Jade LeMac Has Night Vision On New EP It’s Always At Night
By Ariana Tibi
Contemporary songwriting often thrives on the tension between lyrical weight and melodic restraint; an inured, almost apathetic sigh that lets the words sing for themselves. The next frontier of the craft depends on artists who can reinvent that emotional eclipse. With a distinct ache in her vibrato and metrical mastery of her inner world, Jade LeMac achieves exactly that.
Throughout her new EP It’s Always At Night, Jade’s command of vocal production shines brilliantly and her creativity lands with poetic force. Over the last eight months, I’ve had the rare chance to interview Jade throughout one of the most kinetic years of her career. With every conversation, her self-awareness and execution have sharpened, evolving like a constellation from starlet to undeniable force.
Listen HERE
Jade’s mind stays in motion between shows, sketching melodies and reimagining her next chapter. Alongside her producer and friend, JP, she’s become a vocal architect while designing this new sound for herself. It’s Always At Night captures her new medium in full. It’s a collage of influences and instincts that coalesce into something wholly her own. The way the lyric informs the melody is almost tactile, like the colors in a dream you can’t quite name but are perfectly suited for the feeling. She laughs about being inspired at night despite being afraid of the dark (a thread from our very first conversation), and now that duality has become her signature.
Across the EP, there’s tension and release. “Sweet Dreams Darling” moves like a choral ballet; “Pink Balloon” flutters with buoyant romance; and “Intertwined” shimmers with dissonance, like a pink balloon floating between the sharp edges of a metallic manicure: never breaking, just bending the light. It’s a record that can be listened to top to bottom, no skips, as a cohesive, nocturnal diary.
I caught up with Jade to talk about late-night inspiration, tour mishaps, and what it really takes to turn fear of the dark into a sound all her own.
First of all, congratulations on Sleeping With The Lights On! What does this song mean to you?
It means a lot to me. It was the first song I wrote for the EP and the first time I really discovered my sound. The guitar’s emotional, and I learned how to use my vocals like an instrument. I remember being in my room one night recording a little demo and finding all these new vocal layers. The lyrics are super vulnerable and true to me, because I’m actually scared of the dark. I don’t like sleeping with the lights off, haha.
The little reprise at the end is so special. What is that about?
The song’s about being scared to lose someone you love…and scared of the dark because it forces you to think about that. I’ve been there a lot, whether it’s before a breakup or after. That ending’s basically a poem: “Two kids fell in love inside the dark.” It ends off basically by switching from they were running so hard to she was running so hard. It kind of explains that the reason there was a breakup is because one person was really just in the dark by herself…she was kind of the one that was struggling. Every line has its own story, honestly.
Was that written at the same time as the song?
Actually, no. I was inspired by Frank Ocean. I’ve loved him since I was a kid because of my mom. I always loved when his songs felt like two in one. My producer JP and I wanted to do that too, so we made something short and simple, but really meaningful. I came up with the lyrics on the spot. I was just so inspired by the idea of two kids falling in love, you know, and just trying to figure out the world by themselves.
Your voice really opens up across this EP. What changed for you?
I feel like I’m still discovering it, and how to use my vocals in different ways. I still think I need to improve…but I’ve definitely discovered my sound, how to use what I have and how to use it like an instrument in the production. There’s lots of layered vocals in this EP, which I really love.
Let’s talk Running Home. It’s so infectious, do you feel like it shows a different side of you?
I really wanted to try and find a pop sound I like and that catches the ear…and I wanted something that feels good performing live. That’s kind of how this song came about. It’s honestly just a feel good song, reassuring your partner that no matter what, you’ll always be there for them.
How does it feel to play live?
It’s one of my favorites to perform. It’s got that rhythm and beat that makes everyone nod their head. You can feel the energy in the crowd, too.
You’re about to go on your first Canadian headline tour! How does that feel?
I’m so excited, especially after opening for Maren Morris. I love being on stage. Being an opener is different because most people aren’t there for you, but even if one or two were, that made my energy explode. Thinking about a room full of people actually coming to see me is such an exciting thought.
Last time we talked, you were hoping to learn something from Maren. What did you take away?
Watching her every night, I saw how confident but calm she is on stage. I get nervous, I have stage fright, so I tried to learn how to slow down. I think I really improved over the tour, and I’m proud of that.
Can you give us your Rose, Bud, and Thorn from the tour?
My rose was definitely meeting everyone on her team. Every single person was so kind and welcoming, her guitarist Erica Fox is also Canadian, so shout out to her. And Maren herself was so sweet. The bud, what I’m taking away, is learning to stay calm on stage and handle mishaps. I had a few technical issues, but I learned how to maneuver through them. It was actually great. The thorn? I definitely could’ve done without my bad memory. I lost everything: my hair spray, credit card, I lost my tide pen, haha. But unfortunately, that is going to stay with me, I think, for a long time.
You mentioned stage fright, what helps you manage it?
For me, it comes from fear of mostly forgetting lyrics. Ironically, that fear makes me forget them, haha. This tour helped because the shows were back-to-back, and I got more comfortable. I remember how fun it is once I’m up there. Breathing helps, going over tricky parts, and asking for space before the set. Sometimes I just need quiet. My team knows to give me that now. By the end of the tour, performing felt like routine and I felt so much more confident.
Okay, ending on a fun note. What’s the emotional tracklist for three songs on the EP, when should we play each one?
Pink Balloon is for when you’ve got a crush, you’d put it on a playlist hoping they notice. Running Home is for feeling good vibes, windows down, with friends. And Sleeping With The Lights On is your emotional, crying-in-bed song. Probably shouldn’t listen to it if you’re heartbroken…but I would, haha.
KEEP IN TOUCH WITH JADE LEMAC
Photo credit: Meredith Traux
