Jeans, Boys, Jesus and Jenna Raine: Inside Her Debut Album

Photos by Summer Schantz
From the girl who brought us “see you later (ten years)” and “Roses,” Jenna Raine is making her next step — and this time, she is bringing a little bit of Texas, a whole lot of girlhood, and her faith along with her.
Her debut album, Jeans, Boys & Jesus, is everything the title promises. It is personal, playful, nostalgic and deeply rooted in the things that have shaped Raine into the person she is today.
With girlhood and God at the center of all of life’s twists and turns, Jenna Raine looks introspectively at life, love and Jesus as years of work finally pay off with the release of her debut album.
From the opening track to the end of the twelfth song, Jenna takes listeners on a journey through different versions of herself — the Texas girl she grew up as, the young woman she is becoming and the person she hopes to be.
The title track, “Jeans, Boys & Jesus,” is a statement on Jenna’s background and, frankly, who she is at her core. From “packing it all in a U-Haul leaving Texas” to promising her mother she won’t lose herself in Los Angeles, she locks in on three things she can’t live without.
“Jeans is Texas. Boys is any part of my love life or my friends' love lives shared within the album. And then Jesus is obviously my more faith-based Christian lyrics and songs. And so I thought it was really cool that we're able to combine all those because those are all just big pillars of my life.”
And while moving to LA could have meant leaving that Texas girl behind, Raine says the opposite happened. LA brought out more of her hometown heritage. Memories she says she used to avoid writing about have now turned into lyrics that helped her find pieces of herself, finally writing from her own experiences rather than just those around her.
“I feel like my friends in LA have brought out the Texas side of me. And when I first moved here, it was kind of, I don't know, I had a fifth life crisis of like, who am I? What am I doing? And I had finally found myself again within my community and within my church. And so I got to dig deeper into just childhood and who I was in high school and in middle school writing this album because I felt like I'd gotten back to that little girl through my friendships.”
That sense of rediscovering herself is what makes Jeans, Boys & Jesus feel so much bigger than a debut album. It is a snapshot of where Raine has been, but also a reflection of the people who helped her find her way back to herself.
A standout among all the tracks is the upbeat, fast-paced single “Talk of the Town.” The quick-witted, descriptive tune pulls inspiration from Hannah Montana’s “He Could Be the One,” a song that fueled wired earbuds and bedroom slumber parties back in the early 2000s.
“I was like, guys, I really, really want to nail a 2.0 ‘He Could Be the One’ because I feel like this is the perfect way to hard launch my relationship. And I think everyone would die over this in the 1st place. But personally, and selfishly, I want a song like that.”
The song delivers the throwback nostalgia while bringing Raine’s modern voice to the forefront, giving her listeners a new jam to throw on repeat.
“Talk of the Town” isn’t the only song that lives in the girlhood-esque feel. The entire album showcases ways to have a healthy relationship, whether that is romantic or with friends and family. All of the tracks are seamlessly tied together with hope for the future and the idea of not settling in the present if it doesn’t fulfill you.
That message shines through on “It Takes A Village,” a song Raine explains is her key to having friendships that will stand the test of time.
“Be the friend that you want to have. And so these songs are so genuine. From the bottom of my heart, I would die for any of my girlfriends. I love having community and having close friendships like that. And so it was very easy for me to share my bond with my girls and my music.”
It is that same message of knowing your worth that Raine hopes listeners take away from the album.
“I hope that I build up their confidence within this album by just knowing who they are and knowing what they want in life. My main thing is… do not settle for less. And so I hope I put that within the album.”
For an artist who has spent five years signed to a label, this album is not just the beginning of a new era. It is the payoff of years spent waiting for her moment.
“I've been signed for five years and to think that this is my first headline tour and first album is just mind blowing. But, my manager said it best. He was like, the awesome thing about this is because you didn't do an album, you didn't do anything wrong. Now you can just do it the way that you want to and not feel rushed.”
Maybe that is exactly why the album feels so intentional. There is no rush to prove anything. Instead, Raine is letting herself celebrate where she is now.
That is where the track “Used to Pray” finds itself resonating. From “[spending] the next 10 years waiting for [her] moment,” to now relishing on her success, Jenna is determined to not let any moment pass her by.
“It's a really great reminder to not complain and to just be grateful and feel blessed for what I have. And so it's a really good reminder for me.”
The song feels like a deep breath after years of anticipation — a moment to stop looking ahead and actually recognize that the thing she spent years praying for is finally here.
With vocal stacks and harmonies filling the space, along with an acoustic guitar that brings warmth to the song, “Used to Pray” can become the soundtrack to anyone’s dreams and aspirations.
Raine says it is also one of the songs she is most excited to perform on her first-ever headline tour. Traveling to 24 cities nationwide, she is bringing her infectious joy and incredible debut record up close and personal.
“I'm just gonna be in awe of what God has done in my life. I think it's insane that even one person buys a ticket to a show. Going into this I was not expecting any sold out shows… I am going to feel so grateful. It just blows my mind that people even want to show up and listen to my music.”
At the heart of the album is this 22-year-old girl who has been waiting for this moment for her entire life. The record is a testament to a never-ending determination to fulfill her life’s dream.
Every song on the record brings you into a space where joy and being grateful for this moment in time take center stage. It is a record that will leave an imprint on not only your heart, but Jenna hopes, the way you walk through life as well.
“I just believe wholeheartedly that the music that we listen to shapes us into who we are…It's hard to live a very happy, joyful life when you're listening to sad music. So, I particularly picked this album out one by one to make sure that it would positively impact people and just be a happy, fun, joyful album to listen to.”
And that is exactly what Jeans, Boys & Jesus feels like: a collection of memories, lessons, friendships, faith and a little bit of chaos, all wrapped into the soundtrack of Jenna Raine’s next chapter.
Listen to Jeans, Boys & Jesus below: