Jane Claire Hervey is a triple-threat. She’s got a voice that’ll knock your socks off, her way with words will make you laugh until you cry and, not to mention, she’s got a soft spot in her heart for underrepresented people’s groups. The 20-year-old junior is on a mission to change the world, and so far, she’s on a fast track to success.
You may have seen (or heard) Hervey around town. When she’s not writing or editing Orange Magazine, an online UT publication, she’s strumming away at her guitar while her sweet, yet soulful voice fills the room. According to Hervey, her music style is not easy to describe. “I was in a country band for a while, basically dated a male reggae music groupie for a couple of years (not really, but really), collaborated with some hip-hop artists and I am personally just a huge fan of rock music and folk music,” Hervey says. “So, my music style is all of those things and a little Ray Charles.”
Hervey recently joined a rock band that plays cover songs in local bars around Austin. Not only is she the youngest member of the band, she is also the only female, making her the subject of the suspected comments and cat-calls. But, she takes it with a grain of salt. “I’ve been told not to wear beanies and that I look ‘f*ckin’ hot’ on occasion in a really weird way, but I don’t care all too much. That’s the nature of the industry, and I choose to play by my own rules when I can,” Hervey says. Talk about girl power.
Aside from her growing success as a local musician, Hervey is the apple of the public eye for another reason: she is the author of ten viral BuzzFeed Community posts. Her first viral post, “20 Things You Should Know About The Rio Grande Valley” earned 60,000 hits and 20,000 likes on Facebook, along with some local news coverage in the RGV. Her witty commentary sheds light on topics that many people can relate to. You may have seen some of her other posts floating around your Facebook timeline, such as “21 Things Only A Blunt Person Understands” and “17 Things You Don’t Say To A Woman With Short Hair,” which received over 862,000 views on BuzzFeed.
Over the holidays, Hervey plans to spend her time writing and performing in her hometown in the Rio Grande Valley. According to Hervey, playing in the RGV is one of the best parts about going home. “I usually sing for the elderly at a nursing home on Christmas Eve and I also play at a couple of bars with some friends. It’s great,” Hervey says. “Oh, and I am recording an EP, or at least beginning to record an EP over break. That should be exciting.”
What does Hervey want for Christmas? An all-expenses-paid U.S. tour, complete with two band members and a rad van. “I could not imagine that, but Santa would be one hell of a nice guy if he could pull that off.”
Keep up with Hervey’s music on Sound Cloud and on YouTube. You can also check out her BuzzFeed posts.