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Hometown: Ottawa, ON, CA
Label: Soaring Eagle Productions, Soaring Eagle Productions
Management: Michael Morin
Website: drakejensen.ca
Genre: Country
“Unmistakably country, but with a certain sonic majesty … he sings with open throated confidence and clear conviction. A winner. " - Robert K. Oermann, Music Row Magazine, Nashville TN
This was the beginning for Drake Jensen’s career as not only a Country Music artist but also a leader in the LGBTQ community, with the launch of his first album, “On My To Finding You” in 2011, and including the first video featuring an LGBTQ love theme, which caught the attention of Andy Towle of Towleroad, who named one him of the Top 50 Comings Out of 2012.
Since then, using his music and growing fame as a launching pad, he released three more studio albums: “OUTlaw” in 2013, “Retro” in 2014 and “Sideshow” in 2018. Some of the more notable releases include “Scars That you Can’t See”, the anti-bullying single in June 2013, launched at Nashville’s Hard Rock Café during Nashville Pride; and “Where Ever Love Takes Us”, which charted on the Australian Country Top40 in December 2016; and was turned into the line dance “Waves of Love” by renowned Irish choreographer Gary O’Reilly.
This notoriety earned Drake Jensen recognition for his contribution to the LGBTQ Community, including a notable amount of space in the Country section of the book “David Bowie Made Me Gay – 100 Years of LGBTQ Music History” by Darryl W Bullock. He was invited to perform at the book’s official launch in London in September 2017, as well as participate in a discussion panel with other notable guests during the event.
But the music is only one part of the artist’s work. Part of his artistry is in his videos where he demonstrates a keen and evolving sense of style and imagery. As an activist, he has raised awareness to the anti-bullying movement, and held very successful fundraisers for various causes.
One of Drake’s missions is to collaborate with and help promote other LGBTQ artists, namely fellow Canadian artist Patrick Masse, with whom he recorded “Go Your Own Way” in 2017.
His latest release, “Burn The Floor”, is an innovative, modern country tune borne out of the collaboration between Drake and Nova Scotia LBGTQ singer/songwriter/producer Jon Hemingway; and Rob Preuss, former keyboardist of The Spoons and Honeymoon Suite, and former Associate Musical Director for Mamma Mia on Broadway.
Drake Jensen remains to be a driving force, and a man on a mission, to bridge the gap between the LGBTQ Community and Country Music.
“On My Way To Finding You offers 11 meaty meditations on this thing called ‘love’, leaning for the most part on its healing and redemptive powers, although nowhere is there any evidence Mr. Jensen doesn’t like a good party”
Lenny Stoute - Cashbox Canada
“ensen’s the much buzzed about new vocal interpreter on the Country scene whose debut album On My Way To Finding You continues to enjoy airplay. The Ottawa valley crooner has made a big impression not only with the voice but also with a consuming sense of mission.”
Lenny Stoute - Cashbox Canada
“Canadian country singer Drake Jensen came out of the closet this week with the release of a video featuring his husband which Jensen dedicated to Jamie Hubley, the gay Ottawa teen who committed suicide last October after being bullied.”
Andy Towle - Towleroad
“Parmi eux, le chanteur country canadien Drake Jensen, premier artiste du genre à dévoiler son homosexualité, a été salué pour sa chanson On My Way to Finding You, dédiée au jeune adolescent ottavien Jamie Hubley, qui s’est suicidé en octobre 2011 après avoir été victime d’intimidation liée à son orientation sexuelle. L’artiste a fait le déplacement pour l’occasion, interprétant sur scène ce titre.”
webmestre - Etre
“Not too long ago, Canadian out & proud country singer Drake Jensen released a new single called “Pancho & Lefty” that won him the top spot in the “Emerging Artist Showdown” of a popular radio station in B.C. Drake has now just released a new music video with RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 4 alum, Willam Belli on a cover they did of Tammy Wynette’s classic, “Stand By Your Man.”
Together with the LA Wranglers, Willam and Drake deliver a light-hearted hommage to this country favourite. I love this song and their take on it is so cute and the collaboration is so outside the box – it’s amazing!”
Patrick - Homorazzi
“If there's one name I don't hear uttered often enough, it's Tammy Wynette. The legendary country star's tunes are timeless, and this proves it: Gay country crooner Drake Jensen covers Wynette's "Stand By Your Man" as a duet with cheeky RuPaul's Drag Race icon Willam Belli.”
Louis Vritel - After Elton
“Canadian Country Artist Drake Jensen is releasing his first single ‘When It Hurts Like That’ from his new CD ‘OUTlaw’, due out in March. Jensen, has spent almost two years crusading for causes that would eliminate bullying and homophobia. For his efforts, he received the Hats Off Award, bestowed on him by Fondation Emergence, a previous recipient was Lady GaGa.”
Sandy Graham - Cashbox Canada
“Jensen is back now with a new offering – aptly named OUTlaw, and now in 2013 Drake is back with a vengeance with the release of his second album – OUTlaw, a great combination of meaningful songs, well produced and engineered with the great input of Jonathan Edwards of Corvidae Music.”
staff - Cashbox Canada
“With the release of his latest album, 'OUTlaw,' the country artist discusses how coming out affected his career”
editors - Out.com
“Drake Jensen began rounding up loyal fans in 2011 with his debut album On Finding My Way to Finding You. Charting at number 16 on the European Country Music Association’s top 100, Jensen quickly proved an openly gay artist could succeed in country music.”
Jase Peeples - The Advocate
"Out C&W artist Drake Jensen makes a viable shot at stardom with ‘OUTlaw’"
Rich Lopez - The Dallas Voice
