Hello Jade Helliwell

Hey Jade, how the devil are you?

Hey I’m great thanks! Hope you’re well.

Right, first things first, introduce yourself to our lovely campers.

I’m a Country/Pop singer-songwriter based in Leeds.

And where are you right now? What are you up to today?

I am at home going through songs for my weekly livestream!

What have you been up to over the last twelve months?

It’s been a strange year but I’ve luckily managed to keep pretty active. I’ve done a weekly live stream on Facebook (Thursdays at 7pm) since lockdown began last March. I’ve released three new singles, put out a bunch of merch, written with some incredible songwriters via Zoom and managed to squeeze the odd show in when measures were eased.

What can you tell me about your latest single ‘If I were You’?

This is the first release of mine I didn’t have a hand in writing. A good friend of mine Laura Oakes co-wrote this one with Livy Jeanne and Joe Fox and when she pitched it to me I immediately loved it. To me, it’s a song about self-belief and understanding that you never see yourself through the eyes of another. I was so pleased they trusted me with this song.

I really love ‘Telephone’ as well, tell me about the writing of that song.

Thank you! ‘Telephone’ was a song I began writing mostly for myself as I navigated my way through grief after losing my Grandma in 2019. I then lost my Grandad the following June and returned to the song as a kind of letter to them about how I wish I could still chat to them. The reaction when I played it on a live stream was unbelievable so I decided to release it last December.

What can we expect from you for the rest of 2021?

I am super excited to finally get back to playing live shows again. You can catch me at Buckle and Boots Festival, Liverpool Country Festival and The Long Road Festival. I am also embarking on a co-headline tour with Kezia Gill in Nov/Dec. Aside from that, more new music for sure!

What new skill or talent have you picked up over the various lockdowns?

I’ve attempted some baking but whether or not I could call it a talent is another story. [laughs] 

Who (or what) has inspired you?

I take a lot of inspiration from the front runners of country/pop. Kelsea Ballerini, Maren Morris, Carly Pearce. I also take inspiration from the greats like Dolly Parton and Patsy Cline. 

If you could recommend one artist to hear this week, who would it be?

Carly Pearce. I already loved her music but her latest release just shows her development as a writer and how the country genre really excels in the storytelling aspect.

What’s the question we should have asked you today but haven’t?

What I’ll be doing when lockdown eases. Answer - Pub! And seeing my loved ones of course…

Finally, how do you take your coffee?

Milk and one sugar!

To find out more about Jade, including where to see her live, visit her website. You can check out what she’s up to on her Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram as well.