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Rhaye's Roll continues with national nomination
Telegraph Journal
Oct 13, 2009
By: Tammy Scott-Wallace

SAINT JOHN - Jessica Rhaye is over the moon.

The Hampton native, who is making waves in the music world for her smooth, strong melodies and a talent for writing lyrics that listeners can easily identify with, is excited about her nomination for a Canadian Folk Music Award.

It was last Wednesday, as she went about her work as a Saint John graphic designer, when she started getting emails from friends in the music industry congratulating her.

"I replied to one email asking 'What am I being congratulated for?' " she said with a laugh. "Then I started Googling Canadian Folk Awards and their website hadn't been updated yet. I was going crazy."

Sure enough, she had secured a place on the music awards' nomination list for contemporary singer of the year. Rhaye was nominated for her new album Good Things, which was released on CD in May and in digital format in August/September.

"I feel really honoured," the 32-year-old said.

In August she celebrated her third-year wedding anniversary to her manager and Hampton High School sweetheart Mark Marshall.

Together, she said, they are living the dream.

"We're really good partners," she said. "We're best friends and we work as a unit, and we are having a lot of fun."

Rhaye divides her time as a businesswoman running her own graphic design business and on stage.

"I feel I am an artist all the time. I am doing graphic design work all the time, and I'm doing music all the time," she said. "It is so satisfying"

The songstress recently got back from a Los Angeles showcase and she will soon be releasing a live EP from that visit. And even more recently Rhaye attended the Atlantic Film Festival.

Just moments before performing at the Blue Olive in Saint John on Thursday night, she also learned her hit Good Things will be featured in an upcoming episode of CBC's TV series Heartland.

"There is a lot happening right now and it's all incredible," she said. "Things are really coming together."

Rhaye spent the weekend touring the Maritimes and performing with Halifax singer/songwriter Dave Gunning. Then in mid-October she will play in Ottawa, return to the stage of the Blue Olive on Nov. 12 and 13, and has a show booked for Moncton's Capitol Theatre on Nov. 20.

She said she will fly out after her Moncton show for the Canadian Folk Music Awards ceremony being held at the Canadian Museum of Civilization in Gatineau, Que., on Nov. 21.

Over the last few years Rhaye has been nominated for eight East Coast Music Awards, including five for her work as a musician and three industry awards for her work as a graphic designer. Most recently, her website www.JessicaRhaye.com was nominated for website of the year at the 2009 East Coast Music Awards.