Kashus Culpepper does it again.
The 27-year-old Navy Veteran is solidifying his name as a standout up-and-comer with the release of his first single of 2025, “Jenni.”
Last year, Culpepper broke onto the scene with the release of his debut single, “After Me?” which has since been played on Americana Radio. Culpepper’s powerful and gritty vocals captivated country music listeners long before the release of his debut single, and those who have championed him from the beginning and blown away with each release and new fans are in awe of his raw songwriting.
Culpepper also got the attention of heavy hitters like Charles Wesley Godwin and was asked to open up shows for him last year. He is also hitting the road with Ian Munsick and Leon Bridges this year… talk about stellar endorsements.
While we have seen that Culpepper is a strong heartbreak ballad writer, the Georgia native showed fans that he’s more than a sad country song, releasing a love song, “Jenni.” The song was written with the help of Jacob Durrett and Jordan Dozzi and produced by Brian Elmquist. It highlights a mysterious girl who catches the narrator’s eye at a bar.
Culpepper told the crowd that he began writing the song after coming off stage after singing “Revival” at Buckeye Country Superfest.
“I was coming off the stage in Columbus, Ohio. I was doing ‘Revival’ with, I don’t know if y’all know who Zach Bryan is. I hope y’all like it. It’s called ‘Jenni.'”
“Jenni” is a woman who appears to be a little rough around the edges as she spends her evenings in the smoking section, but something about her makes this male narrator curious, and he wants to get to know her. Although he knows she looks like trouble, he can’t help but admire her.
Soon, the narrator hopes that “Jenni” feels the same about him and that she wants to get to know him more than a friend. He vulnerably admits that he’s been scared of love, but this woman feels like the right one to open his heart up to.
“I know a girl, she spends her night in the smoking section
Breathing in secondhand smoke
I can’t keep my eyes from drifting off in her direction
If she’s bad news, I wanna know
‘Cause Jenni looking pretty with a nice cold beer in her hand
I hope she gets the message, that I wanna be more than a friend
I wonder will she kiss me holding hands both feet in the sand
‘Cause I want her say, that she wants me to stay
Yeahhh, Jenni”
The country ditty intertwines aspects of soul and folk into its melody. The slight moan of a steel guitar in the background perfectly fits the lyrics of a hopeless romantic hoping he’s found his match. During the chorus, the melody amps up, featuring a stellar harmonica lick at the top of the lyrical crescendo, where Culpepper belts out the last lines of the chorus.
As he has with his other releases, Kashus Culpepper continues to impress. “Jenni” is a must add to your playlists.
