Image credit: Cameron Oates

Australian female-led R&B pop is getting a much needed boost by South West Sydney’s Jessica Jade, who’s only interested in forging her own path.

Our hip hop and rap scene may be flourishing but those magic female-led R&B pop voices that are permeating overseas (think about it for a sec – H.E.R., SZA, Kali Uchis, Jorja Smith, Ella Mai, Mahalia…c’mon!) are somewhat quieter around this neck of the woods.

Although for Jessica Jade, this isn’t something that’s stopping her from doing her own thing. At 20, she’s already spent a large chunk of her years covering her fave (and honestly, largely iconic) R&B and pop tracks online before taking the leap to start releasing her own tracks back in 2017.

Naturally precocious and confident, Jessica Jade’s since been delivering tracks that navigate the arduous end of relationships, saying sayonara to fuccbois and hello to being an independent, strong woman. Driven by her v infectious pop vocals, memories of dancing to early 00s hip hop at school dances quickly crop up after a listen. Basically, you can’t help but groove to it.

With her debut EP on the horizon, Jess is ready to unleash on her next chapter and we’re ready to hear it. Get a head start with total bop ‘One Time’.

WHO: Ebony Boadu, Jessica Jade, XNYWOLF, and more
WHAT: Sydney Fringe Festival: Trill Sydney Pop-Up Party
WHEN: 7pm, Friday September 20
WHERE: Butter Parramatta
HOW MUCH: Free! Register here – 18+ event, FYI.

Tune into Up For It every Monday morning to meet your new independent artist of the week!