Artist to watch: JADE

For 20-year-old Los Angeles-based musician Jade Pedrizet, songwriting is not just a craft, it's a life’s work. Enjoying the August release of her debut EP “PINK” (2017), Pedrizet, who performs under the moniker JADE, recalls the genesis of her life’s work as a youth in Phoenix, Ariz.

“When I was a little kid, my friends and I would pretend to be superstars and write songs,” JADE said. “Then I started actually writing songs and singing. I slowly developed into thinking, ‘Oh, I actually want to do this!’ after pretending all that time.”

Nothing about her current trajectory suggests that JADE needs to pretend any longer. Amassing over 100,000 plays on Spotify and hundreds of thousands of views for her music videos on Facebook, JADE’s steady rise to pop stardom has just begun. Her appeal lies in accessible, yet mature and nuanced lyricism and her deft skill in crafting melodies. JADE’s music possesses a potent melodicism that she cultivated from a young age.

“For the longest time,” JADE said. “I would write songs a cappella, because I didn’t know how to play guitar or piano, all I knew was that I liked to sing. So I would come up with these melodies without anything behind them.”

On “PINK," JADE’s melodic pop sensibilities, reflective of early influences in Demi Lovato, Paramore and Lorde, come into bloom. Backed by big, slick production, her songwriting shines. But “PINK” is not just a regurgitation of pop consumers’ current tastes. JADE effectually wears her heart on her sleeve; her songwriting possesses an endearing honesty. With bare accompaniment, songs like “Empty Love,” which JADE composed as a sophomore in high school, demonstrate a tender uncertainty, while “Find A Place,” boasts confident, polished production, and lyrical playfulness that longs for a better place. “Somewhere far from yesterday, I’m telling you let’s get away” JADE croons.

“I wrote that entire record when I was living back in Arizona,” JADE said. “My whole life I had dreamed of being a musician. That’s a long time to sit, and wait, and go to school every day. I was a huge dreamer as a kid, daydreaming out the window in class, thinking about what life could be, and what life will be when I’m older.”

To listen to “PINK” is to immerse yourself in JADE’s dreams. At her strongest points on the record, on songs like “Find A Place” and “Wait For Me,” JADE is not just catchy. JADE’s songwriting engages listeners in JADE's life dramas. With anxiety and optimism, “PINK” invites listeners along JADE’s journey, one that promises more drama, more emotion, more hooks and more JADE.

“I’m definitely on the right path,” JADE said. “I’m still trying to figure things out. There’s a lot of stress with the time limits. We only have so [much funding]. Little things that come together, that makes it scary.”

Despite these struggles, JADE remains optimistic for her prospects. With an upcoming fall 2018 release in the works, JADE remains determined to continue her life’s work. 

"I hope people stick with me, keep listening to my songs and keep giving me feedback, because we’re really moving right now," JADE said.

And at 20 years old, she’s just starting. As the first chapter in JADE’s musical career, “PINK” proves that JADE has what it takes; it is a testament to her dreams, and perhaps a revelation of her future.