Jenny Powers, your Music Industry Champion

How a paralegal turned undercover investigator became one of the few women breaking barriers in music marketing

Jenny Powers never set out to revolutionize music marketing. With a paralegal degree and criminal justice background, she was working as a securities investigator for Hard Rock’s theme park, going undercover at Kid Rock concerts and handling security for legendary acts like the Eagles and Moody Blues. But when her brother graduated college and needed a manager for his band, everything changed.

“I come from a family of musicians,” Jenny explains from her office in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, surrounded by signed albums from the artists she’s worked with over nearly two decades. “I’m a very bad flute player and a mediocre piano player, but my brother and sister are incredibly talented musicians. That’s where it all started.”

 

Breaking Into a Man’s Game

What began as helping family members navigate the music industry has evolved into Blue Avenue Music Group, a comprehensive music marketing and artist development company that’s worked with Grammy-nominated artists, major labels, and television show alumni from American Idol, The Voice, and Songland.

Jenny’s unique background sets her apart in an industry she describes as “very much a man’s game.” Her legal training combined with hands-on marketing expertise gives her an almost forensic ability to diagnose why campaigns fail.

“I can look at your data before I even get into your account and tell you why your campaign isn’t working,” she says. “While other marketers give clients vague explanations about click-through rates, I know it’s because of poor ad placements putting you in audience networks where people are just clicking for game coins, not because they care about your music.”

 

The Apple Revolution That Changed Everything

Jenny’s breakthrough moment came during the iOS updates that wreaked havoc on digital marketing. When Apple’s changes flagged deep links used throughout the music industry, Jenny and her team created a solution that bypassed the problem entirely.

“We developed a system that deep-linked directly into apps and were among the first to get API access for Apple data,” she recalls. “When we launched, every major music marketing company reached out to use our platform. We saved them hundreds of thousands of dollars by eliminating third-party click fees.”

This innovation opened doors to working with major labels, training their marketing teams, and developing systems that increased their bottom lines by six figures.

 

More Than Marketing: Building Real Careers

At Blue Avenue Music Group, Jenny doesn’t just run campaigns—she rebuilds careers. Her client projects include four-time Grammy-nominated healing flute artist Michael Brent DeMaria, producer Dana Nielsen (who worked on SZA’s groundbreaking album that topped Beyoncé), and Jake Swamp and the Pine, whose lead singer made headlines with his bold comment to Katy Perry on American Idol.

“Jake walked onto the show, saw Katy in a cow outfit, and said, ‘Oh Katy, this is embarrassing. I almost wore the same outfit,'” Jenny laughs. “She didn’t find it funny, but Lionel Richie said yes, and so did we.”

But Jenny’s proudest moment came from an unexpected client: a 67-year-old touring harpist who was ready to retire.

“She’d been performing since she was 17 but felt like she didn’t have a place in today’s music industry,” Jenny shares. “After going through my artist development program, she realized there were other avenues beyond traditional industry expectations. She could still have a viable career on her own terms. That testimonial meant everything to me.”

 

Fighting for Independent Artists

Jenny’s passion extends beyond individual success stories. She’s currently leading efforts to protect independent artists from major label monopolization, calling senators and representatives about acquisitions that threaten the independence musicians sought when choosing smaller labels.

“Three major music companies bought up every independent outlet and publishing company,” she explains. “Artists thought they were working with independent labels, but when Universal got into a fight with TikTok and removed all their artists—including those under supposedly independent subsidiaries—these musicians lost their biggest income source overnight.”

Her advocacy has helped bring these issues before Congress, fighting to preserve true independence in the music industry.

 

Building Real Fan Bases in the Digital Age

Jenny’s approach goes beyond traditional marketing tactics. She focuses on helping artists build authentic connections with their audiences, something increasingly crucial as streaming services pay artists just 0.007 cents per stream.

“Right now, Myrtle Beach is called ‘America’s Jukebox’ because every venue has cover bands,” she explains. “While that’s fun for tourists, it doesn’t build real creative culture. Artists are constantly playing other people’s songs instead of developing their own craft.”

Through her educational workshops and strategic guidance, Jenny helps artists focus on what really matters: creating original content and building genuine fan bases who will buy t-shirts and albums, not just stream songs.

 

The Place to Be

After nearly two decades in the industry, Jenny has refined her approach into three tiers of service: education for artists who aren’t quite ready for promotion, hands-on development for those building toward 5,000 followers, and strategic marketing for established artists looking to expand into new markets.

Her tagline perfectly captures her philosophy: “Be artistic, be creative, and be valued.”

“Everyone tells me I’m the missing piece of their puzzle,” Jenny reflects. “I guess I’m just over here making bigger puzzles.”

Named one of South Carolina’s Women in Business in 2022, Jenny continues to champion independent artists while building the infrastructure they need to succeed. In an industry increasingly dominated by corporate interests, Blue Avenue Music Group stands as proof that with the right guidance, independent artists can still chart their own course.

“The music industry is really just a t-shirt company,” she says with characteristic directness. “You don’t make money from the music itself—you make it from the products. Artists are in the unique position of creating both the music and the products to promote with that music. They just need someone to help them see that opportunity.”

For independent artists looking to build real, sustainable careers beyond the traditional industry gatekeepers, Jenny Powers and Blue Avenue Music Group offer something increasingly rare: genuine advocacy, strategic expertise, and a fierce commitment to keeping music truly independent.

Blue Avenue Music Group is located in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. For more information about Jenny Powers’ services for independent artists, visit BlueAveMusic.com.

Email: jenny@blueavemusic.com

Instagram: instagram.com/iamjennypowers

Facebook: facebook.com/BlueAvenueMusicGroup

TikTok: tiktok.com/@iamjennypowers