Hello! I'm Jessa Anderson, a singer/songwriter residing in Nashville, TN with my husband (and resident booking agent/manager/musician extraordinaire) Jordan and our two beautiful, crazy kiddos Lorelei and Jagger. Thanks for stopping by! Maybe you're here often, and you've followed this musical journey of mine from the beginning. Perhaps you're here after hearing about the music from a friend, or catching a song somewhere. It's possible you aren't even sure how you got here, but whoever you are, I'm so glad you made it! It might seem odd that I'm writing this myself, but after a few rounds of bios written by other people (or in the third person, ahem), I'm doing my best to approach this online space in the same way I approach my music―as honestly and openly as possible.

There are many things I am passionate about, and many I enjoy, but I believe there are very few things in life that really, truly matter. First, Jesus Christ. After that, people. From there it all starts to blur into the category of "you can't take it with you", so I'm doing my best to invest the majority of my time and effort toward the first two. As for music, and why it matters, I view it as a thread that runs far and wide, bringing people to God and to one another. I have a hard time labeling music in and of itself as "Christian", but I am proud to be a Christ follower making music encompassing both the human and the holy.

I was recently asked how things have changed for me with the writing and releasing of Whole, my third full length project. My best answer is this: Whole is the project I've always wanted to make. Through this 6-year journey of writing, creating, releasing, and touring, I have pushed myself to be real--to be me. The songs on this record feel so very me, and so very true to life. They are one woman's perspective to be sure, but sharing that perspective is half the battle. Freely giving of our hearts and minds is what draws us near, what allows us to identify with one another.

I could write volumes about this record and each of it's individual songs, but in the interest of time, I will just say that life is not easily wrapped up in a beautiful package, or a 3 1/2 minute radio single. Whole encompasses both the shiny, happy moments, and the gory, gut-wrenching ones. My gladness in the gospel of Jesus is expressed through songs like "Everything", "Never the Same", and "Story of Grace". Issues like divorce, dysfunction, and dissatisfaction are woven through "Breakdown", "Stay", and "Idols". There's even a love song, "Caught Me By Surprise", thrown into the mix, co-written with my talented husband (a rare feat for the two of us)! Each of these songs means the world to me, and my hope is that you'll soon say the same.

If you came to this "about section" hoping to learn a little about me, here are a few fun facts:

1. Jordan and I got married on August 14th, 2005. We were 19 and 20, and everyone thought we were siblings. Sometimes we still get asked if we are brother and sister (???).
2. I love coffee. I drink a lot of coffee. I have been a barista twice (once in High School, and during my first years of marriage).
3. My babies are Lorelei (born in August 2010) and Jagger (born in March 2013). They are awesome. Yes, I love Gilmore Girls. We found Jag's name on the internet.
4. I focus heavily on lyrics when I'm songwriting, usually filling in chords as I go along to supplement whatever melody I'm hearing in my head. I play keys, but I'm not a "keys player". I am terrible at music theory.
5. Travel is one of my favorite things about this "job". Jordan and I have been to Quito, Ecuador five times with Extreme Response (we'll make it six in December 2014!). My favorite place music has taken us is Lisbon, Portugal.
6. I hate olives. I HATE olives.
7. I am mostly free spirited and laid back. My natural response is to just "go with the flow", which is pretty much the polar opposite of my dear husband. We have frequent discussions on what actually constitutes being on time vs. late.
8. Once (before we had kids) we had a dog named Lola. She was super adorable, and incidentally, turned out to be the devil. I cried when we gave her away, but I'm pretty sure she made me never want another pet.
9. I grew up in southeastern Michigan. Jordan grew up in Iowa. Our babies were both born in Nashville. We have considered Nashville home for many years, but never quite felt "settled" until we found our church in 2011.
10. We used Kickstarter to fund Whole, and it was a fantastic experience. I'll forever be grateful for such a generous outpouring of support!