Jon Stojan
Image credit: Jade LeMac
Jade LeMac has arrived. The numbers speak for themselves: 4 million monthly listens on Spotify, 1.5 million TikTok followers, 32.3 million YouTube views. All told, Jade’s tracks and videos have more than 345 million lifetime streams – thanks, in part, to placements in the Tubi film “Sidelined: The QB and Me” and the Netflix show “My Life with the Walter Boys.” And the accolades are well-deserved: nominated for Outstanding Music Artist at the GLAAD Media Awards (2024) and featured in Teen Vogue’s “GLAAD 20 Under 20: Meet the 2022 Class of Outstanding Young LGBTQ Change Makers.” But these numbers don’t tell Jade’s full story and this recognition is just beginning.
A genre-defying singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, Jade is an old soul for modern times. Her voice as a storyteller is beyond her years – she’s barely 21 years old – and her connection to her half-Asian heritage and the 2SLGBTQ+ community give her music added depth and impact.
When we met in a hotel suite in West Hollywood, Jade had recently sold out her first headlined show in her hometown of Vancouver and it was just announced that she’ll be performing this summer at Lollapalooza. We had a wide-ranging conversation about her creative process, her cultural impact and her Maltese dog, Chewy.
You’ve talked about combining storytelling and music. Could you tell us about your creative process?
When it comes to writing my songs, a lot of the time I’m writing about, you know, things that I’ve gone through or things that people around me have gone through. But there are also times where I’ll completely make up a story in my head. And then I might just have a title or a certain lyric that I really want to use – and it comes at the weirdest times, where I feel inspired to write a song. It’ll could be at 3am right when I want to sleep and I hop on the piano or I get my guitar out and I start writing, and usually I know a song feels good when it comes naturally. I feel like it might be harder to write songs that are more personal, because I feel like I have to find the exact words, and that can be a little bit more difficult. But when it comes to making up stories and just writing about these stories, they almost flow way easier, because it’s not specific to me, so I can kind of make it up as I go. But I love creating in both styles.
Image credit: Jade LeMac
Your cultural background and identity are clearly important to you, especially your half-Asian heritage and close connection to the 2SLGBTQ+ community. How does each of these parts of who you are inform not only the art itself, but also how you operate and communicate as an artist?
Yeah, so in terms of the 2SLGBTQ+ community, it’s a big part of who I am and that goes into a lot of my work. I’m also a Pisces and I’m just emotional in general. The feelings that come out in my music have a lot to do with growing up and realizing my sexuality and that goes together with my love interest. And that’s what a lot of my songs are about, written about my girlfriend, or crushes that I’ve had in the past, or past relationships and the lessons I’ve learned. So it’s a big part of my life. It’s a big part of who I am and my identity.
And when it comes to my Asian heritage, I think it’s less part of my songwriting, but it’s just more of what I grew up with. It’s my mom’s side of the family. She’s Vietnamese and Chinese, and I was raised around a lot of her relatives. I was exposed to those cultures and that kind of molded me into the person I am today. It’s not necessarily in my lyrics or anything like that, but it’s the reason I am how I am today, and I work how I work, and write how I write. So it’s just a part of me.
You’ve been named Breakthrough Music Artist at the GLAAD Media Awards in 2024 and featured in Teen Vogue‘s GLAAD 20 under 20. What has that sort of recognition meant for you, especially so early in your career?
It really means a lot. I think about growing up, my younger self in middle school and everything, and I was always searching for that kind of representation in the media – of LGBTQ+ artists, girls who like girls and everything like that. And it was always a constant search for that because it wasn’t shown as much. It was like, I would celebrate finding a show where there was a gay couple or discover an artist who came out. And when I did it was kind of mind blowing. Soto be recognized in this way feels like such an honor, because it’s been a goal to always be that kind of person for others, the type of example I wish I had when I was younger.
You talk about representation on shows and in movies, and sync has been huge for your career. What’s the significance of that for you? And what advice would you give up-and-coming artists on the role that sync can play?
