 

Bio

 

 

Asheville NC based singer/songwriter Jordan Okrend blends the old school with the contemporary. Growing up in Raleigh NC, Jordan picked up the guitar at age 7 and immersed himself in the music scene performing hundreds of gigs from a young age. From his love of artists such as John Lennon, Marvin Gaye and Bob Marley, Okrend struck upon his own soulful sound; vintage pop imbued with an infectious jazzy, bluesy rock edge and socially conscious lyrics. From the get go Okrend’s music tended to draw from the social/emotional spectrum which resonated deeply with his growing fan base. His first press write up was a glowing hometown article on his music video for his debut single “Bottled Up” which raised awareness of teenage depression.

 

Jordan released his first two EP’s, Unpredictable and Rising Up, between 2010 and 2012 while attending Berklee College of Music in Boston and supported both releases by  performing throughout the East Coast in NC, NY and Boston. He later traveled around Brazil and Hawaii; soaking up the native musical influences and writing songs for his latest EP, World Keeps Turnin’. Okrend, like his trusty

Martin acoustic, which has accompanied him since he began his musical journey, has now seen thousands of performances and has gained a lot of attitude along the way.

 

“I feel music should touch people and speak to the human experience, so I find myself writing a lot about the state of the world and humanity’s place in it.” Okrend reflects. His newest batch of songs reveals a rawness that echoes the conscious sentiments of his musical heroes while building further on his signature soul pop sound. The new music video for his single “Go My Way” is all about seeing the positive possibilities in a world that seems to offer nothing but the contrary. “We live in a challenging world” Jordan admits. “I want to encourage people to find their own personal freedom.”


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