Jon Stojan
Image Credit: Warner Music Group
When I first sat down with musician Jade LeMac in West Hollywood, she was radiating the mix of excitement and disbelief that comes when a dream starts turning real. She had just sold out her first hometown show in Vancouver, was preparing to take the stage at Lollapalooza, and seemed to be living in the bright blur between what-if and what-now. That was only a few months ago.
Now, she’s back in Los Angeles, still as kind, grounded, and self-possessed as before—but carrying herself with the quiet confidence of someone who’s stepped into her own. The difference is subtle but unmistakable. The same artist, but with more depth. More trust in herself. More heart in her work.
That heart takes center stage in her latest single, Sleeping With the Lights On, out now via Warner Music Canada / East West Records. The song, which Jade describes as one of her most vulnerable releases to date, sits at the intersection of heartbreak and healing. It’s both a confession and a comfort, a song that sounds like it was written by moonlight and meant to be heard there, too.
“It was one of the first songs where I really discovered my sound,” she told me, recalling how it began. “I wrote it in my bedroom, layering vocals, falling more in love with it as I went. It felt like cracking my own code.”
The lyric that anchors the track—“How the hell are you so fine, while I’m out here losing my mind?”—captures that familiar sting of lost love, but Jade delivers it with tenderness. The song is aching and uplifting. “Sad emotions are still good to feel,” she said. “I hope this song helps people let out what they need to let out—and reminds them they’re not alone.”
There’s something timeless about that kind of vulnerability. Maybe it’s because Jade, at just twenty-one, writes like someone who’s lived many lives. Or maybe it’s because she’s not afraid to stay with a feeling until it tells her what it needs to say. “When I was younger,” she told me, “I would search for songs that could explain what I was feeling because I didn’t know how to say it myself. Now I get to write those songs for other people who might need them.”
Finding Her Sound, Finding Herself
Musically, Sleeping With the Lights On marks a turning point. It’s the first time Jade leaned heavily on her guitar to write and record, a choice that unlocked something raw and real in her process. “It just felt natural,” she said. “I didn’t overthink it. I was in my room building layers of vocals and harmonies, and it started to sound like me.”
What began as an experiment became the foundation of her upcoming EP, It’s Always At Night, due out November 7th. The project is a cohesive collection of late-night reflections—songs that explore love, loss, and the quiet moments in between. “When the sun goes down and I’m alone, I feel everything 100 times stronger,” Jade explained. “That’s what ties the EP together.”
To bring the songs to life, Jade teamed up once again with longtime producer JVP, who’s worked with her since she was sixteen. “He just gets me,” she said. “I don’t always have the right vocabulary for production, but he somehow reads my mind. I’ll say something that makes no technical sense, and he’ll know exactly what I mean.”
That creative shorthand gave her space to experiment—and to bring more of herself into the music. One of the EP’s most unexpected and joyful moments came when Jade decided to record group vocals with her family and friends. “I’ve always loved the sound of choirs,” she said, “but I didn’t know how to hire one or where to start. So we just did it ourselves.”
Her mom, aunt, girlfriend, and a handful of friends crowded into the studio. “It was everyone’s first time recording vocals,” she said, grinning. “Even my two guy friends who definitely don’t sing joined in. But it turned out amazing—and it’s one of my favorite memories from making the record.”
That warmth, that sense of community, threads through all of Jade’s work. It’s part of what makes her music feel soulful even when it soars.
Image Credit: Warner Music Group
The Artist Behind the Numbers
On paper, Jade’s accomplishments are staggering. Four million monthly listeners on Spotify. Over 345 million streams across platforms. Placements on Netflix and Tubi. A nomination for Outstanding Music Artist at the 2024 GLAAD Media Awards. For someone who’s still just wading into her twenties, it’s the kind of resume that might feel surreal.
But sitting across from her, it’s clear the numbers aren’t what drive her. “I’m just grateful,” she said simply. “I’m learning a lot—about the business, about myself—but mostly I’m just trying to enjoy it while it’s happening.”
