Gina Venier's "Nora Jane" is the story for most LGBTQ+ people. A Chicago area native, the singer-songwriter was "scared to death," as she confides in the song, to bring her girlfriend home to meet the family. "What's my Dad gonna do when I bring you home? / What's my Mom gonna say when I tell her you're the one I love? / Tell her you're the one I want? / Is my brother gonna hate me?" she flips through a laundry list of questions.
In writing the song, alongside Savana Santos and Summer Overstreet, Venier is not only liberated by her own truth but upholds a beacon for others who may still be battling inner doubts and societal pressures. "I've had people come up to me after hearing me sing it live and say things like, 'I have a Nora Jane' and have a story of their own to tell," she shares with Wide Open Country. "It feels good knowing that people feel like I am telling their story, too."
"I hope anyone facing fear or adversity will hear this song and feel some acceptance. I hope it emotionally educates people, especially those who have always thought of love as only linear. I hope it inspires other artists to stay true to themselves, no matter what everyone else is doing," she continues. "I hope it continues to open the door for queer artists in country music. I hope to get on stage and be able to look out to an audience of people who relate to the song and are singing along to it. I hope it inspires more raw, honest songs in me to come out."
Consider "Nora Jane" a transformational moment in time. Venier gave herself permission to be "emotionally vulnerable and raw," allowing one of the most important songs of the year to see the light of day. "That's not usually a comfortable place to go but it can be liberating," she notes.
Venier moved to Nashville eight years ago but only started releasing her solo music in 2020. Last year, she signed to Red Door Music Group, a joint venture between Warner Chappell and Red Light Management. "Nora Jane" follows a string of singles, including "Who Does That" and "Take Me There."
In support of the new single, Venier strips it back for an emotive acoustic video performance (filmed by Acacia Evans). Check out the premiere below.
