Local Musicians of Virginia: Jackie Self

There are so many incredible local musicians around Virginia, and I would love to take a minute to recognize one of them and tell you a bit about her. Jackie Self is a wife, mother, Regent Alumni, and singer-songwriter. She has been singing and writing songs ever since she was a child. All of Jackie’s songs have different elements, and she enjoys writing in various genres like Christian and Country.  Jackie’s music brings light into peoples’ lives and allows her to glorify God by using her gift to share with others. Music is an essential part of Jackie’s life, and she pours her heart into the songs. Jackie enjoys the process of making music, and she hopes that others will join her in her journey.

Her Journey 

Jackie first developed an interest in singing in Kindergarten, and her love for music grew as she participated in multiple talent shows where she lip-synced with her friends. When Jackie was in third grade, her talent show act was featured in the newspaper. She did not win that talent show, but the newspaper article helped her realize that people saw her gift for performing. Song-writing was another element Jackie developed as a child. Her dog, Sprig, was always the first to hear her new songs, which she was passionate about creating. However, when she was six, a cousin made fun of her songs, causing Jackie to put songwriting aside. 

Jackie continued to sing for fun as a pre-teen and teenager, but she put her dream of being a singer on the back burner to focus on experiencing life normally. She wanted to complete school without worrying about the finances and time it took to become a singer. A few years after finishing high school, Jackie became a wife and eventually a mother. During this period of her life, Jackie went to college and got her B.A in Communications and M.A in Government and Public Policy. While Jackie was getting her M.A, she started writing songs again, and her dream of performing came back to life. With God’s help, she now lives out her dream of performing music and sharing it with others on social media.

Life as a Musician

There were many musical influences in Jackie’s life growing up that shaped her style, including Dolly Parton, Mariah Carey, and Whitney Houston. For example, Jackie enjoyed how Dolly Parton told stories through her songs. Today, Jackie does the same thing, using her songs to tell her life story. This is evident in her recent EP, which has four songs that were locally produced. These four songs are Pieces of Your Broken Heart, Drop a Line of the Tailgate, Too Much Mud in the Water, and Going to Georgia. Every day Jackie posts on her Facebook and Instagram to show her followers what is going on in her life. These posts allow her to share her music and the inspiration behind it: her family. Jackie’s love for her husband inspired her song Drop a Line Off the Tailgate, as well as many other songs.

Jackie writes numerous songs a year and uses them to express her love for God. For example, her song Pieces of Your Broken Heart describes God’s unconditional love, which she has witnessed personally by seeing how God orchestrated her love of music to fit into her daily life. When Jackie was in college, she desired to attend law school but was not able to. However, God used that season of waiting to bring songwriting back into her life. This trial helped shape her as a Country musician and build her trust in God through her gift of song. Her Christ-centered perspective about music allows Jackie to love music not for what it can give her but for what she can give others through it.

Jackie takes the time to pour her heart and soul into her music, and she is able to do this because the Holy Spirit is the spark behind it all. Every day Jackie strives to live her life for God and trust Him with her future. She loves using music to express her gratitude to God and is currently working to expand her skills by learning the guitar and piano. Jackie finds the new instruments challenging, but she is determined to keep persevering until she learns each of the instruments’ ins and outs. Jackie gives God all the credit for her gift, and she is excited to share her music with her fans.

Note: You can check out Jackie Self’s music here