Ledger

U.S.-based English singer and drummer Jennifer Carole Ledger landed her breakthrough position in the Christian hard rock group Skillet while still a teenager. Ten years into her tenure with the outfit, she launched her own recording career via the debut EP Ledger. Born in Coventry, England in 1989, she relocated to Wisconsin at age 16. Alongside her high school coursework, she played drums in the worship band at her neighborhood church, where Skillet’s husband-and-wife team John and Korey Cooper first heard her. Following the recent exit of drummer Lori Peters, the Coopers urged Ledger to try out for the vacancy, which she secured in 2008. Her initial shows with the band took her from that church platform straight onto the Comatose Tour and into larger arenas. Across the next ten years she performed on and toured in support of Awake (2009), Rise (2013), and Unleashed (2016), gradually adding more vocal parts to each release. With encouragement from the Coopers, she began sketching solo material as far back as 2012, though the songs did not appear until the 2018 arrival of Ledger on Atlantic/Hear It Loud. Co-produced by Korey Cooper, the collection of defiant, pop-infused rock anthems showcased Ledger’s voice, a potent mix reminiscent of Lacey Sturm, Cassadee Pope, and Hayley Williams. The EP entered just below Billboard’s Top 50, climbing to number two on the Christian chart and number seven on the broader Rock tally. While promoting the project she balanced both roles on Skillet’s joy.UNLEASHED 2018 tour, serving as opener before joining the headliners onstage.