 4:40 |
| 4. | "Another Town" | 3:55 |
| 5. | "Still Gotta Fight It" | 3:48 |
| 6. | "Born to Rise" | 4:14 |
| 7. | "Coast to Coast" | 3:21 |
| 8. | "Nose Dive" | 4:13 |
| 9. | "In the Garden" | 3:32 |
| 10. | "The River" | 3:32 |
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Total length:
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29:00 | |
Queen of the Universe (2016)
This was the first single released from the 2017 album "Can't Curse the Free." It came out on December 9, 2016, and is 3 minutes and 35 seconds long. Jetty Rae says she got the idea for this song from a friend's "family drama." She created a strong character for the song, which started as a joke.
The song has been described as "moving and meaningful" and having a "sweetly-delivered sassy rock feel." It mixes singer-songwriter style with indie rock and pop. Some reviewers felt it had a grittier sound, like Janis Joplin, and showed her "impressive vocal abilities." Others compared her vocals to Cat Power, calling them "sultry and pop-aesthetic." The song was even featured on TuneCore's artist blog.
Can't Curse the Free (2017)
This was the second single and title track from the 2017 album "Can't Curse the Free." It was released on January 13, 2017, which was Jetty Rae's 30th birthday. The song is 3 minutes and 28 seconds long. Jetty Rae says her younger brother inspired the song by asking her to write about someone who is "cursed." She describes the song as being about "a mighty foe... who wants you to stay in darkness, confusion, and shame." It was recorded in just three takes.
The song has been called "haunting" and "equal parts soul and indie rock." Reviewers have also noted Jetty Rae's "smooth and vibrant voice." It was well-received and featured by Tunecore and iTunes.
Take me to the Mountain (2017)
This was the third single from the 2017 album "Can't Curse the Free." It was released on February 3, 2017, and is 4 minutes and 37 seconds long.
The song has been described as "grounded and homely." It also has "haunting, goosebump-inducing soul mixed with indie rock and touches of pop."
Stardust (2018)
This album was first released on November 21, 2018, and is about 31 minutes long. It is Jetty's second children's album that she produced herself. Unlike the first one, this album was recorded inside her vintage Airstream travel trailer while she was visiting a national park.
All music composed by Brittni Stewart.
| No. | Title | Length |
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| 1. | "Animal Fair" | 2:44 |
| 2. | "Stardust" | 3:29 |
| 3. | "Let's Go Fly a Kite" | 3:09 |
| 4. | "Sophia" | 3:46 |
| 5. | "Honestly" | 2:49 |
| 6. | "You Raise Me Up" | 4:14 |
| 7. | "Strawberry Cream Peaches Delight" | 2:35 |
| 8. | "I Got You Babe" | 3:47 |
| 9. | "Seasons Lament" | 5:22 |
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Total length:
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31:00 | |
This is Jetty Rae's second Christmas album, which is an EP (a shorter album) with five songs. It was released on November 15, 2019, and is about 15 minutes long. The album was created and recorded in Nashville by producer Mitch Dane. It includes four classic holiday songs and one original song. Hannah Miller also worked on this album.
| No. | Title | Featuring | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel" | 2:48 | |
| 2. | "The First Noel" | 2:40 | |
| 3. | "Carol of the Bells" | 3:01 | |
| 4. | "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" | Hannah Miller | 2:52 |
| 5. | "We Share the Light" | 3:31 | |
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Total length:
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15:00 | ||
Awards and Special Mentions
Jetty Rae has won several awards and received special recognition for her music:
- Winner, CMJ Music Showcase
- Winner, Musician Category, "Best Of Northern Michigan" Contest
- Winner, "Mi Favorite Things" TV Contest
- Winner, MoFilm Battle of the Bands
- Winner, Lilith Fair Talent Search
- Grand Prize, Live at T5 Music Competition
- Winner, MTV "Needle in a Haystack" Music Series
- 1st place, OurStage.com Folk Competition (January 2010, September 2009, May 2009)
- Grand Prize, OurStage.com Music Competition
- Michigan Women Who Rock
Jetty Rae's Music in Movies, Ads, and Games
Jetty Rae's music has been used in many different places:
- Original jingle for Truvia "Twinkle, Twinkle" (15s), Spring 2012.
- Original jingle for Truvia "Twinkle, Twinkle" (30s), Spring 2012.
- Original jingle for Truvia "Jiggle Bells" (15s), Winter 2011.
- Original jingle for Truvia "Hush", Spring 2011.
- Music for Film "Meah Lane", 2013.
- "Climbing Clouds" for Microsoft – Office 365, September 2014.
- "Imagine" for Nabi – Tablet, March 2014
- "Favorite Songs" for Petco – Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, August 2013
- "Favorite Songs" for Petco – PuPQuiz!, February 2014
- "Favorite Songs" for Petco – PuPQuiz!, February 2014
- "Airplane" for Ben and Jerry's, January 2015
- Original Composition 'It Just Means More" for Southeastern Conference, September 2016
- "Climbing Clouds" for Saxo Bank, September 2016 and July 2017
- Original Composition 'It Just Means More" v2 for Southeastern Conference, December 2016.
- "Coast to Coast" for MasterCraft in July 2017
- "Coast to Coast" for Amazon.com in April 2017
- "Freedom", "Queen of the Universe" and "Take my to the Mountain" for Rebel Galaxy Outlaw (Video Game)
