Jordan Genovese

At this time every year, we take a look at the local scene to see which up-and-coming acts stand poised to make some noise in the coming year. Last year was a good one for the local scene. Chimaira and Mushroomhead continued to tour and record, solidifying their respective positions as the city's biggest bands. Indie rockers Mr. Gnome, the Lighthouse and the Whaler and Hey Monea! all had solid years while rapper Machine Gun Kelly dropped a new mixtape and worked on the followup to 2012's chart-topping Lace Up. But what about the newer bands who aren't as well known? Who's about to break big? Here's a look at 10 new acts that look to make an impact in 2014.

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Jordan Genovese

A student as Case Western Reserve University, 21-year-old singer-songwriter Jordan Genovese sounds more mature than you'd expect on her full-length debut, last year's Green November. The album opens with the poppy "Maybe," a song you could imagine getting radio airplay alongside the likes of Avril Lavigne, Carley Rae Jepsen and Taylor Swift. Genovese has said she doesn't think she's the greatest singer, and her voice certainly lacks the kind of power of many of today's country/pop divas. But Genovese is so young, she still has time to develop her vocal skills. On the album, she actually sounds a bit more confident when she talks (rather than sings) her way through a song, and Genovese, who writes her own tunes, has a good ear for a pop hook. She also displays plenty of personality in spunky songs such as "Won't Lie No More," "Angel Song" and "I'm Not Sorry." She's threatened to move to Nashville to pursue her career; here's hoping she sticks around Northeast Ohio. - Cleveland Scene Magazine

Jordan Genovese gazes out from the cover of her debut album, Green November, guitar slung over her shoulder, like a traveling musician with places to go.
And that's exactly the point. The Case Western Reserve junior intends to move to Nashville, Tenn., after she graduates in 2015 to pursue a career as a country music singer-songwriter.
But she isn't waiting to start making her mark. Genovese released her album last fall and played four gigs in Nashville during spring break. "It was everything I had hoped for and more," she says.
Genovese was bred on an eclectic mix of music, from classical to 1980s hard rock. She discovered her own voice and passion in a high school songwriting class in Streetsboro, Ohio. Soon, Genovese was spending hours after school, learning to play the guitar and writing often-personal songs.
"There was a lot going on with my family and me at this time in my life," she says. "Music came in like a rescue to help me sort out everything I was thinking at the time."
She worked with Grammy-nominated engineer Eric Emery, whose studio is in Novelty, Ohio, to produce Green November. Genovese has since appeared on Cleveland television programs, performed at popular campus hangouts, and is planning a summer tour.

While the medical anthropology major has decided to focus on music for now, if it doesn't work out, she plans to pursue a childhood dream of becoming an OB/GYN or pediatrician.
"I care about both [dreams] and am not ready to give up either at this point," she says. —James Corrigan - Think

Regional Beat: Jordan Genovese
By Jeff Niesel

Green November (self-released)


A pre-med student at Case Western Reserve University, 20-year-old singer-songwriter Jordan Genovese sounds more mature than you'd expect on her full-length debut. The album opens with the poppy "Maybe," a song you could imagine getting radio airplay alongside the likes of Avril Lavigne and Taylor Swift. Genovese has said she doesn't think she's the greatest singer, and her voice certainly lacks the kind of power of many of today's country/pop divas. She actually sounds a bit more confident when she talks (rather than sings) her way through a song. But she has a good ear for a pop hook. She also displays plenty of personality in spunky songs such as "Won't Lie No More," "Angel Song" and "I'm Not Sorry."

Jordan Genovese performs at 9 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 23 at the Jolly Scholar.Foundry. - Cleveland Scene Magazine

Happy Friday, Dolls!! Today we are featuring the talented singer, Jordan Genovese! She is an artist from Cleveland, Ohio. We stumbled upon her youtube page and just can’t get enough! Here album, Green November, will be released in November! Be sure to check it out…in the mean time go to her youtube page! xoxo - Living Doll, Los Angeles

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Forget “American Idol,’’ “The X Factor,’’ all that high-budget, high-profile reality show stuff. Apparently, the real path to a music career – at least in Cleveland – is via the annual Tri-C High School Rock-Off.

Jordan Genovese, who releases her debut country album, “Green November,’’ with a party at Case Western’s Jolly Scholar club on Saturday, Nov. 23, is the latest entry into the sweepstakes.

What’s more, three of the musicians who backed her in the Jo Bee Gena Band in the 2011 Rock-Off are on this album: bassist Garrett Tresch, drummer Kyle Tresch (yeah, Garrett’s brother) and guitarist Ray Flanagan.

“We were in the finals but we didn’t place,’’ said Genovese, a junior pre-med student at Case in a call between classes, recalling her time on the House of Blues stage.

“I went to a Sugarland concert and I called Kyle and said, ‘We need to start a country band,’’ she said. We did and it was me, Ray, Kyle, Garrett and Ben Capka. We threw this band together.’’

Of course, it was more of a Southern rock kind of band, not the country pop you’ll find on “Green November.’’

Genovese, who pens her own songs, got her start in a songwriting class at Streetsboro High, taught by Jim Boardwine.

“The songwriting aspect was what interested me,’’ said Genovese. “I didn’t have the greatest voice, and I still don’t.’’

That’s not quite true. Now 20, her voice has matured beyond that high school squeakiness that even girls get. Though there’s a bit of a Taylor Swift lilt in the voice, plus maybe a snippet of Miranda Lambert and some Kacey Musgraves and even Alanis Morissette, Genovese’s sound is her own.

She acknowledged that there are some vestiges of those, but that’s just the nature of the beast. Comparisons are as natural part of the evolutionary process. At some point, somebody said Lambert sounded like someone else, too.

“The goal of the album was not to sound like anybody else,’’ Genovese said. “I want to create something that nobody’s heard before. The goal is to get away from the Miranda Lambert comparison and the Alanis Morissette comparison.’’

If the title cut is any indicator – and it truly is – she’ll achieve her goal of having people listen to her music and say, “Oh, that’s just Jordan.’’

Whatever “just Jordan’’ eventually evolves into, you can be certain it’ll be country.

“I kind of grew up around it,’’ said Genovese of the genre. “It’s always been around me, but it’s not something I enjoyed or appreciated until I was a little older. I grew up on Guns N’ Roses and hair metal.’’

Her first concert may have been the Spice Girls at Blossom, but she’s a country gal now because of the format’s makeup.

“It’s something that tells a story,’’ said Genovese. “It’s one of those types of music that’s organic and encompasses raw feelings. Country music needs that hook, but in the same sense, you have something you can be creative with in the lyrics.

“Lyrics in country music go 100 times further than any other genre,’’ said Genovese.

She is truly committed to forging a country music career. Genovese is in the middle of booking a mini-tour to promote the album. But that’s not all.

“In my perfect world, I would play music forever,’’ said Genovese, who is a pre-med student majoring in medical anthropology at Case, and will graduate next year. “The degree is more of a backup.

“After I graduate, I’m moving to Nashville and grind it out from the bottom of the barrel,’’ said Genovese, who’s putting off medical school to pursue her dreams. “If I fail in five or six years, that’s something I have to look at.’’

Good idea. It sort of makes “American Idol’’ as a career path look like buying lottery tickets as a retirement plan. - The Plain Dealer