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Jana

She’s young, hot, single, and like Cher or Madonna, she just goes by Jana. “It’s short and sweet. People think I came up with that name out of the blue, but my mother named me after my father’s ex-girlfriend,” she said, laughing. “My name really is Jana Mashonee.”

Jana and I talked by telephone before the GRAMMY awards. She’d been nominated in the Best Native American Music album category – her first – for “American Indian Story” and was excited about the possibility of winning. Six years ago things really started to happen.  Now her music career is ready to explode.

She’s been interviewed by National Public Radio about her holiday album, “American Indian Christmas” and featured on the cover of Native Peoples magazine. In 2002, a writer for Native Peoples named her one of the hottest musical acts. But back in the early years, growing up in North Carolina, she had her mind set on being a doctor, and admits she was a bit nerdy.  “I was shy,” she said from New York where she moved recently. I was always the bookworm. I studied a lot - I was a straight-laced kinda girl – but that’s not a bad thing.”

 In high school, she made straight “A’s” and graduated in the top five percent of her class. When she got to Davidson College in North Carolina, a small, “Ivy League type” liberal arts college, she continued to make the grades – even winning some scholarships along the way to earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology.

Then one day, she told her lawyer-mother and musician-father, “I’m not going to be a doctor,” she recalls telling her parents. “I am going to pursue music.”  “My parents did not flinch” Jana says.  “They told me to ‘follow your heart’ and they have been totally supportive.  They still live in North Carolina, and they come to most of my shows.” 

Turning Point

 The first sign that she had any singing talent came in school. “The turning point was in high school at a talent show,” Jana said. “I told my parents I would be singing at this show . . .” She giggles. “And they looked at me like I had three eyes. They thought it was going to be a joke. I sang a Vanessa Williams song and they were shocked.  My mom cried. They didn’t know the extent of my talent and they didn’t realize it until at that particular point . . . it was an affirmation that I had talent.”

She said she enjoyed the attention. “I played the piano, and I sang in my church choir, but this was different – that show gave me the confidence to move forward.”

So how did she overcome her shyness?

“When I was younger I was always terrified about being on stage. And I never thought I would be in a profession where I would be speaking or singing in front of people,” she said. “It’s funny that I now have the confidence. It’s like that one defining moment helped me a lot. It has been a natural progression of realizing my potential and working hard at it, she said. “Now I enjoy being in front of people.” 

Early Career

At first, she started singing with a local R&B/blues band called “Peace N Love” in her hometown of Charlotte, North Carolina. Then she was discovered by a local producer who helped her get signed to her first recording contract.  “After my record deal, I finished college and moved to the New York area and started doing dance music and I kind of got big in the club scene here,” she said.

Her first record label had her singing songs that were not the type of songs she wanted to sing. “They wanted to market me as a Latino artist,” said Jana. “I couldn’t pretend to be Jennifer Lopez, so I left the label and went on my own. That was a big undertaking.”

 “If you can perform in New York you can perform anywhere,” she said. “Dance music is big here. I got my performing chops together doing these shows.  I’ve also performed at many casinos and concert halls across the country as well as doing shows for kids as part of my Jana’s Kids nonprofit organization.”

 In 2005, she released her first album. “This was my first collection of songs that I wrote and put together on Radikal Records, based here in the New York area,” she said. In the same year she recorded her first holiday album, “American Indian Christmas” where she sings in 10 different Native languages. “That was difficult to do but it helped launch me into those wonderful Wal-Mart stores!  You know things are looking good for you when Wal-Mart picks you up.”

“My past three records have all been stylistically very different. My next record will also be different, exploring another part of my musical visions.  That’s all I will say about it because I want it to be a surprise.”

“Getting a GRAMMY nomination for my new CD has been the pinnacle of my career so far. Just to be nominated, to me, is a win.  I’ve worked really hard performing and singing over the past few years, and finally it’s starting to pay off,” she said.  “I’ve gained a lot of support from my Native brothers and sisters, and though themusic industry tells me my ‘demographic is too small,’ I believe that the support of my people has helped me move to the next level in my musical career.”

Jana also stars in a Fossil Ridge Films movie that will be out this summer. Acting, she said, is a challenge, but she enjoys learning and doing something besides just music. 

 “The movie is called Raptor Ranch: it’s a science fiction/comedy/horror movie. Basically, I am fighting dinosaurs in Texas. It is set in contemporary times.”.....continue