So “Constellations” has been synced in a show and a movie now, and each version as well. It’s actually taken me by surprise. The reactions I’ve had online and in general have been amazing, because it reached a whole new audience compared to what I had before. I love to see how people interpret it differently and it’s made a big impact on the song and my career, and I’m very grateful for that. And I’d say that the advice I’d give to, you know, upcoming artists and artists who would like to do that is really to just write what feels authentic to you. I think that’s the best way to do it, because I wrote “Constellations” when I was way younger, and I never thought it would be in a show or in a movie or anything like that. I just wrote it with pure intentions, and it came to be that it worked out. So just keep writing what’s real for you because you just never know in this industry. Sometimes a track you love so much just doesn’t connect with as many people, and then one random song you forgot about could end up being in movies and shows. So, it’s a crazy, crazy thing.
Moving on from the screen to the stage, your first headline show sold out in 24 hours. Tell us about the moment of selling out your show, and your connection to live performance in general.
I’ll start with this: I may be the most nervous person ever. So performing live is really nerve-racking for me, but also really exciting. I think I’ve learned that when I get on stage, I feel more comfortable once I get a song or two in. Yeah, selling out my first headline show in my home hometown was a crazy moment. I really wasn’t expecting it, because I’ve never done a headline show before and it was such a cool moment to see that happen. And with my other shows as well, Toronto did really well. And we have a Montreal show coming up, and even Brooklyn and LA, so it’s all going to be so much fun. But seeing my first headline show sell out, my mom was really proud of me, so that made me feel good. It’s going to be so cool, because this hometown show is going to have a lot of friends and family there, and I actually haven’t been on stage for quite a few months. This whole little tour is going to be amazing.
So many artists deal with anxiety. How do you deal with those emotions when you’re writing or performing?
I think I like to just; I like to complain a lot. It feels good to let it out a little bit, and then I think just practicing as much as I can, you know, to feel the most confident. I think I get the most nervous when it comes to my lyrics. I just have a really bad memory, so I get scared that I’m gonna forget my lyrics. So really, the best thing I can do is just concentrate on my breathing before I get on stage and look over what I feel like I need to remember and let myself get comfortable once I get on stage because I get nervous going on. The breathing, the practicing, and just talking about it, it all helps.
You mentioned that your mom was so proud of you for selling out your first headline show. Has she always been supportive of your music career?
I’m very lucky and blessed with my family and how supportive they’ve been – both my parents, my mom and dad. Really all my family and friends have provided so much support. I’ve never been told not to do this. I’ve always been told to go for it. So, if anything, they pushed me to become a singer and be where I am today. So, love you, Mom and Dad.
Speaking of support, you have a lot of engagement on social media. How does it feel to connect directly with fans and see your impact on those platforms?
I mean, like I was saying before, it’s just feeling like I can provide the kind of representation I didn’t have – to be a real person who people can get to know and like, look up to, or even idolize. I take it very seriously, because I know the impact that it can have on other people and because I’m a consumer as well. I watch so many people and learn from them. I really am paying attention to what I put out there because music is what I’ve always wanted to do, and to have that be what my platform is about now, and sharing my art and my life, is so cool. And I have people that watch every single video and comment on every single post, and it’s really like a little family. I feel like we’re all best friends.
And what do you do for fun, outside of the music or around the music?
I love sports and I love games, so I’m always in the arcade. And I’m really into golfing right now, so I’ve been doing that a lot and I just got some new clubs. I also try to take my little brother to go play basketball and stuff like that. So that’s what I try to do to find balance. Hopefully I’ll get into hiking and be outside more this summer. And going to the movies, I love going to the movies. So I like to stay busy with family and friends.
You’re still early in your career, you’ve had a lot of success, and it was just announced that you’ll be performing at Lollapalooza! What are you most looking forward to in the future?
I’m really excited for all these shows coming up, and I’m especially excited for Lollapalooza. That’s gonna be so cool. But I’m also just working on new music, and the new music that I’m working on feels so good, and I’m genuinely so proud of this new music, and I’m just so excited to be able to share it with everyone, to feel proud of it and feel like it’s authentic to me. I’m excited for this whole year and what’s to come.
Coming to LA: Get your tickets now for Jade’s upcoming show at The Echo on Tuesday, May 6th