Jenny & Lee: Jersey Girls

As cool nicknames go, The Boss is about as good as it gets, and only a singer as iconic as Bruce Springsteen could really pull it off. Now two London-based photographers, Jenny & Lee, have taken his songs and put together a series of portraits based on the girls he sings about with his trademark cocktail of love, lust and loneliness. It’s the American Dream examined from a once-removed British perspective and the powerful pictures are testament to the talents of the artists and The Boss himself. We spoke to the photographers to find out more.

Where did the inspiration for this project come from?

From the songs of Bruce Springsteen and the particular way he manages to portray a subject, sketched-out in detail within its landscape.  The dream of America that is reflected in the characters and their narratives within these songs, is inspiring for a generation nurtured on American popular culture.

How difficult was it finding the right models to fit these iconic song characters?

We deliberately cast young models through agencies who were not so experienced and conditioned by the industry.  Together with a stylist, Karin Peterson, we analysed the songs to draw out the specific traits of each character and we worked hard to find girls that matched these characters from their appearances and characteristics.

What is it about Springsteen that resonates still so much with people do you think?

Springsteen represents both the the dream of America and its betrayal and corruption.  His impassioned narratives convey the complex dichotomy of celebration and disappointment that is the reality of this dream.  For us, he is a folk singer who aestheticises this reality into a digestible and seductive form. 

What are you working on next?

We are currently working on several projects including a dystopian portrayal of London and one that merges the aesthetics of Britney Spears and Laura Palmer.

There’s also a cool film which you can see here.