Her long dark hair, bright red lipstick and tattooed skin may make Wensday look like a vocalist for a punk rock band. But beneath it all, her sultry, classically trained voice is making waves among jazz and blues musicians at the local and national levels.
Nicknamed "the other girl next door" by rock great Alice Cooper, jazz vocalist Wensday incorporates a mix of classic rock 'n' roll, blues, country and jazz into her 2007 album "Torch Rock." In August, Wensday debuted at "No. 1 Most Added" on the Friday Morning Quarterback Adult Contemporary charts with her song "Only Women Bleed."
Wensday graduated from New York University with a fine arts degree, where she studied theater and music. Here, Wensday also endured a difficult experience she would later incorporate into her music.
At NYU, Wensday says she was involved in an emotionally abusive relationship with a man who put her down and even became physically abusive once. She says that weakened her self-esteem and self-image. "It was like being trapped in a jail with a really mean warden who is your boyfriend," Wensday says. "I started developing stage fright because it was just too painful to be really emotional [on stage]."
When her abusive relationship ended, Wensday says she wanted to use her musical talents to empower women, and she began writing feminist lyrics. "I want to let [women] know they're not alone, that there are groups that support them," Wensday says. "I want to write about women who are getting out of abusive relationships. [Women] need to know that they aren't trapped."
Wensday says she was surrounded by music growing up in Providence, R.I. "My mom was a flute player, and my grandfather was always playing the piano," she says. "My sister and I would record things [like the Mexican Hat Dance] on our tape player. … It was a very musical household."
She says she spent much of her childhood performing in school jazz bands and children's theaters. At 13, Wensday began taking voice lessons and writing her own songs.
Now, Wensday performs the majority of her shows at local bars and venues, like the Big Fish Pub, Martini Ranch and Joe's Grotto. Wensday has sung alongside Fred Mandel on keyboard and guitarist Ron Berman, according to her Web site.
While she isn't currently touring outside of the Valley, Wensday says she wants to tour the U.S., Asia and Europe in the near future. "I'm ready to take it on the road," she says.
Wensday moved to Arizona from Rhode Island in 2006 to record "Torch Rock," shortly after she signed to Southwestern record label Desert Dreams Records.
While on tour, Wensday says she hopes to volunteer at battered-women shelters and give children acting classes. "I specifically want to raise self-esteem and confidence in children," Wensday says. "[Maybe] then they won't end up in abusive relationships."
But now, Wensday says she wants to get out there and develop a fan base outside of Phoenix and her hometown of Providence. "I have no need to be super rich and famous," Wensday says. "I just want to be a professional singer and make music 24/7."
