How Hot do you like your Nandos? - Jade Blue

With a promotional photo that deliberately blurs out her face and a selection of cracking tunes, released on a classic underground label to boot, Jade Blue espouses the philosophy outlined in a recent Mixmag Article that anonymous producers are a welcome return to the underground scene! Having recently released her official debut EP, Lately on Black Butter recordings and with a guest mix for the Radio 1Xtra Daily Dose under her belt, she heads down to Cardiff for a star studded Treatment line up on the 4th April, set to deliver a cracking performance!

Her musical productions are eclectic, perfectly capturing a blend of influences that's impossible to pin down and with plenty planned for the foreseeable future, it was great to be able to pick her brains on a whole range of musical and not so musical subjects (given how much awesome food she posts photos of this appears appropriate)! Yet while she's still carving out her space in the underground, there's no doubt she's destined for fantastic things in the future and I've no doubt the name Jade Blue will be adorning flyers across the UK and further afield before very long. In the mean time, read on to discover her favourite brand of gin, her thoughts on what makes house music so great and her answer to the all important decision of drinking whisky from a whisk, or bourbon from a boar!

The Music Of Jade Blue

Where does your song inspiration come from? How does a track come together?
My partner Max, is a huge influence to me - he is the reason I got into the whole production aspect - I was so interested to find out how and why he could spend endless days attached to the computer I wanted to see and find out what it was all about and I was drawn in from the beginning.

Would you say you write your music to fit a certain style or do you just go with the flow?
I don’t think I write stuff for a certain style; kind of just going with the flow; for me it’s more of natural process - my sound at the moment is a blend of house, pop and disco and this will be more visible in my upcoming releases. But I would never box my self in and just make a certain style - creating music for me is way to express myself and I don’t think you can assign a genre to that.

Your official debut single, ‘Lately’ is a banger and is getting much love online! Did you
write it knowing it was going to be a hit?
‘Lately’ is a collaboration with the Frequency; it started life as a bootleg remix from the Frequency boys, and there was something about it that drew me and wanted to put my foot print on the track - I could feel that there was a lot of potential in it and I couldn’t wait to hands on with the track.

Was ‘Moving Away’ written as an antithesis to Lately?
Moving Away was one of the first tracks I had written; it has developed and grown as have I with my level of production. I was really pleased that I had the opportunity with Black Butter to get a B-Side, it has given me the ability to show the diversity that I have explored with my production, showing a flip side to my work.

What’s the best thing about a house music track?
With house music I think it’s just so natural to dance and listen to; you can be chilling by the pool in the sunshine or dancing the night away in a packed out club; it has such a diverse way of enjoying the music.

When it comes to your DJ sets, do you mix whatever you like or is there any plan before you start?
I’m a bit of a control freak; so I like to have a semi planned set - I like structure in my life.

What next for Jade Blue? Is there an album in the works?
I have a few more tracks in the bag with a super talented singer/songwriter. I am really excited to get those out there. Have a few more on the go; but I never know when to stop and take a step back; i’ll just continue playing around and tweaking but I need to learn where to stop and realise that it’s finished. So no album as of yet; but I am continuing to plod along and create the music I want to create and hope that I will continue to have an exciting platform to share them on.

Who’s your dream collaboration / back to back DJ companion
My dream collaboration would have to be Moby; such a talented chap - I can't even comprehend how his mind works. His work is just so inspirational and for me the timelessness of his work; like ‘Porcelain’, ‘Find My Baby’ and ‘Why Does My Heart Feel So Bad’ his work will always stand the test time for me.

What’s on your ideal tour rider?
All I would require on my ideal tour rider would be Hendricks gin, tonic water, ice and cucumber - the perfect gin and tonic.

The World Of Jade Blue

How hot do you like your Nandos?
I am a bit boring when it comes to Nandos hotness; I go for plainish or herb and lemon but I like to add the hot peri peri sauces a little at a time as I’m too scared to blow my head off.

Why the name Jade Blue?
Jade Blue is my name; simple as that.

Chelsea, Camden or Croydon?
Chelsea

Steak or Bacon?
Steak Baby!

Would you rather drink whisky from a whisk or bourbon from a boar?
That’s a weird one! Perhaps whisky from a whisk as I hate whisky and bourbon so the amount of whisky I could physically drink from a whisk would be minimal.

If not music, then what?
I would perhaps like to continue my interest with photography; I do have a degree in it.

What are your 5 Desert Island Disc tunes?
Basement Jaxx - Red Alert
Moby - Porcelain
Miles Davis - So What
Koven - Petrichor
Bonobo - Black Sands