By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
A Great Bend teenager has officially hit the airwaves. Jadynce Schroeder, who goes by the stage name Jadynce Jean, began performing the "Star Spangled Banner" in front of crowds at the age of six. Ten years later, she has officially released her first recording. She penned the lyrics to "Little Miss Perfect" at the age of 13, and the song debuted on various streaming platforms Monday.
"I started voice lessons when I was in first grade," Shroeder said. "I just always loved singing and I was definitely passionate about it. The older I got, the more I became obsessed with singing and just knew that's what I wanted to do."
Schroeder began opening for bigger bands at the age of 13. In 2021, the country music band Ricochet performed at the Barton County Fair. Schroeder opened for that band that produced three straight Top Ten hits in the country charts on their debut album in 1995.
"It just so happened there was a manager there," she said. "He talked to me afterward and said he'd be really excited to work with me. He took me under his wing from that point and booked me gigs - just me and my acoustic guitar for a summer and a half. Last year, he put me with a band he knew."
Schroeder has performed throughout Kansas. Last year, the Jadynce Jean Band opened for Three Dog Night, a band that had 21 consecutive Top 40 hits, including three No. 1 singles, in the late 1960s and 70s. Even in front of some 5,000 fans at the Nebraska State Fair, Schroeder said she felt more energy than nerves.
"I've just decided it's going to be what it's going to be when you get up there, so may as well have the best time possible," she said. "If you love what you're doing, it's not work."
The band will carry its momentum into the summer months with performances booked in Iowa, Nebraska, and Kansas. Schroeder opened for Cooper Allen and Thomas Mac in Hays in February, and will open for acts like Justin Moore this year. But getting a song recorded in the studio and releasing it has been a big step in the right direction.
"It's a little nerve-racking because, obviously, you want everyone to love it and you know that's not possible," said Schroeder. "We're getting really positive feedback and it's a large step. I think, for us, it's a sigh of relief that we are still making steps forward and we're not just going to plateau, that we're still driving forward to get better and take the next step to become more professional as we go."
Schroeder has about a dozen more tracks ready to go and plans to record more songs in the coming months. "Little Miss Perfect" is now available on iTunes and Spotify streaming services.
