Jennifer Crestol

Born and raised in California, lived all over the UK and Europe, and having recorded tracks from her upcoming album Still In My Heart with the London Symphony Orchestra, Jennifer Crestol is, in every sense of the term, a citizen of the world. The powerhouse singer’s vocals have earned international praise as “outstanding,” “inspirational” and “divine,” and she’s heard the phrase “voice of an angel” more times than she can count.
Combine this transcendent instrument—which has been compared to Karen Carpenter, Joni Mitchell and Sarah Brightman--with charisma, charm and an ability to mesmerize audiences everywhere from London and Paris to Bucharest, New York and Los Angeles, and it’s easy to see why the industry’s top songwriters and producers (David Foster, Humberto Gatica, Richard Page, Richard Marx, Mario Manzani, David Reitzas, Walter Afanasieff, Aaron Zigman) came clamoring to work on Still In My Heart. The heartfelt title track, written by Marx and Page, was inspired by the passing of a beloved vocal teacher and has been viewed thousands of times on Youtube as the soundtrack to a poignant video montage of the people of Haiti in the wake of the devastating January, 2010 earthquake. It is dedicated to “all the people who lost loved ones."
A unique artist with a giving spirit who perfectly combines her artistic drive with a desire to help people, especially children, in dire need, Jennifer sang at some cancer benefits as a teenager but has amped up her charitable involvement while living in Romania this past year. One of the contributing factors that prompted her to move to Bucharest full time was her work with Children in Distress, an organization dedicated to children dying of terminal illnesses. She has performed various benefit concerts and has taken a hands on role visiting children in hospitals and hospices with birth defects, brain damage and AIDS.
On an earlier visit, Jennifer saw the need to contribute but didn’t know what organization to focus on. Appearing on a Romanian show, she got a call from the wife of the country’s British ambassador who set her up to sing at a benefit for Children in Distress, whose global headquarters are in Scotland. The songs she chose were “Still In My Heart” and “Magic Of Moonlight,” the latter of which is shaping up to be the album’s first single and video. The singer has since become involved in other based organizations based in Romania, including UNICEF, and the Red Cross. On February 13, 2010, she is performing at a charity ball for Blue Heron Foundation, which raises money for orphaned children. “I had always had a heart for giving back and being a humanitarian,” says Jennifer, “but Romania was the first country I visited where I had seen so many heartbreaking things and so many people suffering at this level. I knew I had to get involved and use music as a vehicle to promote healing.”
For many emerging singers, being surrounded with such platinum selling, multiple Grammy winning talents might prove slightly intimidating, but for the poised and confident Jennifer, each collaboration was an opportunity to take her artistry—and her four octave performing voice--to the next level. “The concept of Still In My Heart is something really different from the typical female pop vocal album,” she says, “something with old world music where a singer has to actually sing. I wanted it to be authentic sounding because it’s coming from my heart and I’m a very real person. Lyrically, it was important to me to touch upon the realities of life, things we all go through…the loss of love, the dynamics of romantic relationships and friendships, dealing with death, the loss of faith, falling in love…almost like a journey of our lives.Perfectly in line with Jennifer’s charitable contributions and performances for various international organizations, the recording process of Still In My Heart took her from Foster’s Chartmaker Studios in Malibu, California to Ocean Way in Nashville (where she worked with Marx), The Hall at Air Studios in London (a Cathedral-like setting where the London Symphony Orchestra records) and a small studio in Tuscany, where the singer laid down the vocals for “Magic Of Moonlight” with Manzani, well known for his work with Andrea Bocelli. The collection includes “Walk Away,” written and produced by Foster; Marx’s “What I Wish For You” (written with Linda Thompson) and “As If We’ll Never Love Again”; Zigman’s “Love Lives There,” a vocal adaptation of his theme from “The Notebook,’ featuring lyrics by Brock Walsh; and production by Gatica on “Amandote.”
“Each song is a story,” Jennifer adds, “rolling like a visual movie for me. I want people to be touched by what I am singing, to hear my story and appreciate the heart and soul that went into it. If my music can give people comfort and inspiration, that is all the more wonderful. To get the right combination, I literally listened to thousands of song submissions, and as long as it took to record, I truly love the way it has turned out. I had the honor of working with legends I had dreamed of working with since I was a child. What I have learned from their wisdom and experience is priceless. I sing with my heart and the passion comes from life experiences I want to share with people.”
While most artists have to wait for the release of their debut album to start touring the world, Jennifer, performing in a wide variety of settings with other artists, has already touched countless people in numerous countries. In her adopted home country of Romania, she received enthusiastic ovations from an audience of over 100,000 people (and an additional 23 million more, who watched the event on European TV). This remarkable concert was aired throughout the United States on PBS . She has also wowed audiences of 10-15,000 over the past few years in concert and TV appearances everywhere from New York, Los Angeles, London, Paris, Bucharest, Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Israel and Holland. ?
I’ve always dreamed of having an effect on people that mirrors the way my own favorite artists helped me get through the most difficult times in my life--and the way they helped me find joy in the best times of my life. If I can touch just one person, affect one person’s life with my music, help them to believe in themselves, touch, inspire, and comfort them, then I have done my job and I will always know it was all worth it.”"As an artist, I feel a tremendous responsibility to do great things for humanity,” says Jennifer. “Music is the one true international language and we are all touched and affected by it in some way.
Long after the very first time you listen to Jennifer Crestol’s beautiful and empowering debut album you’ll still be feeling the “Magic of Moonlight”—and be grateful that she’s Still In My Heart.