Jenny Lewis is an American singer, musician, and actress. Lewis is a founding member and co-lead singer of the indie rock band Rilo Kiley, and has also released two solo albums. She is a former child actress. She made her professional debut in a Jell-O commercial. She was featured in the short-lived 1986 Lucille Ball sitcom Life With Lucy, where she was cast as one of Lucy's grandchildren. She also had small roles on such TV shows as Baywatch, Golden Girls, Growing Pains, Roseanne, Mr. Belvedere, and Brooklyn Bridge.

Lewis went on to appear in over a dozen movies, mostly teen-themed movies like Troop Beverly Hills, in the late 1980s and early 1990s. She was featured in the 1996 made-for-TV movie Talk to Me with Yasmine Bleeth as well as the films Foxfire, Big Girls Don't Cry... They Get Even, The Wizard, and Pleasantville. She also played the part of Evangeline "Eva" Saint Claire in the 1987 film version of Harriet Beecher Stowe's novel Uncle Tom's Cabin. She continued acting until 2001.

In 1998, she and friends Pierre De Reeder, Blake Sennett and Dave Rock formed the band Rilo Kiley. Rock was later replaced by Jason Boesel. Beginning with a country sound, Rilo Kiley gravitated toward a downbeat indie rock sound, and with its 2004 album More Adventurous found widespread success. The song "Portions for Foxes" was a hit, and in 2005 the band was picked up by Warner Bros., putting them on a major label for the first time. The band opened for Coldplay on its U.S. tour in 2005. Rilo Kiley's 2007 album Under the Blacklight was released directly by major label Warner Bros.

In 2002, Lewis was asked to contribute some vocals for The Postal Service, whose album Give Up was an international success. Lewis performed in the video for the hit "We Will Become Silhouettes", and toured with the band in 2003. Lewis also contributed vocals to several tracks on the 2004 Cursive album The Ugly Organ.

In several interviews, Lewis has credited influences such as Loretta Lynn, Dolly Parton and Laura Nyro, particularly her album Gonna Take a Miracle. Lewis has been spotted at concerts by some of these performers as well as indie singer-songwriter Leslie Feist Influenced by her mother’s country music collection, Lewis claims she has always identified with artists like Patsy Cline, Tammy Wynette, and later Lucinda Williams because of their strong female perspective.