#good talk

A sitdown with one of our Reality Show finalists

Preface

The road to the next big reality show has many twists, turns and challenges, but we have yet to meet the the people whose stories will drive the show. While the final casting has yet to be announced and/or solidified, we sat down with three smart, talented finalists to find out more about them. Here’s Jade’s story, in her own words:

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OM: What would you like people to know about you?

Jade:One thing I’d like people to know about me is how sensitive I am on the inside. I have a really tough outer shell and that fools a lot of people most of the time. But deep down I am very sensitive. I cry at other people’s pain, not only my own, and that’s something that most people would be surprised to know. I’m just a compassionate, empathetic person. I feel a lot on the inside and I’m not afraid of that.

OM: Why do you say that?

Jade: I feel like I’m…in the world that we live in today a lot of people guard themselves and feel like they need to protect themselves from feeling things. I just so happen to not be one of those. I’m a musician, so I feel. A lot of what I feel comes through music, you know? So feeling is something that’s a part of me: just, any type of feeling, any type of emotion.

OM: As a musician, how was it for you to get established, get out there and actively achieve your dreams?

Jade: Well, I would say that I’m still pursuing my dreams in a sense, I’m not where I want to be. Yet with that I’ve been playing the violin since the third grade, so my ear is exceptionally well. Things that most artists have to train for, ear training and all that, is not easy. That’s something that comes naturally to me. My father’s a drummer; has been since he was 7, so that’s something that runs in the family. And my ability to write has always been natural. I have just one song that I’ve recorded. Just one. For the first song that I’ve ever recorded, it got extremely good reviews from the lyrics to the content to the actual sound of the song. I was able to bring that together not knowing anything. I have no formal training with voice: the instrument that I use now. Prior to (this), I knew how to read violin music and all that, but it’s just different, you know? A musician is somebody that’s good in a bunch of different aspects with their music.

OM: What do you try to convey when you make music?

Jade: I try to articulate what other people have a hard time articulating. So I’m very good with expressing what I feel. I’m very in tune with that and when I make music, I go back into the things that’s changed me and try to think of situations that somebody else has probably been in; and most times, everybody’s been through the same shit, excuse me. So you just gotta tap into that. You know people and you know what they’re going to gravitate towards and I feel like my audience is pretty broad. I do R&B/Neo-Soul, but I’m pretty versatile. I listen to Nipsey Hussle, I listen to Corinne Bailey (Rae), I’m all across the board. All over. So, I respect art man. I really fuck with art. I think without art, this world wouldn’t be much.

OM: What attracted you to this opportunity?

Jade: The accusations that go on. I’m from Rhode Island - the smallest state. Word travels very fast and this is just an opportunity to present my truth to the world. It’s coming directly from me. It’s not coming from the person I went to highschool with. It’s not coming from someone that may have seen me in the club. It’s coming directly from me and it’s almost like closure for me because I have one foot in the industry and one foot out. I always had a plan to exit. This literally came at a perfect time and it’s a perfect transition out. It explains all the “whys”, all the questions people have about me. I think it’s just…it’s a great opportunity in that way, just to tell my truth.

I have a big family and all of that and rather than sit them down at the dinner table, (you can) just see it on TV.

OM: What drives you? What motivates you?

Jade: So I have this fantasy. My parents were never together. They were cool, they had kids, but it was never a situation like that. So I didn’t grow up with a mom and dad in the house, with the family, with the extracurricular activities and the structure and I didn’t have any of that. So I’ve always wanted husband, kids, a house; like I want that structure. I want to create my own family. So that’s (what) my drive is. just setting up that future and then I have little ones that depend on me within the family, you know. I have a twin sister who has special needs and I have…she has a 1 & a half year old daughter. Since she’s come into the picture it’s kind of like, “Ok, I really can’t slack off,” because I have these young ones to worry about. Because some people in the family aren’t capable of giving them that and if anyone’s capable, I am. So that’s my drive.

OM: What would you like people to know about you that you haven’t already said or that no one knows?

Jade: I’m still finding myself. I don’t discuss too much, you know, so I’m still finding myself. I don’t feel at 23 it’s ideal to look for me to be a role model. The only thing I try to do is…my heart is always in a good place. I don’t do anything with ill-intentions because I feel like that shit will come back and bite you in the ass. In the world we live in, right now, there’s a lot of dishonesty, not a lot of loyal people and that (honesty) is something that I pride myself in.

Jade: Good one, good one, ready?

OM: Go for it

Jade: I purposefully and a lot of people don’t know this about me, they think that because I’m attractive I give everybody the time of day. Guy, girl, whatever. I purposefully reserve myself for individuals I feel deserve the time of day. So I have a pretty good intuition. When I meet someone, I kinda know what bag they’re jumping out of. I know if there’s a hidden motive there. I go off of feelings so I preserve myself. I feel like to many people share their soul with everybody. I’m a very intellectual, soulful person and that is something that I hold close to myself. I’m not going to let anybody (negative) be close to me or get in my head or any of that. I’m not closed off, I save myself, put it that way, I save myself for the right people.

Jade:Does that make sense?

OM:Definitely.

Jade: Yeah, I don’t feel like I should expose myself to everybody, not everybody deserves that. Like genuinely in my heart, I’m a great person and I’m not giving people the opportunity to fuck me over. If I decide that I want to (associate) with you, then that’s my own decision. And when something happens it’s like, “okay, better do less next time” type shit, you know? Too many people are available. I’m not. There’s nothing special about you if everyone has access to you. That’s it.

OM: Any final words?

Jade:Yeah! I think that no matter what you do in life you should always strive to make an imprint, no matter what. I meet a lot of people and regardless of what industry you’re in you should try to make an imprint. This opportunity that I have right here is a platform to reach more people. There’s a lot of people that have stories and similar one’s to mind and as a human being. You should always strive to make an imprint.You know how alot of people strive and make that money? You know, money goes; and it comes and it goes and it comes again. But to make an imprint? That’s something that’s going to last. And that literally is my vision for my life. Whether that imprint be with the kids that I have, the husband I get or whatever the case, I want to make a long lasting imprint: A positive one.