But you should remember her as the singer who delivered the best vocal on the fifth night of tryouts for Season 15.
Jenna Renae, 23, of Williamson, N.Y., sat behind the piano and delivered a heartfelt version of Eric Paslay’s “She Don’t Love You.”
Harry Connick Jr. called it a “terrific performance” and complimented Jenna on her “very soulful” sound. Jennifer Lopez loved the way she sold the lyrics and delivered the “whole package” — emotion plus vocals.
And, just like that, Jenna Renae breezed to Hollywood via a 3-0 vote.
Judging from her background, her early success on the show isn’t that surprising.
Jenna’s full name is Jenna Renae Ryckman, according to her hometown newspapers. She’s a graduate of Webster Christian School and Nazareth College.
According to her Facebook bio, she developed a love for music when she was very young and began writing and performing original music when she was 15.
A little more than three years ago, she released a 13-track debut country album called “Wishing.” A song called “Traveling Show” is simply superb. You can listen to it below and all of the album tracks here.
Since then, she’s performed in the Rochester, N.Y., area, at the New York State Fair, in the Texaco Country Showdown and as a singer-songwriter in the Charlotte, N.C., area.
Oh, and this isn’t her first stab at a reality competition. She auditioned for Season 10 of America’s Got Talent with a cover of “Can’t Help Falling in Love.”
“I’ve wanted to audition for American Idol since I was 15, really since I watched Kelly Clarkson win,” Jenna said in her pre-audition interview.
You can follow Jenna Renae through her Facebook page. On Twitter, she is @JennaRenaeMusic.
“All of Me” — John Legend cover
“Traveling Show” from her 2012 album “Wishing”
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