Meet Betty Jaeger | Performance Artist & Vocalist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Betty Jaeger and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Betty, what principle do you value most?
You are the most important person in your life.

I learned this principle years ago within a support group of likeminded women enduring similar struggles with trauma along their journey. Upon learning the phrase, “I am the most important person in my life,” I learned how uncannily difficult it was for me to say. I found that this was due to my inconsistent relationship to how I practiced showing up to care for myself, and setting clear boundaries. I was allowing others to dictate my self worth and belonging in the world. The reality of this predicament is that without caring for myself in a consistent and steadfast manner, eventually I’ll lose the ability to create my art, to write my songs, and to perform on fast paced basis. Learning that you are the most important person in your life is a tool. It is a lesson in learning your self-worth is not determined by another person’s opinion of you. You are not defined by the mess you’re in, but the tools you use to fix it.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I’m a musician, songwriter, and performance artist. One exciting part of my very fragmented artistic identity are the burlesque/variety shows I produce monthly. I adore curating casts for shows and then watching my troupe members flourish on stage.

I got to where I am professionally today with an unwavering sense that art and music must always remain a necessity in my life. I’ve overcome many hurdles in getting to where I am today. Over time, I’ve procured a pretty stable community of support, especially with other women within my industry who struggle with similar themes of sexism and abuse.

One lesson I’ve learned along the way is that authenticity is currency in the entertainment industry. An authentic artist is a wealthy artist, and one that cannot be duplicated or paralleled. What I try to let the world know about myself and my story is authenticity is integral to my artistic philosophies. I am most uncomfortable when I am pretending to be something I’m not.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Shoutout to the burlesque community of Eugene, OR for always having my back. My band High Step Society teaching me to use my voice.
My burlesque/variety troupe members in The Wax Poetry Revue for constantly inspiring me with their art.

Website: www.highstepsociety.com www.baroquebetty.com

Instagram: peaches_von_killingsworth baroque_betty wax_poetry_revue

Facebook: Bettreena Jaeger, Baroque Betty, Wax Poetry Revue

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBn1L4bZHU4

Image Credits
Delene & Co.