Local femme musician Jurni Rayne shifts her career into high gear
DON’T STOP BELIEVIN’ | Jurni Rayne redefined herself — and hopes to redefine expectations about music at the SolJazzin’ Arts Festival. (Arnold Wayne Jones/Dallas Voice)
RICH LOPEZ | Contributing Writer
getrichindallas@gmail.com
No one asks who Veronica Butler is anymore. You could argue that Veronica doesn’t even exist, save for a few, pesky, lingering legal documents. Instead, Butler has made way for Jurni Rayne … and shedding one for the other may be the best decision the singer has ever made.
As she discusses on her eponymous blog, Veronica Butler is her government name, but Jurni Rayne is her real one. You could say that’s been around longer than she has even been an active musician. For Rayne, it was about shedding one persona to birth another. And by doing so, she found herself.
“It was a process,” she says. “I think that I really wanted something that represented where I came from, what I want to do and so forth. And now, I’m Jurni all the time. My mom, my best friend, even my fiancée call me that.”
The goal is now for the general public to know who Jurni Rayne is as well; so far, she is making all the right moves. Part of that happens Wednesday when she co-headlines the Soljazzin’ Arts and Poetry Set with host Mike Gunn. For the out musician, this is an opportunity that she hopes bridges communities she’s a large part of: The southern Dallas sector and the gay community.
“When I lived in DeSoto, we didn’t go downtown or Addison for any live music,” she says. “Those areas are like their own encased entities. I think it’s beneficial for SolJazz to be in the south, but also to Dallas to bring attention to that part of the city.”
Last year’s SolJazz was heavy on national acts, featuring MC Lyte, Cameo and Doug E. Fresh, but Rayne is glad the festival opted to focus on local fare such as herself with major headliner Cherelle capping off the finale on Saturday. But it’s significant that Rayne adds the queer element to the festival. And in that, she expects her familiar fans to show up, but hopes that other LGBT peeps show up for a different music experience that represents all artists hope for: a crossroads of people together for the sole reason of art.
“I think [organizers] even wanted more of a queer roster with me and [spoken word artist] Flow involved,” she says. “I think it’s cool that we’re visibly seen in that sector. Of course, other people have to know that I’m gay or out, but in the end, I think the diversity looks good.”
SolJazz founder Meredith Capleton sees her festival as not just a music event, but as a community event, and embraces Rayne’s out identity as just an added feature to the 10-day festival. She’s proud that SolJazz opens opportunities to smaller and local artists to expand their audiences.
“There’s a lot of talent in the area that goes unknown or ignored,” Capleton says. “I want SolJazz to focus on this Dallas talent and create stars here! She’s become more of a brand and we’re glad to have her fans and anyone of the LGBT community to come be a part of this. We want everybody.”
Rayne’s sound mixes sultry soul with an acoustic sensibility that balances the likes of Norah Jones and John Legend. Neo-soul could be the best description, placing her in the company of Erykah Badu or Maxwell, but there’s added depth that brings in the heartfelt resolve of Carole King. She sounds like many artists but is decidedly her own. For out music blogger J.W. Richard, he finds certainty in her music, but also a beating heart. Founder of the Groove Loves Melody site, Richard has displayed a definite knack for plucking out music that shouldn’t go unnoticed, and he gives Rayne high praise.
“She really wants to be a songbird for the community and that’s something cool to see,” he says. “You can just feel that she takes it seriously and she brings her heart and talent to the game. I’ve always appreciated that about her. I think she really wants to be not the performer for the community, but its muse. Jurni inspires and encourages with her music.”
Local music mogul Nik Ceo echoes Richard.
“Jurni continues to elevate her performance and she connects well with the crowd. When she’s onstage, she captures your attention,” says Ceo, who heads the Moscato Music Lounge nights where Rayne has gigged.
It’s not just live music aficionados who have taken note. Last year, Rayne was given a big break when she was selected by filmmakers to contribute a song to The Last Fall. The film, about a post-career NFL player, had a limited release last October, but for Rayne, it was a lucky break that upped her game from struggling musician to … well, to a struggling musician with more name recognition. And that can be invaluable.
“To be able to say I have a song in a movie is just awesome,” she beams. “It all stemmed from a video I posted on YouTube and it was about a year ago that we talked and I just happened to be what they were looking for.”
She recorded a quick hook on her phone at their request and sent it over; it was a match. That gave her the chance to work with Stax soul artist and fellow Dallasite N’Dambi, who co-wrote “What Happens When.”
“It was a neat experience,” she says.
Rayne intends to keep the momentum going. She just wrapped on her video for “What Happens When,” and has signed with a management team for proper representation, something she’s been doing on her own. And after SolJazz, she continues booking gigs while continuing her weekly gig on Wednesday karaoke nights at Randy’s Club Cherries. Rayne has plans to resurrect her Sweet Tea Sundays, an afternoon event that’s a favorite among her LGBT fans, and which is indicative of her choice of venues.
“I’m notorious for making sure my venues are safe spaces for my gay fans to be comfortable, whether it’s J. Pepe’s for Sweet Tea Sundays or at the Holiday Inn for SolJazz,” she says.
When she performs at SolJazz — or anywhere, really — Rayne isn’t just defined by her labels: lesbian, African-American, woman. She’s defined by her music. She sings about life, love and all that anybody experiences.
“Music is universal in that we all can relate to the human experience. We’re all in love, all finding our way,” she says. “I may not wave a gay flag, but it’s also important to be who I am because there may be someone in the audience who looks just like me who is afraid to be who they are. In the end, we can all support each other.”
This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition June 7, 2013.