Yorktown Singer Set to Release First Album
Yorktown Heights is home to up and coming star Jessica Lynn Calamera, who will be releasing her first full album on Feb. 9.
Calamera, 22, who goes by the stage name Jessica Lynn, was surrounded by music at a very young age. “Both of my parents are musicians. My mom was a wedding singer and my dad has always been a musician and now he is a composer since he retired from the NYPD,” she said.
Calamera plays the drums, guitar, and piano in addition to singing. She recalled learning the piano at a young age and not really wanting to play classical music. “I would drive my piano teacher crazy because she would try to teach me Bach and I would bring in Billy Joel sheet music.” she said.
Playing the guitar also came early for Calamera. Her dad, Peter, taught her a few basic chords at a young age. However, she did not gain more experience with the guitar until after her first band broke up in high school. She then took it upon herself to learn the guitar so she would be able to play as well as sing.
Calamera said that although she gained influences from artists such as the Beach Boys and Neil Diamond, her favorite artist, and the one she has gained the most influence from, is Shania Twain. “The minute she got her hands on her first Shania Twain album was a day she will never forget,” according to her musician bio. The bio can be found at jessicalynnmusic.org.
In her first band at age 14, Calamera was focused on pop/rock. The band did well, playing all over the city and gaining a good amount of popularity. However, after it fell apart, Calamera decided to, as she called it, “get back to her roots.” She is now focused on country, with a mix of pop and rock
Her upcoming album, “This Much Fun,” is Calamera’s story. “This album is my life. It’s basically my diary,” she said. She also explained that her album, and her music in general, is very relatable. “It’s about falling in love, falling out of love, and just having fun with your friends. It’s a good time,” she said.
The album’s release party is scheduled for Februrary 9 at the Winery at St. George in Mohegan Lake. For information on ticket sales, go to jessicalynnmusic.org. She filmed her first full-length television concert special last October at the Winery at Saint George that will most likely air this winter.
Calamera graduated from Lakeland High School and is currently attending Pace University. She is scheduled to receive her Masters’ in education by the end of next semester. She plans to use teaching as a backup plan to her music career. She currently lives in Yorktown Heights with her father, her mother Victoria, and her sister Samantha.
By Robert Christie
Adam has worked in the local news industry for the past two decades in Westchester County and the broader Hudson Valley. Read more from Adam’s author bio here.