JANNELLE MEANS is a music artist originally from Chattanooga, TN and currently based in Nashville, TN. She has sung in Nashville and surrounding areas for over 20 years, with a background in music, counseling, coaching, and higher education. She began her musical journey at a young age, singing in church and different school events. After being a part of the Acapella choir in school, dance captain of the high school band and singing with a female group at different local events, Jannelle made the move to Middle Tennessee to attend Middle Tennessee State University, achieving a Bachelor of Science degree in Mass Communications. She regularly sang at a couple of churches nearby, as well as at different events at MTSU and in the Nashville and surrounding areas.
Jannelle has regularly performed on various Nashville stages including the 5 Spot, Rudy’s Jazz Room, Riverside Revival, Bourbon Street Blues and Boogie Bar, Douglas Corner, Commodore Grill, Acme Feed and Seed, Sambuca Restaurant, Skydeck on Broadway, Assembly Food Hall, Twelve Thirty Club, Plaza Mariachi, City Winery, The Basement, the Basement East, Chief’s on Broadway, 3rd and Lindsley, Analog Nashville, former BB King’s Blues Club (Nashville), the Woolworth, Black Rabbit, Ryman Auditorium, and Ascend Amphitheater. She regularly performs with her band (The Jannelle Means Band - main musicians include Beth Garner, Kenney P, Giovanni Rodriguez and Joseph Wooten) and other bands, including the Carl Stewart Band, After 5 Tux Band, Music City Toppers, The Groove Line, The Nashville All-Stars, and Voda. In the studio, Jannelle has recorded and performed with local artists and various artists including Sara Evans, Brothers Osborne, Lauren Daigle, Andy Bell of Erasure, Eric Church, and Shemekia Copeland. Ms. Means has also sung in various local church groups and choirs, serving as worship leader in many of them. Jannelle is the founder/director of Soul Vibes GLOBAL an entertainment group and co-founder of Magenta Expression with artist Rachel Rodriguez, a music performance and life coaching company. She has recently toured with Americana artist, Kyshona Armstrong.
Jannelle’s musical influences range from gospel sounds of Karen Clark-Sheard, Christian contemporary sounds of Crystal Lewis, soulful sounds of Chaka Khan, to the vocal diversity of Lisa Fischer, the authenticity of Etta James, the funk sound of the Isley Brothers, and the musical universality of Michael Jackson.