Today we’d like to introduce you to Jennie Larsen.
Hi Jennie, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Music has always been a huge part of my life. My mom was a piano teacher and started teaching me when I was 4, mainly to just give me something to do! I was a pretty slow learner at first, but by age 10, I had progressed beyond what she could teach me. Our family moved around the US multiple times, and as a result, I had the opportunity to learn from a variety of fabulous teachers! I recorded my first solo piano album of hymns I arranged when I was 16. After high school, I ended up studying Media Music at Brigham Young University and loved playing in the Jazz Legacy Dixieland Band.
I originally began the Media Music program thinking that I would go into film scoring, but I discovered that songwriting was my real passion! I wrote a custom song for a close friend of mine and performed it at her wedding with another bridesmaid. The DJ at the wedding was impressed and suggested I start a business, but I didn’t take him seriously! I got married shortly thereafter, and now my husband and I have 5 amazing kids!
When my youngest started kindergarten, I realized I could dive into my music business! I LOVE what I get to do! I write custom songs for special occasions, and I love taking someone’s life story and turning it into a completely original song! I write for weddings, anniversaries, birthdays, retirements, and memorial services. I love giving my clients something that they can treasure forever to remember special moments and remember their loved ones.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
Every path worth taking is going to have bumps along the way! I initially put my career on hold while I was raising my young family. Five kids in 7 years didn’t leave a lot of time for music business, but I am so grateful I had that time with my kids while they were so little! I am also grateful that I always had my foot in the door; I had recording equipment at home and would occasionally record piano solos while my kids were sleeping! Selling CDs (and now streaming/selling online) has been a great outlet for me to still feel connected to the music scene. Now as I’m trying to grow my custom songwriting business, one of the hardest things has been learning how to market my services and find the right clientele. It’s a niche market, and a fairly unknown service, but looking back and seeing the progress I’ve made gives me the confidence to continue moving forward!
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I own Milestone Music, and I write custom songs for special occasions. I specialize in writing completely original songs that tell your story. I’m also known for my piano arrangements; I have 7 solo piano albums and I love improvising mashups of songs. I occasionally goof around and play the piano lying down on the floor with my head on the pedal and my arms stretched up to reach the keys. Another fun performance trick is what I call “Picanote,” where audience members pick 4-5 notes at random and I compose a song instantly using those notes in the order they gave them.
In my music career, some of my proudest moments are when I’ve delivered songs to grieving families. I remember writing a song about a young mother who passed away suddenly after giving birth to twins. My streaming service stats showed me that the song was played hundreds of times by her family the week after her funeral service. Being able to be part of their healing process is a tender privilege and honor.
I’m also incredibly proud of my kids who are learning their own instruments and who have no fear performing in our family band, the Larsen Bandits!
I think what sets me apart from other songwriters and pianists is my ability to really capture the feeling and meaning of my client’s story. Plenty of people can play accurate notes or write words that rhyme, but my goal is to add feeling and depth to each song in both the words and music.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
One “why” for starting my own business was to earn enough money to take my family on a humanitarian trip. This past November I FINALLY DID IT!
We spent a week in Guatemala helping people in remote villages of the Polochic mountains! It was such an amazing opportunity for all of us to get out of our comfort zone and join forces with the locals to help them have better nutrition, clean water, and help build a medical clinic. I loved seeing my kids interact with the local children and realize that love for others surpasses any language barrier! As for my business and goals, it was SO gratifying to see my dream come to life!
Contact Info:
- Email: jennie@yourmilestonemusic.com
- Website: www.yourmilestonemusic.com
- Instagram: @yourmilestonemusic
- Facebook: @YourMilestoneMusic
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/MilestoneMusic1
- SoundCloud: JennieBLarsen
Image Credits
Kelsey Call
