Inside Out & On the Rise: JADA's Bold Entrance to RnB With Her Debut EP [Interview]

Making her mark on the RnB stage, JADA is marking her own territory with her new debut project Inside Out. The songstress sat down with New Wave to discuss the meaning of this project, her inspiration behind it and how she is identifying herself within the music business. 

Photography @_c14rk

East London has birthed some of the biggest names in music, especially within hip hop, garage, grime and RnB to be specific. Coming out of this sacred area in music and gaining support from Wretch32 and Etta Bond to be specific, JADA might sound familiar as the grammy nominated musician Venna’s support act from his ‘Est.99’ tour. The rising talent is one to watch and add to your radar for the new year approaching. JADA is not an RnB artist you want to see leave the underground scene too soon with her fresh take on visuals and perspective on the new wave of RnB. 

Think, Kehlani dropping her first project Cloud 9 and only few had those tracks downloaded on Soundcloud, or when Good Days by SZA was blowing up on YouTube unreleased. The timing of these first releases were so special because before everyone else could comprehend the new wave of RnB and alternative sounds in hip hop and pop were made hits by empowering female musicians, it was only for the ‘if you know, you know’ fans. She tells New Wave “I studied Jhene Aiko and how she writes”, making sense of how her music relates to that ethereal, neo-soul, atmospheric vocal characteristics and production. 

JADA’s EP cover’ features a vibrant cover of an abstract image with energising bold hues in a dreamy blurred portrait of her. The blend of bright colours and the artist’s slow posed movement portrays the confidence and romanticism heard throughout the five songs of the project. Her multicultural background has influenced a unique palette of sounds heard throughout the tracks. It only makes sense that this has allowed the artist to experiment with her diverse identity as a vessel to stand apart in a sea of emerging artists following a similar RnB sound. Merging Garage, Gospel, Hip Hop and other genres into the mix during her upbringing, JADA has always used music as an outlet and tells New Wave how expressing herself by making music has always been encouraged and supported by friends. 

“Being a black woman, you always have to work harder to prove yourself”. 

The message behind JADA’s EP is crystal clear. Her writing skills developed and she found a love for the process in English classes, after learning music theory in college and all of its technicalities, songwriting is where JADA felt most at home. She hides her shy persona with passion when she speaks on the importance of being yourself and being free. Going beyond her cultural landscape of influences, Inside Out serves as proof that JADA can take homegrown RnB and give it a universal appeal to listeners of multiple genres. 

JADA worked on a music video for one of her favourite songs from the EP, ‘Better with You’. The artist collaborated with director Ray Fiasco to bring feminine, girl boss energy into the visuals with loud styling and personal POV angles. “This was my first ever solo music video so I didn’t really know what to expect but Ray is super easy to work with. I’d sent him a brief of a few music videos from the early 2000’s and wanted it to be as natural as possible. He knew how to execute the vision I had so I’m happy to have worked together on this.” 

Photography @_c14rk

During our interview, JADA opens up about stage fright and the newness that still comes with performing in front of an audience. After finishing a project that dives deep into raw emotion, JADA is confident to speak on the true learnings from this album. Already engaging attention from singles ‘Ko’ and ‘Magic’, COLOURS & Notion have previously credited her talent. These singles blend sultry sounds with an impressive vocal delivery and swap out JADA’s introverted nature for bold lyrics and sensual production. “It’s definitely a spiritual process that comes from a specific place that you tap into and just metaphorically let go. I definitely say that it’s the one thing (music) that allows me to be vulnerable with no restrictions”.

Including slower sultry sounds in the EP, JADA takes listeners on a journey through her mind, her lyrics are potent and visibly vulnerable. Relating to heartbreak, self-realisations and experimenting with her sound, the EP has been in the works for 2-3 years but JADA expresses how being motivated by friends has given her the courage to make it happen. 

You can place JADA next to Ella Mai, Victoria Monét and Ari Lennox but with an East London twist. “I want people to come away knowing they can be themselves and be free”. On entering the renowned realm of talent from East London where so many stars have begun, JADA is not ignorant to the fact she is paving the way for the next generation of female RnB singers to come from here. She tells New Wave “If I’m honest I’m just grateful to be able to share & express myself as someone from east London because it really does take a lot of courage to share your craft with the world”.

Watch the 'Better With You' Music Video Here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Ugp7YLFl9k