Jessica Benini is a West coast indie folk pop singer songwriter, performing solo shows regularly throughout Vancouver and Vancouver Island. In 2022, Jessica joined Vancouver’s shoe-gaze rock band, The Broken Islands, as the background vocalist and lead electric guitarist, touring and performing festivals throughout the UK and Canada.
Jessica is currently the Music Therapist at Intellectual Disabilities Society Summit in North Vancouver. She is also an instructor at Rufus Guitar Shop on Commercial Drive in East Vancouver. Jessica also teaches private lessons throughout Vancouver and Victoria, as well as online lessons to students throughout Canada and the USA. Popular by demand Jessica travels to Victoria regularly to lead ukulele workshops.
Her musical journey began as a toddler singing in church. By age nine she became an acoustic guitarist taught by her Opa learning German folk tunes. At age 13 she purchased her first electric guitar and played weekly in the youth group band. She taught herself how to play bass guitar and drums, rotating instruments when needed.
In 2005 Jessica graduated from Rosebud School of the Arts, a performing arts college in Alberta, where she trained as an actor and musician for the stage. She began her career as a performing artist working for Rosebud Theatre and went on to work for Evergreen Theatre touring company based out of Calgary. Jessica worked as a performer on the stage and gained valuable experience behind the scenes assistant stage managing, touring, marketing, producing her own show and being the founder and artistic director of Coastal Prairie Productions. She spent years working as a dinner music ensemble musician performing with multiple artists from all over Canada. This enabled her to develop her voice and guitar skills by performing music genres such as: Musical Theatre, English & Irish Folk, Pop, Bluegrass, Country, Roots and Gospel. Jessica went on to study vocal techniques with a variety of diverse instructors across North America and also has experience performing in competitive choirs.
In 2005 Jessica was selected among 50 artists around the world to participate in the Canadian National Voice Intensive at UBC in Vancouver. Jessica has since participated in voice and performance workshops in London, Latvia, and New York to help develop herself as a performing artist and vocal coach. Jessica has trained with vocal coaches, Spencer Welch (Vancouver), Chris York (New York), Lucas Marchand (Toronto), Tim Mallandaine (Edmonton) and Per Bristow’s program (Sweden).
Jessica began teaching privately in 2009, she was an instructor at Larsen School of Music in Victoria (2010 to 2016), Windstars Music Academy (2014 to 2016), Tapestry Music in Vancouver (2017 to 2019), Rufus Guitar Shop (2019 to present) and the Music Therapist for Summit North Shore Connexions (2018- present). In 2014 Jessica taught a ukulele, percussion and harmonies workshop for the Pro G Girls Day Camp at the Commonwealth. From 2014 to 2017 she was the electric guitar instructor for Girls Rock Camp Victoria. In 2015 Jessica taught voice & acting at Dansko Studios for Musical Theatre Camps. She led multiple songwriting and vocal workshops for teens, adults, university students and instructors. Jessica has taught multiple beginner to advanced ukulele workshops, as well as harmonica and songwriting workshops. Jessica was the Artistic Director for the 7th Annual Victoria Ukulele Week Festival in 2017.
Career Highlights
Member of The Broken Islands 2022 - present
IDS Summit Music Therapy Program North Vancouver 2018 - present
Instructor at Rufus Guitar Shop, Tapestry Music, Larsen School of Music, Windstars Music Academy
Resident Artist for Sasquatch Ski Resort BC 2019
Artistic Director of Victoria Ukulele Festival 2017
Showcased at the Songwriter Sessions at the Bitter End in NYC 2015
Featured at Broadway Sessions in Times Square NYC 2015 & 2011
Nominated "Vocal Performance of the Year" Vancouver Island Music Awards 2014
Nominated "Best Live Act" Vancouver Island Music Awards 2012
Finalist at the Islands Folk Festival songwriting competition 2010