story / by Karla Solarte
Nighttime is Jade LeMac’s, most honest muse. It’s not just a setting but an emotional amplifier. When the lights go out, feelings become louder, fears feel closer, and thoughts linger longer. It’s where the world quiets down—and her emotions take over. Fear gets sharper, love gets louder, and heartbreak feels impossible to outrun. That vulnerability is at the core of “It’s Always at Night,” her new EP, and especially of its opening chapter, “Sleeping With the Lights On.” In our interview, LeMac unpacks the emotional universe behind the project, from studio breakthroughs to the kind of live moments that blur the line between artist and audience. Jade reflects on fear, love, creative growth, and the moments, both in the studio and on stage, where music stops being a performance and becomes a shared emotional experience.
If this EP were a short film, what would the opening scene look like? And what would the closing credits feel like?
Oh, that’s a good question. I think the beginning scene would probably be at nighttime and feeling that sadness or something, and then it evolves into… because if you listen to all the songs on the EP, which aren’t all out yet, but when they are, there’s a bunch of different emotions. And so, it kind of carries on into falling back for someone and rediscovering yourself and your happiness again. So, I feel like the end credits would be that.
“Running Home” is really resonating a lot and taking off. Why do you think that’s connecting so strongly with people?
I mean, ‘Running Home,’ I feel like it’s a feel-good song. It also is just like melodically catchy, but it’s a feel-good song, and I feel like people have realized that, and so when they listen to it, it’s just like you can have a good time, and you don’t even have to think about the lyrics too hard; you can kind of just feel the music, and it’s fun. It’s uplifting and everything like that, so I’m guessing that’s why people like it.
Was there a moment in the studio where a song completely surprised you, like either emotionally or musically?
Yeah, there’s a song on the EP that is called ‘Sweet Dreams.’ It’s not out yet; it’s coming out in the EP, but I think that’s one of my favorites, if not my favorite song, like one of my favorite songs that I’ve ever written. It’s just, it’s a very, very emotional song, and I love the lyrics of it, and I love the concept of it, and just the melodies and the range and how we use my vocals in the song. It’s very powerful.
You’ve been performing more this year. What’s been a standout moment on stage that made you think, “Okay, this is why I do what I do”?
Yeah, it actually happened a few days ago. I was opening up for Maren Morris, and I think it was in Nashville. There was this girl in the front row who was there for me, actually, and like she was holding up a sign for me and stuff, and during ‘Sleeping With The Lights On,’ when I sang it, she started crying so hard, and then I saw her, and then I almost started crying on stage, and that’s never happened before, so I think that was really like it was a special moment.
Seeking the EP live must hit differently than recording it. So how do the songs transform on stage for you?
‘Running Home,’ for example, is such a fun song to perform live, and I meant to create it in that kind of way because I wanted a fun song that has a great rhythm and beat to it, and I feel like that catches the audience’s attention, which is awesome, and it’s, that one’s just a really fun song to perform live. ‘Sleeping With the Lights On’ is one that I can really get into emotionally and stuff. All the songs are different, but yeah, performing always feels different from when you’re in the studio.
If someone walked into their first show to watch you, what vibe or energy do you hope they leave with?
I hope they enjoy it, first of all, but I hope that they can connect with the music and feel the music, because I’m a big believer that music is a lot of feel, and so I hope that they can just feel the music and relate to it, and if not relate to it, just enjoy it and be in the moment. I think that’s the biggest thing.
When you listen back to this EP, what version of yourself do you hear, and how is she different from the Jade who released your early singles, such as ‘Constellations’?
I released ‘Constellations’ back when I was, like, 17, so I’ve changed a lot since then, and I mean, I’ve even changed since writing some of these songs on the new EP. I’m still so young, so I’m always changing. I’m always learning. I’m still experimenting. As much as I’m the same person, I’m so different at the same time, and I’ve gained a lot of experiences and everything.
Congrats on “Sleeping with the lights on.” It’s such a raw and intimate track. I want to know what sparked it and what it means for you personally.
Personally, I’ve always been an emotional person. I’m also scared of the dark in multiple kinds of ways, one being because I’m actually just scared of the dark, ghosts, and stuff, but also because since I’m emotional, when the sun goes down and when it’s nighttime, and I’m alone in my room or in my bed, whatever it is, I feel my emotions a lot harder. So if I’m feeling sad, I’m scared for what’s to come at night, because I know I’ll probably be a lot sadder. That was kind of the idea behind the song and kind of the heartbreak that goes with that, if you know. The song is basically about being scared to lose the person that you love. And I’m scared to face the dark because of that.
