Jana Kramer is a country music star who has overcome many obstacles in her life. She started her career as an actress, appearing in shows like One Tree Hill and Entourage, but she always had a passion for singing. She released her debut album in 2012, which spawned the hit singles “Why Ya Wanna” and “I Got the Boy”. Released her second album, Thirty-One, in 2015 and was nominated for Female Vocalist of the Year at the Academy of Country Music Awards.
However, behind the scenes, Jana Kramer was struggling with her personal life. She went through three divorces, one of which involved domestic violence, and another one of which involved infidelity and addiction. She also suffered two miscarriages and dealt with postpartum depression. Despite these challenges, Jana Kramer never gave up on herself or her music.
She recently announced her engagement to Allan Russell, a Scottish former professional soccer player and coach, who is currently working for Norwich City FC. She is working on her third album, which she says will be her most honest and vulnerable one yet. In this article, we will explore how Jana Kramer has turned her pain into power, and how she has found happiness and healing in her journey.
From Acting to Singing
Jana Kramer, born on December 2, 1983 in Detroit, Michigan, USA, had a passion for music from a young age. However, she did not pursue it professionally until later on. Initially, she pursued acting and successfully landed roles in several TV shows and films. Jana gained popularity for her portrayal of Alex Dupre, a troubled actress and singer, on the hit show One Tree Hill. While working on the show, Kramer got the opportunity to showcase her singing talent as well.
She recorded several songs for the show’s soundtrack, including “I Won’t Give Up” and “Whiskey”. She also performed live at the CMA Music Festival in 2011. Where she received a positive response from the audience and the industry. After being inspired by her personal experiences, Kramer made the decision to pursue a full-time career in the country music industry.
This led to her signing a record deal with Elektra Records in 2011 and subsequently releasing her debut single, “Why Ya Wanna” in 2012. The song was well-received, achieving the third spot on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart and number 52 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Additionally, Kramer’s success earned her a nomination for Top New Female Artist at the 2013 Academy of Country Music Awards. In 2012, Kramer released her self-titled debut album, which debuted at number five on both the Billboard Top Country Albums chart and the Billboard 200 chart.
The album received positive feedback from both critics and fans, who praised Kramer’s vocal abilities, songwriting skills, and versatility. The album also spawned two more singles, “I Hope It Rains” and “What I Love About Your Love”. In 2015, Kramer’s second album, Thirty One, came out. It had more personal and grown-up songs. The title of the album was her age at that time and showed how she had improved as an artist and a woman.
One of the songs on the album, “I Got the Boy“, became a hit and reached number five on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart and number 24 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The song was also nominated for an award at the 2016 CMT Music Awards for Best Female Video. Kramer kept performing at different events like Grand Ole Opry, iHeartRadio Music Festival, and CMA Country Christmas.
She also took part in season 23 of Dancing with the Stars in 2016, where she danced with professional Gleb Savchenko. She impressed the judges and the viewers with her dance skills and made it to the finals, finishing in fourth place. Kramer has not released any new music since 2016, but she has hinted that she is working on her third album, which she says will be her most honest and vulnerable one yet.
She has also shared some snippets of her new songs on her social media platforms, such as “Beautiful Lies” and “Dammit”. She has not announced a release date or a title for the album yet, but she has said that it will reflect her recent experiences and emotions.
From Heartbreak to Healing: The Story of Jana Kramer
A Troubled Marriage
Jana Kramer met Mike Caussin, a former NFL player, in 2014 and got married in 2015. However, their relationship was not a fairy tale. Kramer revealed that Caussin had cheated on her multiple times and had a sex addiction, which led to their separation in 2016. They reconciled and renewed their vows in 2017, but the problems persisted. In 2019, Kramer found out that Caussin had relapsed and had been unfaithful again.
Kramer wanted to fix her marriage and went to therapy with Caussin. However, she ended up getting a divorce in April 2021 because of “bad behavior in the marriage, differences that couldn’t be resolved, and cheating.” She also got a legal order to keep Caussin away from her because he was “annoying and making threats.”
Kramer and Caussin have two kids together, Jolie Rae (4 years old) and Jace Joseph (2 years old). Kramer has said that she is focusing on being a good mother and co-parenting with Caussin.
A New Love
Kramer had not dated anyone publicly since breaking up with Ian Schinelli in the spring of 2022. However, she found a new love in her life, Allan Russell, a Scottish former professional soccer player and coach, who is currently working for Norwich City FC. Russell popped the question to Kramer after dating for half a year. The following month, they became parents to a baby boy, whom they named Roman James.
Before getting engaged to Allan Russell in May 2023, Jana Kramer had been married twice and engaged once. She was married to three different men: Michael Gambino from 2004-2010, Johnathon Schaech from 2010-2011, and Mike Caussin from 2015-2021.
She was also engaged to Brantley Gilbert in 2013, but they ended their relationship before the year was over. Kramer has said that Russell is “the most amazing man” and that he makes her feel “loved, respected, and appreciated”. She has also said that Russell has a great relationship with her children and that they are “one big happy family”.
A Healing Music
Kramer has expressed her emotions and experiences through her music, which she says is her therapy. She has written songs about her divorce, her new relationship, and her healing process. She has also collaborated with other artists, such as Blake Shelton, Carrie Underwood, and Keith Urban, on some of her new tracks.
Said that her third album will be “a reflection of who I am now and where I’m going”. She has also said that she hopes her music will inspire and empower other women who are going through similar situations.
Social Media Presence
Jana Kramer is very active on social media. She uses popular platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and TikTok. She uses her social media to share her personal and professional updates, as well as to interact with her fans and followers.
- Facebook: Jana Kramer has an official Facebook page with over 929 K followers. She posts about her music, her podcast, her family, and her lifestyle. She also shares videos, photos, and live streams with her fans.
- Instagram: Jana Kramer has an Instagram account with 2.1 million followers. She posts frequently about her daily life, her children, her travels, her fashion, and her fitness. She also promotes her music, her podcast, and her products. She often uses hashtags, such as #janakramer, #whineandwine, and #momlife.
- Twitter: Jana Kramer has a Twitter account with 589.8 K followers. She tweets regularly about her opinions, her experiences, and her gratitude. She engages with her fans and other celebrities by retweeting and responding to them.
- YouTube: Jana Kramer has a YouTube channel with 281 K subscribers. She uploads videos of her music, her interviews, her performances, and her behind-the-scenes. She also features her husband, Allan Russell, and her children, Jolie and Jace, in some of her videos.
- TikTok: Jana Kramer has a TikTok account with 339.3 K followers. She shares brief videos of herself dancing, singing, lip-syncing, and playing pranks. She also takes part in popular trends like #fliptheswitch, #savagelove, and #blindinglights. She works together with other famous TikTok users like Addison Rae, Charli D’Amelio, and Jason Derulo.
Scandals and Controversies
Instead of focusing on nude photos or other explicit details, recent controversy involving Jana Kramer and her husband, Mike Caussin, that made headlines in October 2023. It involved a topless photo sent to Caussin, not nude photos of Jana herself.
Net Worth
Jana Kramer has a net worth of around $2 million to $3 million as of 2024. She has earned her wealth from her acting roles in shows like One Tree Hill and her music career. Which includes two albums and several hit singles. She has also co-authored a book and co-hosted a podcast with her ex-husband Mike Caussin, whom she divorced in 2021.
Bottom Line
Jana Kramer is a country music star who has faced many challenges and triumphs in her personal and professional life. She has been open about her struggles with her marriage, her divorce, and her new love. She has also expressed her emotions and experiences through her music, which she says is her therapy.