Please meet Lily Jade
Lily Jade may be a new name to you, but it won’t be for long. This young and talented Australian singer has released her first single ‘Back 2 You’ and already has an EP recorded ready to gift the world. Lily Jade is the perfect role model for any up and coming singer/songwriter, her hard work and dedication to her craft has seen her attend Music Industry College and work with Asha Jefferies after winning the college’s Sarabah Songwriting Camp, and now she is set to launch her ‘Back 2 You’ single at a launch show in July. We took some time out to ask Lily Jade about her musical journey so far, her hopes to inspire other young people with Type 1 Diabetes, and her dream of collaborating with her idol Adele one day.
For those that haven’t heard your music before , how do you describe the Lily Jade sound?
My sound is soulful, storytelling and elegant while singing with emotion and heartache - aiming for a heartfelt yet graceful performance of my music.
You have just released your debut single 'Back 2 You', what does the song mean to you?
I wrote this song on the spot and it’s about me being in the moment, feeling vulnerable and how hard it was at that time when I felt so lost and alone. Even though I had people there for me, I felt like I was in a never ending maze. I didn't know how to express that to anyone - that's why I song write. I put my emotions into lyrics through storytelling to get my narrative across to people, which can be hard to do but I knew that this song would mean so much to me. I know how hard it is to stay strong and pretend like everything is fine when you’re not so focused in reality. That’s what ‘Back 2 You’ means to me - no matter how confused or lost I feel, I’ll always find my way “back to you”. The “you” in this song being my loved ones.
“Music for me, and so many of us, is a getaway and coping mechanism so I hope my fans can just get lost in my music and feel free for a moment”
What do you hope fans take away from listening to the new track?
I hope my fans can take away my raw emotions that I felt in that time. I hope they can relate or understand the song in their own unique ways through their experiences they have had. Creating more of a connection with my music through relatability. Releasing this song was also for listeners to have an understanding of why I perform, why I sing and write. Music for me, and so many of us, is a getaway and coping mechanism so I hope my fans can just get lost in my music and feel free for a moment. That’s a goal for me, whether they’re listening to ‘Back 2 You’ or any of my songs I perform. I want people to feel like they're being heard throughout my songs.
Were there any memorable or stand out moments during the recording of 'Back 2 You'?
There were definitely a lot of emotional memories for ‘Back 2 You’, like me not believing in myself enough, thinking I wouldn't even get close to being chosen for the opportunity to go to Music Industry College’s Sarabah Songwriting Camp where I began to work on the song. I prepared a different song for this camp but before I went to record I felt it wasn’t the right time for that song. I began writing away with my mentors, producer Tom Eggert and singer/songwriter Asha Jefferies. It was so wonderful and memorable for me and made me feel like I could be my true self and open up my thoughts on the spot when writing ‘Back 2 You’. Just having me sing with a simple rhythm was such a great way for me to unlock how I felt in the moment.
Can we expect a Lily Jade album out soon?
Yes, I have an EP recorded and produced by James North and it shows a lot of different emotions and stories of my life so far, from being bullied to people not believing in me, from my childhood completely changing through my Type 1 Diabetes diagnosis. I just wanted to try something different and make each song something memorable and for my fans to know the theme and emotion to the songs once they hear them.
“Music was the one thing that kept me going as a sick child and still to this day has made me feel like I’m normal”
You started performing at age 10. How did you get your start in music?
Music was the one thing that kept me going as a sick child and still to this day has made me feel like I’m normal. It felt natural to me to perform and it made me who I am today. I found a passion that makes me feel free and normal for those minutes I perform and song write.
How did you find the courage to start doing live shows at such a young age?
I would always set the highest of goals for myself at a young age cause I have my heart set on something. I’ll go for it and won’t give up even when I feel like I can’t do it. I think a lot of my courage came from my family’s support, especially when I was diagnosed with my condition, I wanted to make them proud. I knew that if you have your heart set on a goal you just have to do it. It might be hard but life is honestly too short to waste it on the “what if’s”.
