San Francisco Voice

Bay Area musician Jennifer Filzen has been performing live for over twenty years but is just now releasing her debut album, Sirena. That’s because the performing that she’s been doing has been in other areas of her creative self … working as a drummer and dancer in various projects through the years. She has always been a singer at heart, though and her voice has been trained both professionally and through a dedicated love of song. Sirena reflects the years that she has spent as an artist, coming into her own vocal self. It showcases her impressively powerful vocals as well as her talent as a lyricist. You can learn more about her from her website and can see her in action in her most recent YouTube video. Following is her interview with San Fran Voice. Read to the bottom to find out about the dance contest she’s hosting!!

What can you tell us about the basics of your musical history? My parents always played folk songs on their guitars when I was growing up.  As a child, I listened to Bob Dylan; Peter, Paul, and Mary; John Denver; and Simon & Garfunkel.  At the same time, my parents had very close friends that influenced my musical tastes as well.  Aunt Carol was an opera singer, and Uncle Bob was a jazz drummer.  All these different styles influenced my diverse tastes, which grew into a love for jazz, R&B, bossa nova, flamenco, downtempo groove, and contemporary pop.

If you had to sum up your sound, how would you do so?  I’d say its danceable pop.  The lyrics are mature, the music is catchy, and it’ll make you want to move.  Or, you’ll be moved by what you hear.

What were the greatest joys in working on Sirena?  What about the challenges? The greatest joy in creating the music was that I proved to myself that yes, I can do this.  It doesn’t take a degree in music to do it.  Nor does it take being the best singer in the world.  It totally built my confidence and I went from being afraid of trying this to “Wow!  I can do this and I can do it well!”  The challenges were far fewer than the joys.  I am really lucky to have found my guitarist, Tony Tinsay.  He’s spectacular, and a terrific music partner; I wouldn’t be where I am today without him.

How does performing as a singer differ from your experiences performing as a dance artist?  Believe it or not, dancing is much easier for me to perform than singing.  Though my voice is strong, well-trained, and sounds good, I still get a bit of stage fright.  Moving through dance is much easier.  That’s why I move around so much when I’m singing while on stage.

Do you have a favorite SF venue? The Fillmore is a great place and I love going there.

Who are some other musicians in the Bay Area that you like to go out and support?  Several—from the big to the small—Santana, Lavay Smith and the Red Hot Skillet Lickers, Monica Marquis, and Mimi Fox.  I also enjoy going to see the world renowned classical and flamenco guitarists that travel to the Bay Area.  They are a terrific source of inspiration.

Which spots in the city can you be found in when you’re just out and about?  I love shopping on Union Avenue in the Marina.  Whenever I go to the city, I make a pilgrimage to Sumbody skin care store on Union and Rome Shoes on Fillmore.  I also enjoy going to SFMOMA and the Palace of Fine Arts.

Where do you want to be (musically) a year from now?  I hope to have a solid and growing fan base.  I hope to be touring regionally.  I hope that Sirena will become someone’s favorite CD.  I can’t plan where I’ll be in exactly one year from now, but I’m on a great trajectory and I’m going to ride this wave as far and as long as I can.

If there was anything that you could make sure your fans knew, what would it be?  I’m just a regular thirty-something who has decided to follow her dreams.  I hope I will be an inspiration for someone to try following their passions, even if they think they have passed their prime.  Life is meant to be lived fully, and our own fears are the only things that get in our way.  Do what you love and you’ll be on the road to happiness.

Is there anything else we should know?  Yes!  We’re going to be holding a dance contest, where the winners will be featured in our next videos.  This contest will be open to all amateur dance troupes that want to create an original dance number to one of our songs.  This will be a great opportunity for some up-and-coming choreographers to show off their work and get some free publicity.  For more information, check out the details on my web site:  www.jenniferfilzen.com. 

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