Jenna Rose
Encyclopedia
Jenna Rose Swerdlow is an American
singer, actress, and dancer who gained media attention with her single "My Jeans". After the video went viral
on YouTube
and received 14 million views, Swerdlow is considered a semi-"viral star
".
and relocated with her family to Dix Hills, New York
in 2005.
She began performing at age 2, and received private vocal training at age 8. Starting with community theater and moving on to regional productions and Off-Broadway
, she has performed in over 18 plays, including principal roles in “Ragtime
” and “The Miracle Worker
”, as well as the title role in the 2011 Off-Broadway play, “The Odella Williams Show”. She was a finalist in Got Talent?, A Long Island
talent competition, as well as the New York Knicks
Kids Talent Search. It was reported by Fox News that by March 2011, her videos had had over 1 million "hits", she had recorded six songs, and had performed at a Knicks game halftime show.
sax player Richie Cannata
, and Jenna wrote on her Facebook page that Richie's son Eren Cannata wrote and produced three singles for her: Sweet Melody, The Remedy, and Spotlight. Since then, Swerdlow has collaborated with different songwriters, producers and choreographers, to record songs and music videos.
At age twelve, while she was in 7th grade at West Hollow Middle School Swerdlow released her first music video, My Jeans, featuring a rap by Baby Triggy, on YouTube
in October 2010. The video went viral
, garnering over a million views and bring Swerdlow media attention. My Jeans was panned by Youtube viewers, earning her as of September 8th, 2011 26,355 "likes" and 295,189 "dislikes" for the video. Detractors found fault not only with Swerdlow's song, but with her clothes, the shape of her mouth, and the video's production values. The video continues to be popular, with the original video reaching over 14 million views as of early September, 2011, even though it has "spawned parodies, video responses, rap replies and more than a dozen pages of written critiques."
Despite negative reviews of My Jeans, Swerdlow followed up with O.M.G in March 2011, and Don’t Give Up, dealing with "haters", in April 2011. Swerdlow and her parents describe the song O.M.G. as dealing with cybercritics and cyberbullying. Though covered by media, these subsequent songs failed to achieve as much interest as her original viral video; both display similar negative ratings, and have been panned by critics. About the O.M.G. video, PerezHilton.com
wrote "The video is hyper-sexualized, uber-creepy and if you really want to talk about jacking swag, not one dance move wasn't pulled from another video circa 1998."
and Canon.
recognized Swerdlow "for her contributions to the performing arts community". Subsequent to the release of "My Jeans" Swerdlow has been interviewed by news networks, has been written of in several newspapers, and has performed live in concert at the Westbury Music Fair
.
Writers have made comparisons between Swerdlow and Rebecca Black
, since both teens have produced videos that fall into the same genre of bubblegum pop, are "slammed by critics as being too provocative", and both have received harsh feedback from the public.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
singer, actress, and dancer who gained media attention with her single "My Jeans". After the video went viral
Viral video
A viral video is one that becomes popular through the process of Internet sharing, typically through video sharing websites, social media and email...
on YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
and received 14 million views, Swerdlow is considered a semi-"viral star
Viral video
A viral video is one that becomes popular through the process of Internet sharing, typically through video sharing websites, social media and email...
".
Background
Swerdlow was born September 28, 1998, in Long Island, New York. She was raised in Baldwin, New YorkBaldwin, Nassau County, New York
Baldwin is a hamlet located in the town of Hempstead in Nassau County, New York, United States. The population was 24,033 at the 2010 census.Baldwin is also a station on the Babylon Branch of the Long Island Rail Road....
and relocated with her family to Dix Hills, New York
Dix Hills, New York
Dix Hills is a hamlet Dix Hills is a hamlet Dix Hills is a hamlet (and a census-designated place (CDP) in the Town of Huntington on the North Shore of Long Island in Suffolk County, New York, United States. Dix Hills was named the 19th most affluent U.S. neighborhood by Forbes in 2008.. It is one...
in 2005.
She began performing at age 2, and received private vocal training at age 8. Starting with community theater and moving on to regional productions and Off-Broadway
Off-Broadway
Off-Broadway theater is a term for a professional venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, and for a specific production of a play, musical or revue that appears in such a venue, and which adheres to related trade union and other contracts...
, she has performed in over 18 plays, including principal roles in “Ragtime
Ragtime
Ragtime is an original musical genre which enjoyed its peak popularity between 1897 and 1918. Its main characteristic trait is its syncopated, or "ragged," rhythm. It began as dance music in the red-light districts of American cities such as St. Louis and New Orleans years before being published...
” and “The Miracle Worker
The Miracle Worker
The Miracle Worker is a cycle of 20th century dramatic works derived from Helen Keller's autobiography The Story of My Life. Each of the various dramas describes the relationship between Keller—a deafblind and initially almost feral child—and Anne Sullivan, the teacher who introduced her to...
”, as well as the title role in the 2011 Off-Broadway play, “The Odella Williams Show”. She was a finalist in Got Talent?, A Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
talent competition, as well as the New York Knicks
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
Kids Talent Search. It was reported by Fox News that by March 2011, her videos had had over 1 million "hits", she had recorded six songs, and had performed at a Knicks game halftime show.
