TikTok Breakout Jenna Raine Signs With SB Projects, Warner Records (EXCLUSIVE)

Mike Wass
·4 min read
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Jenna Raine, who went viral on TikTok in 2021 with wide-eyed ballad “See You Later (Ten Years),” has inked a deal with Warner Records and signed on with SB Projects. The 17-year-old’s major-label debut EP, also called “See You Later,” arrives today. It includes a new version of the titular hit featuring JVKE and an equally optimistic new song “2%,” which references the percentage of high school sweethearts that end up getting married.

“After hearing ‘See You Later (Ten Years),’ I wanted to immediately know more about the young artist,” Warner Records co-chairman and CEO Aaron Bay-Schuck tells Variety. “The song offers both the sophistication of an established artist and the youthful energy and point of view of an emerging one. It’s impressive and hard to pull off.” He knew instinctively that Raine would be a perfect addition to the label’s roster.

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“All Warner greats do it their way,” Bay-Schuck adds. “They have been fearless; they have taken risks; they were amazing at telling stories through song; and they have crystal clear vision. Jenna has all those qualities.” Warners’ chief executive believes that his team is uniquely positioned to amplify her talents. “Warner Records has been, and remains, an artist-first record company. [Co-chairman and COO] Tom Corson and I could not be happier to welcome Jenna.”

Raine says she knew the label was right for her immediately. “I had an amazing meeting with Warner Records,” the Texas-born breakout vividly remembers of her initial introduction to Bay-Schuck and Corson. “The meeting was probably two-and-a-half hours to three hours long. It felt like Aaron and Tom really wanted me to win.” After deciding on a label, she sought out management, ultimately settling on SB Projects.

“I knew I wanted a female manager,” Raine says. “I wanted somebody that I felt I could connect with and talk to.” She found that in SB Projects president Allison Kaye. “Meeting with Allison immediately felt like family,” the teen reveals. “I felt like she had a lot of faith in me and knew what I stood for, which is very important. I don’t want anybody trying to switch up my morals.”

Kaye was equally impressed with her new charge. “We’re so excited to start working with Jenna,” Kaye tells Variety. “She’s so talented in so many ways. She’s a special girl and we look forward to doing incredible things together.” Raine’s breakout hit is the result of a challenge she set herself in lockdown. Namely to write 100 songs. She turned to her TikTok followers for inspiration and was floored when someone suggested being in love with the right person at the wrong time.

The singer-songwriter had experienced the exact same situation and knew that a happy ending was still possible. She penned “See You Later (Ten Years)” in exactly 37 minutes (she still has the voice memo) and posted a snippet on TikTok. The response was immediate and overwhelming. TikTok fell in love with the song and the artist, and labels soon came running. She then recorded a studio version with Nathan Chapman, which has amassed more than 36 million Spotify streams.

Raine’s current success is the culmination of a lifetime’s work. She started piano lessons in preschool and trained with Septien Entertainment Group, who produced such stars as Beyoncé, Selena Gomez and Demi Lovato, from age 10. The prodigy then joined a girl group called L2M and chipped away at an independent music career when they disbanded. She self-released two EPs, “Nen” and “Be Like You,” and embarked on four different tours. With that kind of grounding in the industry, Raine’s future looks bright.

“Jenna’s potential is limitless,” Bay-Schuck says. “Jenna is unapologetically herself and the world is responding to that. She’s an artist who can speak to kids and adults alike. There is no doubt in my mind that she can be one of the biggest artists in the world.”

Raine is currently working on songs for her debut album with Grammy-winning producer Ryan Tedder, Chapman and Michael Pollack.

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