Social media venues, as well as, news sites, LDS blogs, and Mormon magazines have been maintaining a vigilant watch on the Mormons still remaining in the final American Idol competition. Everyone rejoiced when contestant Jen Blosil made it to the Top 24, but what no one realized is that Jen is not the only Mormon who made it. Flying low under the radar is a lesser known contestant who also happens to be a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Her name is Jeneve Rose Mitchell. Not only did Jeneve make it to the Top 24, bust she was also advanced into the Top 14. So, who is this “mystery” Mormon contestant that everyone seems to have missed?
One of the reasons that a lot of attention has not been drawn to her is because she is a 15-year-old minor, therefore there is not a lot of information available about her background and beliefs. She even admits that she grew up “off the grid,” growing up for the past eight years on a remote mountain ranch in Crawford, Colorado, where the closest neighbors are six miles away, and there is no electricity or running water. According to a LDS Living.com article dated 22 February 2016, Jeneve told Fox411, “We can’t get power lines up there, so we use kerosene lanterns. And twice a week, during American Idol season, we turn on a generator to get the TV going.” American Idol.net states that Jeneve is “without a doubt one of the most unusual contestants to ever audition for the show, much less make it this far in the competition.”
The short description on her Facebook “About” page states that she is a musician, songwriter and Rocky Mountain hillbilly girl! She is the recipient of the 2013 Western Music Association Harmony Duo of the Year award. Her mother, Jenny, is a heath care provider and operates a local family clinic. Her father, Tim, is a carpenter. He built the family’s home by hand using straw bales and mud from the mountainside. He is also Jeneve’s vocal coach.
She admits that “it’s definitely lonely on the mountain sometimes.” She further comments, “Me and my mom and my dad pretty much fend for ourselves on our ranch. Sometimes we go (back)packing. We are big campers.” She is homeschooled and spends much of her free time training horses and playing music.
She has been singing and playing the fiddle since she was a young girl, performing at birthday parties and local poetry gatherings. She comments, “I was born singing. I really feel like I connect with people when I am on stage. That makes up for all the time that I am alone.” As a gifted and talented musician, she has taught herself how to play many musical instruments including the string bass, violin, cello, banjo, guitar, harp, fiddle, mandolin, flute, finch horn, ukulele, piano, trumpet, and the kazoo. According to her official website, “When Jeneve Rose performs, you can expect to hear old fashioned western music as well as original music written by Jeneve.”
