Try a New Musician: Jake Wesley Rogers

Lily Bozenski

These past two Novembers, I’ve written articles about trying new musicians and new music genres. I may be a month late this year, but I come to you with one of my most passionate recommendations yet: Jake Wesley Rogers.

Jake Wesley Rogers grew up in Missouri, and displayed a love of creating music from as early as age 6. At the age of 15, Rogers performed on the seventh season of America’s Got Talent, and was eliminated in the quarterfinal round, brought back for a Wild Card round, then eliminated again. He moved to Nashville at the age of 18, and has been releasing his own original songs since 2016. Rogers’s music combines pop with a feeling that is unique to him, bringing in a singer-songwriter flair to his work with an air similar to that of Elton John. His music explores themes of self love, LGBTQ+ rights, grief, abuse, spirituality, relationships, and learning to love the world around you even when it feels hard. To get you started, here are a few of my favorite songs of his that might help introduce anyone new to his style!

Hindsight

Jake Wesley Rogers released “Hindsight” on his EP LOVE in 2022. The song has a fast, lively beat and a catchy chorus. Rogers sings about reflecting on the past, and thinking about mistakes all while keeping the feeling of the song upbeat. He repeats the line “Hindsight’s 20-20” to open each chorus, bringing in the feeling of nostalgia with a mix of regret and excitement towards the past. The song is about reminiscing, looking back on past mishaps, and growing from those experiences.

Window

“Window” is one of Rogers’s few singles that hasn’t made its way onto an EP or an album, causing it to often be left behind in favor of his other music, but this one has a special place in my heart for its deep, meaningful message. The song is a reassurance that, no matter how hard life feels in the moment, and no matter how much the darkness seems to be caving in, things will get better, you just need a “window to see through the pain.” It captures the feeling of hope in hard times, and the importance of love for oneself and others when everything seems like it’s going wrong. 

Happy Accident

It’s really hard for me to pick a favorite song of mine when it comes to Jake Wesley Rogers, but “Happy Accident” might take the top spot. It came out along with his debut album, In the Key of Love. Rogers sings about the beauty of life despite the chaos and hardship. He repeats the line “Life is a joke / And I like laughing” in each chorus, emphasizing how no matter how pointless life feels or how much of a joke everything seems to be, joy can always be found and laughter will always be there. In the verses he lists the beauties of life like his relationships, forgiveness, and growth over time. The song feels like a love letter to life itself.

Pluto

“Pluto” is the song that got me to love Jake Wesley Rogers in the beginning. Released on his EP of the same name, it follows the idea of how Pluto used to be a planet before being "uninvited to the party” in Rogers’s words. He captures that feeling of being left out, hated, or looked down upon, and then he sings about overcoming it. The song is a triumph over that pain, and preaches self love in spite of those who hate you. The beautiful thing about this song is that it can be interpreted in a number of ways depending on who’s listening. It could be about discrimination against marginalized groups, experiencing hatred for being different, the feeling of being left out, or any other number of meanings. Everyone comes at the song with a different lens, and it speaks to everyone in a different way. 

Blue Christmas

In the spirit of the season, my last recommendation is one of Rogers’s lesser known covers. He sang “Blue Christmas” for the soundtrack of the film Happiest Season, and has since released his cover to Spotify, Apple Music, and other music streaming services. He brings his individual style to the song, with deep, emotional vocals and a background track that starts out with a simple piano and evolves into strings, drums, bells, and backing vocals. His clear vocal style shines through in his cover, with runs that display his whole range while capturing the sadness of the song. It has quickly become one of my favorite Christmas songs, and it may make a great addition to your holiday playlist.

When it comes to Jake Wesley Rogers’s music, there isn’t one song I don’t love, but these suggestions should help anyone interested to get a good taste of his diverse, unique style. If you decide to give his music a try, I hope you enjoy it enough for Rogers to find his way onto a few of your playlists!