Jade LeMac Unveils the Creative Process of New Single “Grapevines.”
By Zoe Blakeman
Canadian artist Jade LeMac talks about her newest release “Grapevines,” and shares exclusives on deep tracks of her upcoming EP “Confessions.” LeMac started out writing music alone in her room as a teen but took her skills to Tik Tok where her song “Constellations” blew up seemingly overnight. Her unique blending of genres, such as pop, alternative, and R&B, makes her music exciting yet unpredictable.
LeMac is a songwriter at heart and a multifaceted instrumentalist who blends and bends her music and who she is as a musician. She takes pride in being part of the LGBTQ+ community and being half-Asian which gives another unique layer to her music. She truly is one of a kind.
Read this Q&A with LeMac below on her new song and her forthcoming EP!
ZB: Could you tell us more about the inspiration behind your track “Grapevines” and how it fits into your overall music journey?
JL: The inspiration kind of came out of nowhere. I was in the studio working one day and the producer I was working with had a vine hanging from the ceiling, and I just thought “Grapevines” was a cool word so I based the song off of that. It slowly turned into a more metaphorical kind of song about craving someone like you crave a glass of wine or some sweet grapes.
I think it fits in with my journey in music because I’m trying to venture more into an R&B kind of sound. I used to write a lot more sad songs when I was younger because that’s all I knew, but I think it’s a lot more Jade LeMac at this age and this era.
ZB: What inspired you to go toward more of an R&B sound versus any other genre?
JL: It was always just a part of me I didn’t know I was capable of. I used to write songs just by myself on a piano or guitar, which made them more acoustic and led to slower sadder songs. Venturing off with producers has helped a lot in discovering who I am as an artist in general.
ZB: What are some details about the creative process and any interesting anecdotes from the studio while working on this track?
JL: The craziest part was coming up with the word “Grapevines” just looking at the vines hanging from a ceiling. I was honestly just thinking about grapes because I was hungry, and the vines made a connection which led to the song. I was working with another writer, and we went back and forth with lyrics and melodies. I tend to get shy when I write with other people, I usually mumble quietly in hopes that the other person can pick up on something and think it sounds good.
That’s what happened with some of the melodies I was coming up with which gave me some confidence. It was fun writing the song all together and we came up with the song in just a few hours. Though, I typically do like to write by myself as that’s how I got into writing music in the first place. It’s a very therapeutic thing for me. But it’s fun to work with other people sometimes and it can bring me out of my shell a bit too.
ZB: “Grapevines” seems to carry a metaphorical theme. How do you approach using metaphors in your songwriting, and what do they represent in your music?
JL: Having metaphors in my music is a big part of my songwriting style because you can be so literal with songs sometimes, but it’s not necessarily relatable to everyone. I like to make songs that everyone can relate to and have metaphors that people can interpret differently. It’s something that’s really important to me, and with “Grapevines” especially, you can interpret it however you want. It can be a fun song; you can read between the lines, or you can just listen to it and not even think about the lyrics.
ZB: Can you elaborate on the emotions and experiences you wanted to convey through this metaphor?
JL: I really just wanted a fun song for people to want to dance to. We used a super cool hip hop sample and production, which inspired a different sort of vibe for my music. The verses are almost like rap songs which is another side of my music that I’m figuring out. I think having this upbeat fun song and being able to dance to it was the goal I wanted for this song. I also wanted it to be more mature than some of the other songs I’ve written.
ZB: You mention your ability to blend and break barriers between genres. Can you share some insights into your creative process and how you approach genre diversity in your music? Is this a conscious choice to make to blend genres, or does it happen naturally?
JL: I think it’s a subconscious thing. I’ve never liked being put into subgenres of boxes because it makes me think a song has to be a certain way and sound a certain way, which defeats the creative purpose of writing music. When I go into a song and start writing it however it comes out, if it feels right, then it’s right. It doesn’t matter to me about what genre it fits into. But whatever people want to think it is can be that genre. Again, it’s all left up to interpretation.
ZB: Do you think you fall under any specific genre?
JL: I do fall under the pop umbrella, but I tend to venture off into other genres like R&B and alternative. I move between genres but these days there are so many variations of genres that I think it’s impossible to confine yourself to just one. I’m definitely excited to venture off some more!
ZB: Your 2nd EP “Confessions” is set to release this November. Can you give us a sneak peek into what listeners can expect from this EP in terms of themes and musical style?
JL: There are definitely some darker songs in this EP. I’ve always had a darker side to myself that I started to discover during my first EP. My darker side shows more in this new EP “Confessions” which I’m super excited about. There is a song where I really poured my heart and soul into it, so I’m excited to see how people like it.
It’s a very genuine song I hold close to my heart. One of the songs had to be finished really quickly and we changed it around and finished the entire song within a week, which is super rare in this industry. I absolutely love that song though. All of that hard work was totally worth it. It’s a lot more Jade LeMac and it really feels like me for sure.
ZB: You’ve received praise from media outlets like Teen Vogue and Popdust. How does it feel to have your music recognized in this way, and what do these recognitions mean to you?
JL: It honestly means the world to me. Being a little kid and dreaming about being a singer, and saying that to all of my teachers and classmates, was such a basic answer I had when people asked what I wanted to be when I grew up. To actually be able to pursue this dream and be successful is a whole other thing. It’s the best feeling in the world. It’s something I’m super grateful for every single day.
ZB: How has social media influenced your music career, what role does it play in connecting with your audience, and how do you use it to connect with your audience?
JL: Social media is the main reason I am where I am. It helped me blow up my first song, “Constellations,” and helped me gain recognition for my music. It also just allowed me to put my name out there for people to see hear and read about. It’s a great way to interact with fans and the whole world.
It’s such a connector in my life and it brings me new people and connections every day. It’s a huge part of my life now and it’s an everyday thing too. I wouldn’t be where I am today without it. It’s a big community and family there and it’s great!
ZB: What can fans and listeners look forward to in your upcoming releases and future projects?
JL: Look out for me being me and discovering myself. This is a journey where I’m taking everyone on the ride with me and showing everyone who I am as an artist. I don’t think there is an end goal, it’s a constant process of changing and continuing to change with time. I will still hold pieces of myself and new changes which both will show through in my music.
ZB: If you could have listeners take away one thing from “Grapevines” and this EP, what would it be?
JL: With “Grapevines” it’s to have a fun time and enjoy yourself. Enjoy the people around you and eat some sweet tasty grapes! With the EP “Confessions,” all of the songs are so different so you can take so many things from each song. I would say just listen to each song and interpret it how you like and feel the strongest emotion that you can with each song. Just have fun, feel like a badass, and be yourself.
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Links:
Official: https://www.jadelemac.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JadeLeMacMusic
Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/JadeLeMacMusic
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jadelemac/