Cynthia Janes

Cynthia Janes is a Dutch singer-songwriter, living in Switzerland since summer 2017.

»» Growing up ««
"I first started singing when I was just a toddler", Cynthia starts her life story. "And when I was six, people in my neighborhood asked “what will you be when you grow up? " I always answered: “I want to be a singer!”.
When she was eight, she used to write short poems and stories. “I’ve always loved writing, too.”

At the age of thirteen she began to write lyrics. "I wrote about my own life," Cynthia says. "I was a bit different from the rest and I was not exactly the most popular girl in school. I dressed differently: alternative, skater, punk-like. Some classmates even labeled me as 'weird'. Because I had a circle of close friends, I did not mind. After an unrequited love or when someone would call me names, I had something to write and sing about. "

“When it comes to writing, I always try not to dwell on clichés and try to find original rhyming words. I write songs as an outlet for my emotions, I have something to tell”, she says.

After high school, all Cynthia wanted to do was music. "Don’t", I was told. "That's so uncertain." That sounded logical to me and I went to college. After only 3 months I dropped out and decided to work full time. In 2009 I decided to go back to college, but I still wasn’t feeling happy, so I decided to quit college again. I was tired of always doing something I didn’t want to do. That’s when I decided to finally go for it, I focused entirely on my music.

Her dark perspective on life has become more positive throughout the years, which reflects in her lyrics. Cynthia: "My life is more balanced now that I'm an adult. It's nice to see yourself grow, also in terms of lyrics. There's more structure, the subjects are different and my songs have become happier. I describe it nicer than before or in a sarcastic way. Or cryptic, with a double meaning. You can now get more out of my lyrics and so people will be able to relate to them easier."

»» Building an audience ««
She made her debut performance in 2009 when she was asked by a student association in Delft that got to know her via Youtube. "In 2010 I was on a talent show in a tiny village between Breda and Rotterdam, just to get stage experience. I have not won, but one of the judges, Wally McKey, said to me: “I find you more interesting than the winner”. A while later I went to record my first single Little Boy In The Window with him in Edisound Studio in Tilburg. I released this single under Minerva Records. Bert Meulendijk of Edwin Evers Band has co-worked on this single. Later I shot a music video for my song Little Boy In The Window.

»» Family ««
Cynthia didn’t get her musical passion from a stranger. Her father, now her manager, played the drums in the eighties in several regional known bands, such as Colorado and Straight Ahead. He quit making music when Cynthia was born, because he felt that he was too much away from home. "Now he's back in a band," Cynthia tells proudly."

»» Shows, shows and more shows! ««
Radio and TV stations started to notice her and invited her to come on and do interviews. Cynthia started doing acoustic performances in pubs and local festivals in several European countries. Also, she got through the strict preselection of the 'Nu Of Nooit 2012' band battle which means she got to perform at the 'Perron 55' venue in Venlo during the battle rounds, a battle of which the winner gets to open PinkPop Festival.
In 2012 she won a band battle called 'Sjwaampop Podium' and this is how she got to play at the Sjwaampop Festival which attracts 3,000 visitors every year. She threw a successful show, in 38 degrees Celcius mid-summer August, accompanied by a 5-piece band.
In June 2013 she performed at the Zoks Festival in Blerick, which attracts 6,000 visitors a day each year.
Cynthia has been living in Switzerland since the summer of 2017 and has continued to share her passion with the Swiss audience and basically anyone else on the planet who wants to hear her.

Her passion for music lies very deep within her heart.

"Music is my oxygen" - Cynthia Janes

© Cynthia Janes 2018