“The benefits of MIC is that you have students and people around you that want you to succeed and go far. ”
Lily Jade you studied music at Brisbane's Music Industry College, has a formal education in music been a benefit for you as an artist and building your career? Is it something you recommend to the new artists just starting out?
Music Industry College (MIC) is amazing. I never felt like I fit in at schools ever. School was always a struggle and challenge for me, so if it wasn’t for MIC I probably would’ve struggled with how to work on myself as an artist or how can I make it in the music industry. They just want to see you be your best self and grow and that's what I have done so far and will continue doing. The benefits of MIC is that you have students and people around you that want you to succeed and go far. Who believe in you and want to see you grow and even if it took me to graduate and then work hard towards my music career, they still support, help and guide you. They’re nothing like any “normal” school, yes you still do study, but they support you to go far and be your true self. I found myself at MIC when I thought I would have always been this lost girl in my music and not fully understand myself. I would strongly recommend MIC.
You use your music as escape but also as a way to educate about Type 1 Diabetes, which you were diagnosed with at an early age. Is it important to you to be a role model for other young people struggling with the disease?
Yes, when I was 10 years old I was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes and went from being bright and bubbly to being in a hospital for 2 to 3 weeks learning how to pretty much change my whole life. It's so important to me and I can't express enough how much I want to be a role model for people like me. How much I want all young type 1 diabetics to know that I’ve been through what they’re going through and that I understand. You have ups and downs in your days, it can be hard to deal with and I know that it can feel hard chasing something you love when you have an impacting medical condition. I want to be a role model not just to type 1 diabetics themselves but to my younger siblings, to friends and families that have their own loved ones with diabetes - anyone can achieve anything if you put your heart and soul into it.
Would you like to tour soon and take your music to other parts of Australia?
It’s a dream to tour and share my music with fans and show everyone I have made one of my goals come true. Touring would be a roller coaster ride of emotions for myself, but sharing my music with my listeners would be amazing.
Do you play a part in the production side of your music?
Yes I do the basics, like putting together the melody and lyrics and structure. I’m working harder in learning guitar to put towards the production of my music and performance. Just to be able to put something together and learn how to make it sound as great as my other song experiences in production.
Who do you credit as your musical influences?
Adele is such an influence to me because she doesn't care what people think about her songs, she just writes from the heart and knows what and who she's writing it for. She’s an open book who isn't afraid of the public and I want to be able to learn from her. Another credit to my music is my amazing mentor Asha Jefferies who I had the best few months at MIC learning from. Getting to just pour out your ideas and go with it while knowing that working hard pays off and that dreams are hard to chase and achieve but can be achieved.
“Adele would be a dream come true to collaborate with”
Is there anyone you dream of collaborating with one day?
Adele would be a dream come true to collaborate with for myself because I know how heartful she is and how hard she works. She’ll always be an inspiration to me. Also Doolie I would love to collaborate with - she’s also type 1 diabetic and it would be such a great experience working with someone that has the same medical condition as me.
Who in your crew or team deserves a shout out but never gets one? And what do they do that keeps your world turning?
My family and my partner, Brett Wood and Music Industry College, India Raine, Asha Jefferies and Tom Eggert. If it wasn't for them I wouldn't have the confidence to believe in myself and continue my music, and for them I'm so grateful. I’m so happy to have them in my life and to have worked alongside them. They changed my life and have mentored and supported me. They made me understand even more that if I work hard, it’ll work out.
What are your plans for the rest of 2022? What can people look forward to from Lily Jade?
I'm hoping to go to Melbourne later this year to do some things for my music and share how it all began. I’ll also be releasing a song from my EP around August/September, performing more including a single launch for ‘Back 2 You’ this July. Not to mention I’ll definitely be practicing more guitar recording more of my songs. A huge project I want to start is working with an organization, or creating my own, for type 1 diabetes research and support. To use my music to help fund and raise awareness to the public is a huge goal for me and I really want to have diabetes awareness month to be involved in for that project.
Interview by Michelle Symes
June 2022