Jacqueline Hochheiser, Corporate Communications
Ever wonder what your coworkers are up to when they’re not at work? Well, at Mini-Circuits, we have an abundance of talent both in and out of the office. Jena Moulds, our Production Control Coordinator located at our Branson, Missouri office shed light on a personal hobby of hers that has been a well-kept family tradition and has shaped a lot of her childhood and her adult life today. Jena’s passion for music and entertainment have led her on a unique journey to become part of a rock band, and she’s got big plans for the future!
Branson, Missouri used to be the live music capital of the world, with many country and folk entertainers coming to retire and buy up theaters to put on their own shows, primarily during the 70s and 80s. Many of the noteworthy names include Ray Stevens, Jim Owens and Micky Gilly. While Branson may have hit its entertainment peak in the 90s, it is still well known for live music with many shows still take place there.
Jena Moulds performing with her band, My So-Called Riot.
Having grown up in Branson, Jena was brought up in an entertainment family. Her parents were entertainers for 20 years as singers and musicians. Her mother plays the guitar and mandolin and her father plays the guitar and drums. It was only natural that Jena acquired her own talent as a singer and even partook in her first live performance when she was only five years old. After that, she continued to grow up in Branson’s entertainment industry, singing and dancing in various shows in town.
While most of the music she performed growing up was country, synonymous with the popular genre in the area, her true passion has always been rock. So, she was stoked when the opportunity arose two months ago to start a 90s rock cover band.
“Living in Branson, it’s the live country music capital so I grew up mostly performing country music. But it’s never been my passion. Rock has always been my passion, but having been trained in the country genre, I never even imagined that rock would be an option for me,” said Jena. “We’re honestly still figuring out how it’s going to go, but so far people have loved our performances!”
The band, named “My So-Called Riot,” consists of four people including Jena as the main vocalist, a drummer, a guitar player, and bass player. The name of the group came about because the show “My So-Called Life” was very popular in the 90s, and the LA Riots were going on in 92’.
“A lot of bands during that time it seemed were singing about riots and calling songs “riot” so it seemed appropriate,” said Jena. “I think it’s perfect. Especially when you do a cover band, the name really matters because it tells people what to expect from you.”
This is Jena’s first time being part of a band rather than as a solo singer or performer, and there are somethings she’s still getting used to but that she’s found a real love for. The band interacts a lot more with the crowd than she has in the past, for example, encouraging them to sing along to a song. My So-Called Riot currently plays at bar venues, but their goal is to open for some other bands and play at festivals. They even have their sights set on recording some of their covers in the future!
When asked what her favorite song is to perform, Jena answered, “I’m so passionate when it comes to music, it is in my bones and it’s what I’ve known. It’s part of my identity. So, all the songs we play are my favorites because I just enjoy all of it. I enjoy something about every single song we put out there.”
When there’s passion in anything, success will likely be attracted, and with Jena’s gift for music having been kindled from a young age, it’s something that she still pursues with vigor and something that defines who she is. Breaking out with a rock band in a primarily country scene wasn’t easy, but she made it work, and the group is gaining traction. We wish Jena the best of luck with her musical endeavors!
You must be logged in to post a comment.