YV Media: Where were you born and raised? And how does it affect the type of music that you create?
Jade Novah: I was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio. Cleveland is right on the snow belt and the weather is unpredictable, so as a kid I spent a lot of days having to be creative with the ways I could play and entertain myself. It sparked my creativity, imagination, and my love for storytelling.
I always have to tell stories in my art.
YV: Tell us about your latest single “Affirm Me”. What inspired you to write it?
Jade: 'Affirm Me' is a song dedicated to my love language, Words of Affirmation. It’s a part of a larger story from my upcoming album “Where Have I Been?”. The album goes on a journey through past relationships and parts of my childhood that triggered my need for external validation. Ultimately, I learn the power of affirming myself, but “Affirm Me” is about that residual insecurity of still needing to hear constant affirmation from my partner to believe the love is real.
YV: Can you tell us about the message behind "What's Your Sign?" Why did the song in particular stick out to you?
Jade: I’ve always been fascinated with astrology, even as a young girl. I’ve written a lot of songs that tap into the cosmic side of things, and 'What’s Your Sign?' is just a playful r&b song about wanting to make sure that me and my potential lover are cosmically compatible.
YV: What type of music/sound can we expect from your album “Where Have I Been”?
Jade: I’m really excited about this project. It taps into my love of storytelling, comedy, and of course good R&B music. It was executive produced by my husband Devin Johnson. We both have an appreciation for musicals and timeless music, so this album fuses contemporary r&b with elements of musical theater and classic R&B. The album tells a story from beginning to end and even has interludes with dialogue, so it feels like a storytelling podcast mixed with a contemporary r&b album. There’s also some incredible features on the album!
YV: Who are some of the features on your album that you're most excited about? How did you get connected?
Jade: I’m excited about every feature on this project! Leslie Odom Jr., Tabitha Brown, Tony Baker, Wayne Brady, Kenyon Dixon, Gail Bean, and Tarriona “Tank” Ball of Tank and the Bangas! I am huge fans of ALL of them. We were all connected in different ways, but with each of them there’s a mutual love and respect for what we do as creatives!
YV: Name a few people that you admire in the music and film industry and who you will love to work with.
Jade: I truly admire Jamie Foxx and would LOVE to work with him one day! His range as an actor, comedian, and vocalist are so inspiring. I’d also love to work with Halle Bailey. I feel like we could create a song that is the perfect hybrid of r&b and musical theater that would EAT.
Manifesting this.
YV: When did you begin to do sketches on YouTube and what is your inspiration behind them?
Jade: I love comedy! I feel like some of the greatest story tellers of our time are comedians. They have an ability to find the humor in the darkest spaces. It’s a super power and I love being able to reflect on things in life and find the light in it, the same way I do with my music. I’m inspired by real life situations and of course my impersonations are inspired by the artists I’m impersonating! They’re always people I love and admire. I started making sketches in 2012.
YV: We watched a few of your shorts on YouTube and they were very funny, especially the shorts about Beyonce. Where did the idea to do a Beyonce skit come from?
Jade: Thank you! I’ve been a HUGE Beyoncé fan since I was a little girl, so I’ve watched more of her performances and interviews than I’d like to admit. My husband actually heard me do an impression of Beyoncé back in 2011 and said you should put this on Youtube, so I did! I had no idea that they would be so viral, but it definitely gave me the courage to try out other impersonations and to just write more comedy in general.
YV: You are an amazing singer. Can you share with us what other career opportunities that you are interested in (acting, producing, modeling, etc)?
Jade: I’ve been writing TV/Film and animated ideas like crazy! I’d love to get into film production, screenwriting, and of course acting. I’ve also been writing short stories but I’ve just keeping them to myself. Who knows, one day I might turn them into a book as well!
YV: What are some of the projects that you are working on outside of music?
Jade: I’ve been doing a lot of voice over work! I actually did the voices for Anita Baker and Janet Jackson in the film “I Wanna Dance with Somebody” and I guest starred on The Simpsons this year and voiced two characters, Echo and Ashlee Starling. I really love creating characters and getting to stretch my voice in that way. It feels like a superpower!
YV: Name a few hobbies that you have that most people don’t know about you.
Jade: I meditate and do yoga A LOT. I also love to paint and color. I’m not the greatest, but I really just enjoy creating something without any pressure for perfection or expectations. It really is a great form of mindfulness.
YV: What are your social media links?
Jade: Social Media Links:
IG: @JadeNovah
TikTok: @JadeNovahOfficial
Photo Credit: Anissa Dunn
Forthcoming
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