That gratitude is balanced by ambition. “I have big goals,” she added. “But I also want to make sure I’m enjoying my life, seeing my friends and family, spending time with the people I love. It’s easy to get caught up in the next thing, but I’m trying to stay present.”
Part of that grounding comes from her roots. Born and raised in Vancouver, Jade is proudly Canadian—not just in spirit but in palate. “I miss ketchup chips when I’m on the road,” she laughed. “It’s such a Canadian thing, but they’re the best.”
And when she’s home, she’s reunited with Chewy, her Maltese who, according to her, “might be the cutest and craziest dog in the world.” She calls him “a bad, good dog”—a perfect description for the kind of chaos that only a beloved fur baby can bring. “I miss him so much when I travel,” she admitted. “He’s with my mom right now, probably running the house.”
Those little details—her affection for her family, her craving for a specific type of chips, her oddball dog—reveal what her fans already sense: that the person behind the music is still beautifully human.
Building Momentum
After a whirlwind year of live performances, including Lollapalooza, Osheaga, and a series of sold-out headline shows, Jade is preparing for her next big leaps. She’s gearing up for a Canadian headline tour this fall, followed by her first-ever shows in Australia.
“It’s a different kind of energy when the crowd is there for you,” she said, her eyes lighting up. “I’ve opened for other artists before, and that’s amazing in its own way, but when you step on stage and feel that wave of people who came to see you, it’s indescribable.”
Despite her growing success, she’s still learning to navigate the nerves that come with performing. “I’m probably the most nervous person ever,” she admitted. “But once I’m on stage and I get through the first song, something shifts. I start to feel comfortable. It becomes fun.”
Her fans—many of whom have followed her since her early TikTok days—often say they feel like they “know” her. It’s not surprising. Jade treats her audience like an extended circle of friends, sharing snippets of her life online with warmth and humor. “I take it seriously,” she said. “I know what it means to have someone you look up to when you’re young and figuring out who you are. So, if I can be that for someone else now, that’s huge.”
Image Credit: Warner Music Group
In Love With Love
If there’s one thread running through all of Jade’s music, it’s the subject of love—not just romantic love, but love in all its forms: familial, platonic, spiritual, self-accepting. “Everything I write relates to love one way or another,” she said. “It’s the strongest emotion we can feel. There’s heartbreak and desire and reassurance and loss—but it all comes from the same place.”
That emotional honesty has earned her comparisons to artists like Billie Eilish and Holly Humberstone, though Jade’s voice—clear, textured, and distinctively hers—defies comparison. She’s pop, yes, but mixed with folk, alt, soul, and storytelling. She’s the kind of artist who doesn’t just sing to be heard—she sings to connect.
In conversation, that same mix of introspection and humor comes through. One minute, she’s reflecting on the creative process; the next, she’s laughing about how she can’t find her favorite snacks outside of Canada or how Chewy once barked through an entire vocal take.
It’s this balance—between depth and playfulness—that makes Jade such a compelling figure in the next wave of pop storytellers. She’s wise and wide-eyed, ambitious and humble, polished and exposed.
A Light in the Dark
By the time our conversation wound down, the afternoon light had started to fade. Jade was flying out the next morning—another city, another show—and still, she spoke with the kind of excitement that makes it clear she hasn’t lost her sense of wonder.
“This year has been a lot,” she said. “But I’ve learned so much. I’ve grown as an artist, but also as a person. I feel like I’m becoming more myself.”
That, more than any streaming milestone or festival slot, seems to be what matters most.
From her viral early singles to her breakout GLAAD recognition, Jade LeMac’s career has been defined by momentum. But Sleeping With the Lights On feels different. It’s not just a song—it’s a statement of presence. A reminder that vulnerability is strength. That heartbreak can be a teacher. That even in the dark, there’s beauty worth staying awake for.
“Sometimes,” she said softly, “you have to leave the lights on. Just until you feel ready to close your eyes again.”