Today we’d like to introduce you to Janie Ray.
Hi Janie , so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
My name is Janie Rachelle McCowan-Udumifu, professionally known as Janie Ray.
Ever since I was a little girl, I wanted to be a singer.
I grew up in St. Louis in a big family with nine siblings. My father was the pastor of a small church called Star Grace, and I always say that’s where my stardom was born. Church taught me confidence before I ever stepped on a stage. Every week I watched people use music to inspire and heal others, and even at four years old I had a voice much bigger than my age.
We didn’t have much financially, but we had faith, creativity, and love.
My mom was elegant, hardworking, and incredibly resourceful. She made many of our clothes herself, and whenever I came to her with wild design ideas, she somehow made them come to life. Looking back, I think that’s where my love for fashion and creating worlds began. My dad taught me confidence and to carry myself with pride, while my mom showed me grace and class. Together, they shaped so much of who I am today.
As I got older, life became more difficult. My dad lost his job, battled bipolar depression, and our family experienced seasons that tested us. Even through those hardships, music was always the place where I felt hope.
Growing up, my biggest inspiration wasn’t a celebrity—it was my older sister, Carla. While everyone else wanted to be Beyoncé or Rihanna, I wanted to be just like my sister. She was already pursuing music, appearing in newspapers around St. Louis, and I proudly told everyone at school, “My sister is a singer.” When people asked what I wanted to be, my answer was always the same.
“A singer.”
I just didn’t know how.
I honestly believed artists were “discovered.” I didn’t know how songs were written, what happened inside a recording studio, or how someone actually became an artist.
Everything changed in 2017.
While visiting my sisters in Los Angeles during college, my sister Ms. B heard the music I was listening to—H.E.R., SZA, Steve Lacy, Sabrina Carpenter, The Internet—and asked me a simple question:
“Why don’t you become an artist?”
It sounds obvious now, but nobody had ever asked me that before.
She took me into my very first recording studio, and I recorded my first song, “Jelly.” I was so nervous that she released it on her own SoundCloud because I was afraid people would hear my voice.
Looking back, I laugh because I actually sounded pretty good.
After returning to Lincoln University, I became obsessed with improving. Every day my friends and I would meet in study rooms writing songs and dreaming about becoming artists. My friends Molique (Slow Spread Love), Petra, and I even performed around campus together as a group called I.R.D.
Eventually I realized my heart wasn’t in school—it was in music.
Three years later I independently released my first songs, “Iconic” and “Red Flags.” I wanted to make music that felt honest, introspective, and fun at the same time.
A few years later I released “You,” a song that continues to connect with listeners today.
Around that time I also became part of the Kinfolk and Them collective. That community helped shape me as both an artist and performer. They gave me opportunities to perform live, and I learned that entertaining people wasn’t just about singing—it was about making people feel something. Growing up in church, I watched people walk through the congregation while singing and invite everyone into the experience. I’ve carried that same energy onto every stage I’ve stepped on.
Then life took another unexpected turn.
In 2025 I lost both my home and my job.
It was one of the hardest seasons of my life, but it also became one of the most important. My close friend Devon White encouraged me to stop waiting and start becoming the artist I knew I could be. He challenged me to grow, not only creatively but personally.
After taking a trip to Miami, I realized I wanted more for myself. I decided to take a leap of faith and move to Atlanta.
There, my sister Carla introduced me to producer Brian “B-Flat” Cook. Before I ever met him, I had already spent months defining who Janie Ray was. I changed my artist name from Janebanga to Janie Ray, created my own artist archetype, refined my image, and even built melodies through a cappella recordings before bringing them into the studio.
Brian understood exactly what I was hearing in my head and helped bring the Janie Ray sound to life.
When the music was finished, I returned home without a place to live.
For weeks, I slept in my car.
I showered at Planet Fitness, continued creating content, collaborated with other artists, and kept believing that if I stayed faithful to the vision, everything would work out. Eventually my sister Ms. B helped me by getting me a camper, giving me a safe place to continue building my dream.
Today, I’m preparing to release my debut EP, Janie Ray’s Declassified Lover Girl Survival Guide, along with my new single “Get Pretty.”
This October, I’ll also host my first immersive listening experience in St. Louis—an evening designed to combine music, storytelling, fashion, and curated drinks into one unforgettable experience.
For me, this journey has never just been about becoming famous.
It’s about creating a world where people feel confident enough to choose themselves, dream bigger than their circumstances, and believe that impossible things can become real.
I’m still building that world—and this is only the beginning.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road.
I’ve experienced financial hardship, uncertainty, and seasons where I questioned whether my dream would ever happen. In 2025, I lost both my home and my job at the same time. After returning from Atlanta, where I had gone to develop my sound and record music, I came home with nowhere to live. For weeks, I slept in my car, showered at Planet Fitness, and kept showing up every day for my dream. I continued creating content, collaborating with other artists, networking, and writing music because I refused to let my circumstances define my future.
Growing up, I also didn’t have a blueprint for becoming an independent artist. I didn’t know how to write songs, record music, build a brand, or navigate the music industry. Everything I’ve learned has come through trial and error, asking questions, making mistakes, and staying curious enough to keep going.
One of the biggest challenges has been believing in myself before the world did. It’s easy to keep pursuing your dream when everything is working out. It’s much harder when you’re funding everything yourself, hearing “no,” or wondering where your next opportunity will come from. But those moments strengthened my faith and reminded me why I started.
Today, every obstacle has become part of my story. They taught me resilience, gratitude, creativity, and resourcefulness. If anything, those experiences have made me a better artist because I create from a real place. I hope when people hear my music, they don’t just hear songs—they hear someone who never gave up, even when giving up would’ve been the easier option.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I consider myself a full-time creative. Beyond creating my own music, I help other artists develop their identities by building artist archetypes, shaping creative direction, writing and structuring songs, and creating content that helps tell their stories. I love helping people discover who they are creatively because I know how transformative that process can be.
As an artist, I specialize in creating immersive worlds. My music blends pop, R&B, and nostalgic influences with modern production, but what truly sets me apart is that I don’t just release songs—I create experiences. From the visuals and fashion to the storytelling and live performances, every detail is intentional. I want people to feel like they’ve stepped into the world of Janie Ray.
One of the things I’m most proud of is having the courage to fully bet on myself. After my corporate career came to an unexpected end, I chose to see it as an opportunity to pursue the life I had always dreamed of. That decision led me to Atlanta, where I refined my sound, developed my artistic identity, and committed to building my career on my own terms.
I believe creativity isn’t meant to be kept to yourself. If I can help another artist find their sound, strengthen a song, or see themselves more clearly, that’s something I’m incredibly proud of.
At the end of the day, I hope people know me not only for my music but for my imagination, my authenticity, and my ability to help others believe in themselves while creating a world that’s uniquely my own
So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
What matters most to me is impact, but right alongside that is the people I love. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized that success means very little if you don’t have family and genuine friends to share it with. My family and the close friends in my circle have supported me, challenged me, prayed for me, and believed in me during seasons when I had to keep believing in myself. They remind me who I am outside of being an artist.
Pricing:
- Creative Direction & Artist Development- Contact for custom pricing.
- Songwriting & Song Structure Consulting- Contact for custom pricing.
- Live Performances & Bookings — Rates available upon request.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/janieraymusic
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/janebanga
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@janebanga
- Soundcloud: https://on.soundcloud.com/eOI4lkG2S5XG4q4bNM