Music
In August 2009, it was reported that Swerdlow and nineteen other musicians were selected for individual coaching and recording sessions by long-time Billy JoelBilly Joel
William Martin "Billy" Joel is an American musician and pianist, singer-songwriter, and classical composer. Since releasing his first hit song, "Piano Man", in 1973, Joel has become the sixth best-selling recording artist and the third best-selling solo artist in the United States, according to...
sax player Richie Cannata
Richie Cannata
Richie Cannata is an American music producer, multi-instrumentalist and studio owner. He is most notable for playing saxophone in the Billy Joel band alongside Doug Stegmeyer and Liberty DeVitto. After leaving the band in 1981, he opened Cove City Sound Studios in Glen Cove, New York...
, and Jenna wrote on her Facebook page that Richie's son Eren Cannata wrote and produced three singles for her: Sweet Melody, The Remedy, and Spotlight. Since then, Swerdlow has collaborated with different songwriters, producers and choreographers, to record songs and music videos.
At age twelve, while she was in 7th grade at West Hollow Middle School Swerdlow released her first music video, My Jeans, featuring a rap by Baby Triggy, on YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
in October 2010. The video went viral
Viral video
A viral video is one that becomes popular through the process of Internet sharing, typically through video sharing websites, social media and email...
, garnering over a million views and bring Swerdlow media attention. My Jeans was panned by Youtube viewers, earning her as of September 8th, 2011 26,355 "likes" and 295,189 "dislikes" for the video. Detractors found fault not only with Swerdlow's song, but with her clothes, the shape of her mouth, and the video's production values. The video continues to be popular, with the original video reaching over 14 million views as of early September, 2011, even though it has "spawned parodies, video responses, rap replies and more than a dozen pages of written critiques."
Despite negative reviews of My Jeans, Swerdlow followed up with O.M.G in March 2011, and Don’t Give Up, dealing with "haters", in April 2011. Swerdlow and her parents describe the song O.M.G. as dealing with cybercritics and cyberbullying. Though covered by media, these subsequent songs failed to achieve as much interest as her original viral video; both display similar negative ratings, and have been panned by critics. About the O.M.G. video, PerezHilton.com
Perez Hilton
Mario Armando Lavandeira, Jr. , better known as Perez Hilton , is an American blogger and television personality. His blog, Perezhilton.com , is known for posts covering gossip items about celebrities...
wrote "The video is hyper-sexualized, uber-creepy and if you really want to talk about jacking swag, not one dance move wasn't pulled from another video circa 1998."
Acting
Swerdlow has made several film and television appearances. The most recent of these following upon her internet music releases. She was featured in the recent documentary Actor, directed by Roberto Serrini, as well as the film Mouse House and the TV pilots for Family Practice and Which Way. She has also appeared in television, radio & Internet commercials for Sketchers, JelloJello Shoecompany
Jello is a subsidiary of Leder und Schuh with its headquarters in Graz. The first Jello store was opened in 1989 in Wiener Neustadt. 7 years later Jello entered the German market and in 2000 the Slovenian market...
and Canon.
Recognition
In February 2009, the town board of Huntington, New YorkHuntington, New York
The Town of Huntington is one of ten towns in Suffolk County, New York, USA. Founded in 1653, it is located on the north shore of Long Island in northwestern Suffolk County, with Long Island Sound to its north and Nassau County adjacent to the west. Huntington is part of the New York metropolitan...
recognized Swerdlow "for her contributions to the performing arts community". Subsequent to the release of "My Jeans" Swerdlow has been interviewed by news networks, has been written of in several newspapers, and has performed live in concert at the Westbury Music Fair
Westbury Music Fair
The NYCB Theater at Westbury is an entertainment venue located in Westbury, New York constructed in theater in the round style with seating for 3,000 that was originally developed as a means to present top performers and productions of popular theatrical musicals at a series of venues located in...
.
Writers have made comparisons between Swerdlow and Rebecca Black
Rebecca Black
Rebecca Renee Black is an American pop singer who gained extensive media attention with the 2011 single "Friday". Her mother paid $4,000 to have the single and an accompanying music video put out as a vanity release through the record label ARK Music Factory. The song was co-written and produced...
, since both teens have produced videos that fall into the same genre of bubblegum pop, are "slammed by critics as being too provocative", and both have received harsh feedback from the public.
Singles
| Year | Title |
|---|---|
| 2009 | "Sweet Melody" |
| "The Remedy" | |
| 2010 | "Spotlight" |
| 2011 | "My Jeans" |
| "OMG" | |
| "Don't Give Up" |
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Director | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Family Practice | Child Patient | Eric Norcross | TV pilot - Ep. 2: "Hood Cat" |
| Mouse House | Jessica | |||
| Which Way | Lilith | Bill Herndon | TV series | |
| 2011 | Caroline of Virginia | Young Caroline | Eric Norcross | |
| Actor | Herself | Roberto Serrini | Documentary |
External links
- Jenna Rose Swerdlow at the Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...