“MUSIC GAVE ME A VOICE BEFORE THE WORLD GAVE ME A STAGE”
— J'CENAE
RAW SOUL MUZIK GROUP
"Authentic Soul"
Bio
Biography of Soul Artist J’Cenae Raw Soul Muzik Group | Contemporary Southern Soul & R&B; Jacqueline Cenae Williams, professionally known as J’Cenae, was born on February 6, 1986, to Murindia and the late Clanater Williams in Rolling Fork, Mississippi. From an early age, she showcased her gift for music, singing in her local church and competing in talent shows and pageants. In 2004, she auditioned for American Idol locally and advanced to audition rounds in New Orleans, LA, and later in Denver, CO (2005). Her talent earned her a music scholarship at Alcorn State University, where she performed with the ASU Gospel Choir, the ASU Concert Choir, and Singers With A Purpose (S.W.A.P.). After leaving Alcorn in 2008, J’Cenae began her professional career, singing background for Southern Soul artists such as Nathaniel Kimble and Chris Ivy. By 2010, J’Cenae was traveling with the legendary Marvin Sease, gaining valuable stage experience and exposure. After his passing, she turned her focus toward her solo career while continuing to support artists like Vick Allen, Lacee, and Nellie “Tiger” Travis. In 2016, she released her first single, Good Stuff, and began performing regularly with her band across the South, including Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, Arkansas, Texas, and numerous Blues festivals and casinos. She has also shared the stage with Southern Soul and Blues greats such as Tucker, Avail Hollywood, Dave Mack, Pokey, Bobby Rush, Grady Champion, Sweet Angel, Karen Wolfe, Magic One, Rhomey, and Calvin Richardson. J’Cenae’s career reached a new level in 2018, when Wendell B—national recording artist and “The Boss” of Southern Soul—took her under his wing. Together, they began performing on shows, and in 2019 recorded her breakout single I’ll Be Down in a Minute. Released in 2020, the record became a Southern Soul favorite, receiving radio play across the United States and in Africa. The track also earned her a Jackson Music Award nomination for Best Engineered Track. In 2022, J’Cenae collaborated with fellow Mississippi star J-Wonn on Moving at Your Speed, further cementing her reputation as one of Southern Soul’s rising voices. The following year, she elevated her career by launching her own record label, Raw Soul Muzik Group. Under this banner, she released Set the Groove in July 2023, a vibrant party anthem that captured her fun-loving spirit. Her momentum continued with another single in August 2023, penned by J-Wonn, which solidified her as a powerhouse in the genre. That same year, she was honored as one of the “Queens of Soul” by the Jackson Music Awards. Today, J’Cenae is recognized as a Grammy Recording Academy Voting Member (Class of 2025) and a three-time winner of the Jackson Music Awards’ National Female Artist of the Year. Her highly anticipated sophomore album, The Evolution of J’Cenae, is set to release on August 23, 2025, under her label Raw Soul Muzik Group. With this project, J’Cenae embodies strength, independence, and timeless soul, continuing to blaze her own trail in the world of Southern Soul and R&B.; More than an artist, she is a trailblazer—crafting a legacy that celebrates authenticity, passion, and the evolution of real soul music
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