Photo by Ashley Gongora
Jess Garland
Jess Garland is a Dallas-based singer-songwriter, recording and performing artist. She is a multi-instrumentalist who combines harp and guitar loops to evoke her unique brand of celestial avant-garde pop with ethereal jazz tones. In October 2024, Jess received the Visit Dallas Maverick, Can-Do Spirit Award for Arts & Entertainment. Jess most recently became a member of the Recording Academy. She was recently featured in Modern Luxury Magazine as a December 2023/January 2024 Power Player by Visit Dallas. In May 2024, she received the Chase Bank’s 2023 Entreprenista of the Year award. She was also recently on the cover of Guitar Girl Magazine and Dallas Weekly in June 2023. Jess most recently shared a stage with Dr. Opal Lee and Erykah Badu for the Juneteenth Freedom Walk in Fair Park for Visit Dallas. Jess opened for The Suffers at Tulips in April 2024 and also performed with Kam Franklin from The Suffers and The Bayou City Comeback Chorus at the Wortham Theater with Performing Arts Houston in January 2024. She produced and performed in the 22-23 season of the Elevator Project at the Wyly Theatre debuting her 3D printed laser harp. Jess opened for Dru Hill for Deep Ellum Foundation’s 2023 Juneteenth Block Party. Jess performed and presented a talk for TEDx titled, Facing The Music: Finding Your Purpose in October 2022. Jess has also opened for Stones Throw artist MNDSGN and Warner Music Group artist Adia Victoria. She performed at the historic Kessler Theater on June 3rd. Jess sold out a concert at Undermain Theatre on February 19, 2022. In 2021, Jess opened for Jackie Venson and Hayden Pedigo. She has also opened for Gingger Shankar and Madame Gandhi. Jess has also performed with The Suffers and The Seratones. Recently, Garland was awarded the Local Legend award in Nashville, TN from Wild Turkey’s Creative Director, Matthew McConaughey for keeping music alive in Dallas.
In May 2021, Jess released “Harp & Sol” which is an art film and music composition focusing on environmental racism in Dallas and Black feminism. Jess co-produced the film and composed music for Their Lives Mattered: A Dialogue Honoring Stolen Lives by Dallas law enforcement.
Jess has partnered with She Shreds Media and has been featured in Guitar Girl Magazine and Kyser Presents Locals. Jess has also worked with other guitar brands like D’Addario for funding and supplies for Swan Strings. Jess sponsored Deep Ellum 100’s Sounds of Deep Ellum vinyl album to be released on Idol Records. As a recording artist, Jess was featured on the Ataraxia Trio’s + 2 album “Nights Enter” released on Ayler Records in March 2021. She was also featured on the title track of the Billboard charting Truth to Power Project, a local fundraising initiative released on Record Store Day in June 2021. She is the featured harpist on These Machines are Winning‘s Slaves for Gods album, as well as Sunshine Village’s album, The Buffalo Trees Saved The Children of The Sun. Her debut single, “Glow” is out now. Her most recent single “I Tried (Live Again)” is available now on all streaming platforms.
Jess is also the President and Founding Director of Swan Strings and has recently been appointed Executive Director at Girls Rock Dallas. She serves on the Board of Directors for Decolonizing the Music Room, Friends of WRR 101.1 FM and Girls Rock Camp Alliance. She has served on the millennial board at The Black Academy of Arts & Letters, the auxiliary board at The AT&T Performing Arts Center and the Arts Council for Booker T. Washington High School of Performing and Visual Arts. Jess also participated in the 2023-2024 Racial Equity Now Cohort at Dallas Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation.
About Girls Rock Dallas
Founded in 2011, Girls Rock Dallas is an organization dedicated to empowering girls, women, trans and gender-expansive individuals through the use of music education to promote self-esteem and confidence by providing the opportunity to learn and express their musical creativity. For more information or to get involved, visit girlsrockdallas.org and follow on social media at @girlsrockdallas.
About Swan Strings:
Founded in 2019, Swan String is a 501c3 nonprofit organization with a mission to provide free music education, community concerts and sound therapy services to North Texas individuals without access. For more information or to get involved, visit jessstrings.com/swan-strings and follow on social media at @swanstrings.