JADE THE MOON Discuss New Music, Plans for 2019, Their ‘Musical Photographs’ and More!

Jade The Moon recently released their newest single “The Tide.”

Listen to the track here: https://soundcloud.com/jade-the-moon/the-tide

They will be also releasing a brand new album this year called “11:11.” It is the follow up to Jade The Moon’s self-produced 2015 debut release. The group says that the new collection of tracks are best described as “musical photographs”. A moment in time turned dance party, true story turned love song, a daydream turned eerie alt-pop lullaby.

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Learn more about Jade The Moon in the following All Access interview:

How did 2018 treat this group? What were some of the highlights?

2018 was a very pivotal and challenging year for the project. Changes with label/management really were the focus. We released ‘The Tide’ and were pleasantly surprised with the response online and with streaming. We will release a lot more material from our record 11:11 in 2019. Watch for our next single called ‘Awkward’ this spring!

Can you recall the moment when you thought you could be in this group together? Was it hard to think of a name that you could agree on?

We were actually friends and working on other projects. The group came together almost accidentally. We (Dani and Benjamin) met through a friend that thought we should write together. Our first record, Habits and Hindrance, was actually a collection of songs that just happened to be written in the first year of our friendship and were never intended to be part a particular project. The name took months to find and means something different to each of us.

How do you think your hometowns have influenced the sound and how you all carry yourselves in this group?

Collectively we come from very different backgrounds and upbringings. It’s actually the similarities in our childhoods that kept coming up in the songwriting for 11:11. Small towns and our love of music (as there wasn’t much else to do) are probably had the most lasting influences on the way we make music today. We all started playing our instruments and writing at very early ages. Original music has always been the passion. Additionally, growing up in a small town made traveling to play music all that much more alluring.

Let’s talk about your newest single “The Tide.” What was the inspiration for this track? 

‘The Tide’ is really an unapologetic break-up song, sometimes it’s just easier to let things go. No one wants to give up on someone they care about, but we were thinking about the situation differently … if it’s meant to be, it will be. Absence only makes the heart grow fonder. You can’t change people. We are who we are. It’s tough but leaving people to figure themselves out, but is often the only way to help.

How does it compare to the rest of your new album?

This track is definitely one of the more aggressive sounding tracks on the album. It’s special to us because the tone of the song is more like an anthem for change. Sure, it’s a break-up song, but it’s an empowering one in our eyes.  Each of the songs on the album have very different undertones. We are really proud of the production choices on 11:11.

How is this collection of tracks a collection of “musical photographs” as you have described? 

Conceptually this album was based around a theme of memories or snapshots of the human experience. Each song is a look into a moment one of us or all of us in most cases, has experienced. Recalling moments of happiness, discovery and fear are just a few of the emotions behind songs like Awkward, Fall For This and the lead-off single, ‘Hotels’. Real life experiences that we are certain listeners will relate to.

How does this new album show the growth that you have gone through since your 2015 debut release? 

We feel the writing is more focused. The goal between albums was to find a clearer identity within the writing itself. We like to think that we have found a way to share our even darkest experiences in beautiful ways. Honesty comes first.

What has remained the same?  

The live show will still have the energy. Believe it or not it’s like a big dance party!

Where do you think you are all happiest – in the studio recording new music, on stage performing or elsewhere?

Live on stage and in the studio are probably equally special for us.

Airports not so much 😉

Do you have any upcoming winter tours planned? 

We plan to release 3 songs and an EP this year. We plan to do a short west coast run and some select east coast shows in the Fall.

Where can fans see you perform next?

There’s nothing in the books but expect to see us in Toronto late spring.

Do you find that all of the social media and keeping up with your fans has gotten so overwhelming? OR do you rely heavily on others to take care of that for the band? 

We are self-sufficient on the social media front, but we are going to try to let the music speak for itself. If we have shows and new releases we are more active. It’s a difficult balance to share personal and musical moments. A lot of bands/artists ‘over share’. We don’t want to be that way. And truthfully only one of us has our ‘selfie game’ together. We’ll let u guess who that is.

Which platform would you say that you enjoy engaging with the most?

Instagram is by far the easiest and most fun.

We are currently living through a very trying and politically charged time, so I am curious to know how you all think being musicians and in this band still gives you the most joy in life today? Do you find that your music is an escape to all the current events?

To answer both these questions at once: Absolutely, the creative process is like a little time capsule. You can get in and travel to places you have been, re-live experiences or live another life all together, in the future. The imagination is an incredible tool for improving mental health. Get out of your head and into some new space. That’s really the only reason we continue to make music together. We really feel like we are at our best when we are together.

What musicians would you love to work with in the future? What artists have really been inspiring this group and your music since day 1?

We’d love to work with producer Jack Antonoff (LORDE, Bleachers etc…) Collectively our influences and taste range from Tove Lo to Nirvana but there are songs on the record that really have a unique tone. We aren’t really chasing a sound, so we find it liberating to be in the studio. Colin Munroe produced most of the 11:11 and it was a real pleasure to have an unbiased opinion in the room for the first time. Our first project was self-produced.

What do you hope is the message of your music?

Find beauty in darkness. Things always have a way of working themselves out.

What do you hope people continue to take away from your songs?

We hope they can relate to the lyric and find parallels to their own experiences. We want listeners to be part of our world at the shows and understand that the similarities between us are all special.

Would you like to share anything else about your music or the history of this band to our readers?

We are really excited to launch ‘Awkward’ this spring. It’s a feel-good track about being hyper aware of self-image. Watch for the song and an accompanying visual very soon.