Jada

About

" Magnificent alt-pop that’s as mesmerising as it is inspiring "

The first thing you need to know about Jada is that she’s no shrinking violet. The Danish artist, real name Emilie Molstead Nørgaard, is shaking up pop with honesty, openness, and forthright opinions that are all too rare (and more powerful to her). For starters, she believes she was born to sing – “fateful”, is how she’s described her chosen career, adding: “I am here on earth to perform.” Then there’s her activism around body positivity and sexuality – check out the video for ‘Nudes’ – and the fact that she dropped out of a prestigious music conservatory to concentrate more on her own creativity.

Jada traces this determination back to her childhood in the small town of Bisserup, with her grandmother, mother, and sister. Music filled the house – Lauryn Hill, Beyoncé, folk music – and everybody sang. Everybody was free to express themselves and wear what they wanted to, a mindset she’s applied ever since. The result is a singular career dealing in stylish, earnest alt-pop, studied anthems that hit both the heart and the head with equal force. Soulful too, full of pristine melodies, hints of R&B, and subtle, crystalline beats.

And it’s not just passionate fans and critical acclaim that she’s amassing; there are awards too. She won several prizes at P3 Guld, the annual music award ceremony organised by Radio P3, a Danish Grammy at the Danish Music Awards, and the Crown Prince Couple’s Cultural Star Sprinkle Award. Add that to huge shows at Roskilde, Northside Festival, and Spot Festival, millions of streams, and chart success, and it’s clear that her individualism is working out just fine.

Photo: Nikolaj Gyldenløve