Tell us a little bit about yourself and what you do.

My name is Patience and I created an alias “Jenni” about 4 years ago. I make music and design clothing from the space of Jenni, which to me means being boundless. I’m from Chicago born and raised but I want to live in a lot of places. I come from a big family and lol open-ended questions like this always make me rant, but yes I am Patience and I create through Jenni but I someday wish to be able to let go of the aliases and just be Patience. It’s weird to talk about it outright but I think we all have that other side/ alter ego and mine has opened new worlds for me and I hope that people seeing me live through my creativity will inspire them to do the same. I just wanna be able to be impactful, in a good way. I wanna be for people what I needed growing up. That’s at the core of my artistry/projects that I plan to bring to life. I’m a kind gal who I love very much idk lol.

How would you describe your music?

I think my music is fun and honest. I think that’s necessary in being able to connect with other people, to be honest, and live in your truth. People won’t be able to see themselves in what you’re doing if you’re creating through a facade. So yeah, I describe it as honest. I don’t wanna throw around genres because the artist I am today I’m not sure I’ll be tomorrow so at the core of it I’ll say it’s just fun and honest lol. 

What began your interest in making music?

It’s pretty shallow but really just seeing people around me doing it inspired me to just go for it. I was like niggas is pretty weak I can definitely do that and more than likely do better. I’ve found new inspiration through the journey though, like hearing stories about my uncles performing on the porches in Englewood back in the day. Hearing about the bands they formed and stuff made me like humph maybe this wasn’t just coincidence, maybe it’s in me. I’m still not sure that’s what that meant because like being black that’s a story many of us share but I believe music is inherently black too so yea idk. I think life circumstances inspired me, just wanting to have a thing. I’m big on doing, if I say I wanna do something more than 6 times I usually end up being like “fuck it” and at least giving it a try.

I understand you design clothes, could you talk a little bit about that practice?

Yea it started with reconstructing clothes that I would thrift and it’s kind of still in that space. I can do custom and technical work but most times that takes away the fun. I love designing more than sewing so I just want to kind of rush and get a sample of the vision then send it over to a seamstress to perfect. Haven’t executed the latter quite yet but the plan is to get it done sooner than later. I just find materials that I can use to bring a vision to life and get to cutting lol. I always used to cut everything my mom bought, she would be pissed off because her scissors were constantly misplaced but yes,  I mainly do reconstructive work or upcycling I think is the correct term. It’s fun.

How did your interest in art and design begin?

I grew up seeing my mom bring her ideas to life as a seamstress and dress maker. Throughout my childhood, we were comfortable but not well off. This lack made me become resourceful. Knowing that ideas can be brought to fruition by my hands led me to the love of design and garment making and eventually making music too. I always had a vision of what I wanted my clothes to feel like. For me, it goes beyond trends and what everyone else is doing; it’s a source of liberation for me. Seeing something that I loved that I couldn’t have, just made me want to create things that were made just for me, so that no one else could have it. It made me feel vindicated in being able to make the world feel how I often felt. As I get older I realize that I’ve come to the point where my passions have to be shared with others and be accessible to help fund my livelihood. Through this realization, my desires to have my own clothing brand were awakened. Now, that’s become a huge goal of mine that I plan to bring to life before the end of the 2024 year.

Creating and performing music are extremely different practices. Could you talk about your relationship to performance?

I kind of always wanted to perform, but when I was younger in elementary school I was a part of a dance crew and I was a terrible dancer lol. I just wanted to be a part of something and do something that put me on the stage. I lost that desire when I got to high school because of teenage angst and insecurity lol. Performing my music reawakened that desire in me. I just go up there and I pretend like I’m in my room. When I get on stage it’s great because I have terrible eyesight lol. So it’s really easy for me to just zone out and imagine everybody is like a shadow. So I just go and basically it’s like I’m in my room but I’m surrounded by really friendly spirits lol. Which is weird but  it kinda comforts me because at our core essentially that’s what day-to-day life is. Like the body is just the shell sort of thing. But yea, I really love performing, I always end up connecting with the people around me and that’s just an irreplaceable feeling. 

What are you really excited about right now?

I’m really excited currently about giving love a chance. There’s somebody I love and I’m excited to explore that. I’m also excited about my design career and taking lessons to elevate that and learning new instruments and how it’s going to feel to be able to pursue that with my dude and having that partnership as a battery to keep going. I could’ve said some other stuff but as I answer this that’s honestly what I’m most excited about. I think that love is sooo powerful and I’ve never had that to accompany me on this journey so I’m just excited to see where this will lead me creatively. 

Where do you see yourself and your art in five years?

I don’t know really. God works in mysterious ways and I try to leave space for those blessings. I feel like as long as I do my best when an opportunity arrives (that aligns with my spirit) the right doors will open. I try to take it day by day and be consistent in doing what brings me joy and purpose. I do see abundance in my future though, in every facet of my life. I hope to be in rooms where my creative choices are held in high regards & I’m able to execute my ideas precise to my visions. If you ask me where I see myself at 50/60 yrs old I can tell you very clearly lol. I see myself as a shaman with my own healing shop, traveling the world with long grey locs majoring in theology and minoring in philosophy somewhere in the UK. I think those years will be my prime years. I get so excited about old age & I hope by that time I’m still in a state of discovery. I want to keep the desire to explore for as long as possible.

What were you like in high school?

I was like a middle grounder in high school. I started off playing basketball but I never loved it. It always felt like what I should do, so I did it. Until my sophomore year and I started hanging out with the “hipsters” 😭. They were cool and I felt like it was more fitting of who I was so I ditched the jocks but they always fucked with me. Then I just became a coaster kind of, not known for anything other than being myself really. I used to feel defeated by that thought but now I’m glad that’s how I was perceived because I get more freedom to explore without the pressure of expectation from others. So, yea idk lol I was just me in high school. Just a middle-ground sort of person. 

What is your driving force?

God. Plain and simple, I feel that everything creatively that I do is led by God and spirit. I make shit just to make it, truthfully. I try to remove myself from it & do what I feel led to do. Right now it’s music, next it could be design, after that who knows. I just try to follow those bright idea moments and have faith in God that it’ll serve its purpose.

Interview conducted by Emma James