The title, “It’s always at night,” feels very mysterious. Why night? And what happens to you creatively or emotionally after dark?
In “Sleeping with the Lights On,” we kind of spark the idea that it’s always at night, because, as I explained, emotions become 10 times stronger at night. And I first discovered that with sadness and heartbreak and stuff, but then I later on in my life discovered that it was kind of with all emotions. I remember when I had crushes on people, or when I was falling for people, I was alone in my bed, and I was like, ‘Oh, my God, I just cannot wait till I see them.’ It’s kind of just because at nighttime, you’re alone in your thoughts, so you can really feel them a lot more; you think about them, and you’re kind of just lost, wandering in your own mind. That was the idea behind the title “It’s Always at Night.”
How does “Sleeping with the lights on” tie into the bigger story of ‘It’s always at night’?
I think just with the whole idea, that concept was the beginning of me realizing how much the night affects me and how I think and how I feel. So that ‘Sleeping with the lights on’ really was the beginning of this EP. It was the first song I wrote on this EP as well.
Congrats on “Sleeping with the lights on.” It’s such a raw and intimate track. I want to know what sparked it and what it means for you personally.
Personally, I’ve always been an emotional person. I’m also scared of the dark in multiple kinds of ways, one being because I’m actually just scared of the dark, ghosts, and stuff, but also because since I’m emotional, when the sun goes down and when it’s nighttime, and I’m alone in my room or in my bed, whatever it is, I feel my emotions a lot harder. So if I’m feeling sad, I’m scared for what’s to come at night, because I know I’ll probably be a lot sadder. That was kind of the idea behind the song and kind of the heartbreak that goes with that, if you know. The song is basically about being scared to lose the person that you love. And I’m scared to face the dark because of that.
The title, “It’s always at night,” feels very mysterious. Why night? And what happens to you creatively or emotionally after dark?
In “Sleeping with the Lights On,” we kind of spark the idea that it’s always at night, because, as I explained, emotions become 10 times stronger at night. And I first discovered that with sadness and heartbreak and stuff, but then I later on in my life discovered that it was kind of with all emotions. I remember when I had crushes on people, or when I was falling for people, I was alone in my bed, and I was like, ‘Oh, my God, I just cannot wait till I see them.’ It’s kind of just because at nighttime, you’re alone in your thoughts, so you can really feel them a lot more; you think about them, and you’re kind of just lost, wandering in your own mind. That was the idea behind the title “It’s Always at Night.”
How does “Sleeping with the lights on” tie into the bigger story of ‘It’s always at night’?
I think just with the whole idea, that concept was the beginning of me realizing how much the night affects me and how I think and how I feel. So that ‘Sleeping with the lights on’ really was the beginning of this EP. It was the first song I wrote on this EP as well.
Looking back at 2025 so far, what milestones have been most meaningful for you?
My first tours. I did my first mini headline tour in May. I performed at some crazy festivals, Lollapalooza, Osheaga, and I mean, I just finished the opening act for Maren Morris. That was my biggest tour. I mean, it was a month long, which is a very long time for me, and it was such a great learning experience to be able to perform so many days in a row and stuff like that. Those have been big, and this new EP has been such a fun ride. There have been a lot of things, and I’m excited for what’s to come still.
And on that note, what’s a big dream or goal that you’re chasing next, short and long term?
Short term… I feel like all my goals really end up being long-term. Like, I just want to be as successful as I can be while maintaining happiness, and a big goal actually is I really want to learn more of music theory, because I actually don’t know too much about that, so I really want to get better at guitar and piano and stuff. That’s been a new goal of mine. And to continue learning and to better myself as much as I can.
And long term?
I think technically that’s like, that’s long-term, because I feel like there’s always room for improvement. So I think every day, just trying to be better than what I was yesterday.
I have three quick questions. Quick round.
Night owl or early bird?
Okay, I would like to say I’m an early bird, but I’m definitely a night owl.
Dream collab, to be living or dead.
I love Labyrinth. I love Phineas. Their production, I really love, and I always say them. Also, Adele, but I don’t even think I could compare it to her, so I don’t think that would work out.
When do you sleep, when do you sleep with the lights on? And what’s usually the reason?
Anytime I’m alone, because I’m scared. But if I’m with my girlfriend, or if I’m with friends or something, and they like to sleep with the lights off, I have to turn it off, because I can’t look like a scared cat. But if I’m by myself, I’ll sleep with the lights on.
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