There’s something about nighttime that brings emotions into sharper focus, and for Jade LeMac, it’s where her songwriting feels most alive. On her latest EP It’s Always at Night, the rising singer-songwriter leans fully into vulnerability, romance, and the quiet intensity of being in your own head after dark. We caught up with Jade to talk about falling in love with love, writing her most personal songs to date, touring across Canada and beyond, and what it feels like to step onto bigger stages while staying true to herself.

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Starting with It’s Always at Night. It’s such an intimate exploration of love and emotion. Can you walk us through the inspiration behind this EP?

Jade: Yeah. “Sleeping With the Lights On” was the first song I wrote for this project, and it’s probably one of the most vulnerable songs I’ve ever written. I wrote it based on a lot of personal experiences, and the meaning behind that song kind of inspired the whole EP. It’s about being in your thoughts at night and being scared to lose the person you love.

Growing up, I always knew I felt more at nighttime. I used to think it was just sadness or negative emotions, but over time I realized that even the good emotions—like excitement, nervousness, and all those feelings—I also felt more strongly at night.

So there are a lot of different songs with different emotions on this EP, and It’s Always at Night felt like the perfect umbrella for all of them.

You’ve mentioned that this EP is about being in love with love. How do you think that idea translates across the different tracks?

JL: I mean, I’m a hopeless romantic, and all of these songs relate to love in some way. Whether it’s an actual love song like “Running Home” or “Intertwined,” or craving love and not expecting it, like in “Heaven’s Sake,” or even losing somebody and being so sad because you loved them.

It all goes together because I’m genuinely in love with love. I think being in love is beautiful, and there’s a bit of that in every single song.

Each song kind of tells its own emotional story. Was there a track that was the hardest to write or felt the most personal to you?

JL: Definitely “Sleeping With the Lights On.” It was one of those songs that came together quickly—I wrote it pretty fast—but I debated a lot about whether the lyrics were good enough or if I liked certain melodies. I felt so strongly about the song that I wanted it to be perfect and say exactly what I meant.

So even though it was written quickly, it was difficult because of how connected I am to it.

Talking about touring, you’ve just wrapped up your first Canadian headlining tour. How did it feel, and what was that experience like for you?

JL: It was great. The Canadian tour and the Australian tour were both amazing. We wrapped them up about a week ago, and it was so awesome to perform in my hometown cities, as well as cities I’d never been to before.

Some of my favorite cities—Montreal is one of my favorites to perform in, Toronto was amazing—and it was so cool to play places like Calgary and Saskatoon. I call them the “inside cities.” Then going overseas to Australia for the first time was insane.

Seeing the differences in culture and being able to perform these songs abroad was just an incredible experience. It was so much fun to perform all the songs from this project.

You’ll also be opening for Hilary Duff on her North American dates. How does it feel to open for such an iconic pop artist?

JL: It’s very exciting. I’m super excited. She’s a total icon, so it’s going to be absolutely crazy. It’s also a really long tour, which will be an amazing learning experience, especially playing such big venues.

It’s funny because I used to watch her when I was younger, so opening for her really feels like a full-circle moment. It’s very, very exciting.We’ve all seen The Lizzie McGuire Movie, so it really is wild. 

You’ve also played major festivals like Lollapalooza and Osheaga. How does that energy shift compared to a headlining tour?

JL: Playing big festivals is very different. I’m a smaller artist on huge stages, and I’m very aware that most of the people there don’t necessarily know who I am or aren’t there specifically to see me. It’s a great opportunity to get my name out there and try to win people over.

With headlining shows, you know the audience knows who you are and at least one of your songs. It’s a different kind of energy, but both experiences are really fun.

You’ve been praised for blending vulnerability with strength in your music. How do you approach balancing those two sides in your songwriting?

JL: Honestly, I don’t even know how I balance it. My songwriting is kind of weird. It’s very based on feeling. When I’m deep in my emotions and feeling vulnerable, that just comes out naturally in the song.

Other times, when I’m in a better mood or feeling happy, I write completely differently. It’s very much an in-the-moment thing.

What does your regular songwriting process look like?

JL: It’s so random. There’s no set routine where I sit down and decide to write a song. It’s usually a random spark of energy where I suddenly feel like writing. I’ll grab my guitar or sit at the piano and start playing until something sounds good to me, and then I go from there.

Sometimes I’ll start with an idea and build off that, but it’s different for every song.

How do you think your sound and storytelling have evolved from your breakout single “Constellations” to now?

JL: My sound is constantly changing. There’s still so much I’m figuring out and so many things I want to try. Music has endless sounds and possibilities.

Even the new music I’m working on now sounds nothing like my previous projects. I think it’s changing because I’m growing, too. I was 15 when I wrote “Constellations,” and I’m 21 now. I’ve changed a lot, but I’m also still the same in many ways.

At 21, with your career rising so quickly, how do you stay grounded and focused?

JL: I honestly don’t think I’ve fully processed everything yet. Being on tour is so cool, but sometimes I forget that people actually bought tickets to see me. I don’t think I’ve really acknowledged it all yet.

I kind of just go on stage and think, “This is so cool,” without fully taking it in. Maybe that’s what keeps me grounded—I’m just in it.

How do you navigate sharing such personal emotions with millions of listeners while staying true to yourself as a songwriter?

JL: Songwriting is something I’ve always treasured. I’m really lucky to have a team that understands how I work. I’ve tried writing with other people, and that can be fun, but I’ve realized that I write best when I’m by myself.

The producer I work closely with, JVP, really understands that. He doesn’t try to change the way I write. If he has a suggestion, he’ll share it, but if I stand my ground, he respects that.

Because of that support, I’ve been able to keep the same love and authenticity for writing that I had when I was 11 or 12. That’s what helps me stay true to myself.

Who are the artists or influences that inspire your songwriting today?

JL: I’ve been listening to a lot of Frank Ocean lately. I love him. Daniel Caesar is amazing, and Sleeping At Last has always been a big inspiration for me, especially lyrically.

Looking ahead, what are your goals for 2026 and beyond, both musically and personally?

JL: My main goal is just to make music that I love and enjoy, keep learning, and have fun. This year is going to be crazy, and there’s so much coming, so I really just want to focus on enjoying it, doing my best, and making some bangers.

If you could give yourself one piece of advice from when you first started writing music, what would it be?

JL: I’d say to keep writing from the heart and try not to listen too much to other people. If you love writing and you’re honest in it, you don’t really need anyone else’s opinions.

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