Jen Korte: Her superpower is vulnerability
Photo Credit: Giles Clasen
Story and Photos by Giles Clasen
By Giles Clasen
Knowing oneself isn’t an easy feat.
This is something Jen Korte has realized more and more as she begins her 41st tour around the sun.
“My grandpa died two years ago, and I started diving into his legacy,” Korte said. “I know who he was to me, but to others, he was a community activist, a Chicano activist. [It makes me wonder] what is my legacy? What is my worth outside of music? Who am I as a person?”
Korte is known around Denver for two of her music projects: Jen Korte & The Loss, a traditional band, and Lady Gang, a solo project, where she plays multiple instruments and creates loops to perform songs live.
“Music is healing for me. Being on stage is the only place I feel truly empowered, and truly embodied, and truly in my spirit, but financially…,” Korte said, pausing as she sought to articulate her thoughts.
To pay the bills Korte takes on additional projects and side work. Some of those projects are focused on building communities within Denver. This includes Hip Chicks Out, a group that organizes events for the LGBTQ community, and Clear Heads: A Booze Free Hang, which is a monthly alcohol-free concert.
Her other side work is cleaning Airbnb rentals. Explaining why she takes on these side jobs, Korte said, “I could pay my bills playing music, but I would have to work seven days a week, and that wouldn’t work. There needs to be a space for me to create. If all I do is hustle, what am I rehearsing for?”
Korte is straightforward with her social media posts about her unique rock and roll lifestyle. She has shared her excitement, when she was featured in the Denver Museum of Arts and Sciences exhibit, Guitar:
The Instrument that Rocked the World, as well as when she won a grant from the Denver Music Advancement Fund to start Clear Heads.
She has also featured photos of herself carrying cleaning materials and wearing rubber gloves to clean Airbnb rentals.
She has even talked about the pressures she feels as a woman letting her hair go gray.
“I’ve accomplished a lot and reached some of my dreams. I played Red Rocks, then woke up the next morning to get toa cleaning job or work at Instacart.” Korte said.
Korte also talks openly about her anxiety. She has been outspoken about crying and being frozen in fear, hours before live performances. She says her anxiety is rooted in feeling like she is not enough and not feeling worthy.
“I am realizing being vulnerable is a superpower,” Korte said. “I didn’t realize people had such a hard time with it. I think that makes me want to be more open. I think if people were vulnerable with what they are feeling, we would be able to connect a little bit more or be there for each other a little bit more. If we were more vulnerable, we wouldn’t have to sit alone in the darkness that we’re feeling, or the fear that we’re feeling, or the grief that we’re feeling. We could be there for one another.”
Korte recalls being an audience member, where she felt seen by the performer. She has been at shows where the performer’s music spoke to her spirit, and she felt free to dance and escape.
“I think that as musicians and artists, it is our job to emote,” Korte said. “We emote for people in ways people may not be able to themselves. I hope I bring that myself for audiences.”
This experience is symbiotic for Korte because as she emotes and performs, she feels more alive than at any other time in her life.
“On stage, I feel freedom. I feel grounded and alive. I am in my element, giving and receiving,” Korte said.
Korte’s generosity as an artist is sometimes rewardedKorte traveled to LA for her 40th birthday in June. In another moment of vulnerability, she shared with fans her dream to rent a sailboat to celebrate the milestone. She admitted she couldn’t afford the cost and asked for donations.
Money trickled in through Venmo, slowly at first, but then, the donations swelled until she had raised more than $1,000. She performed live from the rented boat to reward those whose financial support helped her realize her dream.
Korte said she isn’t afraid she is getting too old to perform. Instead, she speaks enthusiastically about starting the second half of her life and believes her best work is ahead of her. She just isn’t sure what form that work will take.
“I’m torn between wanting to create an opus, or go get my boat captain’s license and work in a different field, where I don’t have to create to live and pay my bills.”
Korte has always dreamed of being a boat captain. But she still has some rock and roll dreams as well. No matter her decision, Korte will likely bare her heart on her sleeve and share it with her fans, once again exposing her vulnerability.
Korte will be performing at the Denver Underground Music Showcase July 29-31 and the Down in Denver Fest August 20-21.
For more about Jen Korte, visit jenkorte.com.
Editor’s note: This article first appeared in the July 2022 issue as part of our profiles on Denver artists of color.