Jade LeMac Brings It’s Always At Night to Australia

Words: savannah gallimore

When Jade LeMac began writing what would become her latest EP, It’s Always At Night, there was no master plan, just a collection of songs shaped by love in all its complicated forms.Released in November, her EP has taken her on a tour around her home country, Canada, andnow she has arrived in Australia for her first ever run of Australian shows. A few days after kicking off her tour with an unforgettable debut show at Party in the Paddock, Temper had the chance to sit down with her ahead of her first headlining Sydney show.

We caught up with Jade to chat about the journey behind the songs, bringing the EP’s emotion and energy to stages far from home, and what she hopes audiences take away when the lights go down.

Photo Credit: Meredith Traux

Temper: You released your EP ‘It’s Always At Night’ in November. How has the reaction been from fans, and for you personally having it out in the world?

Jade LeMac: It’s been great. I’m so happy to finally have this project out. I worked really hard on it and did a lot of experimentation, so seeing the positive reactions has been amazing. It’s also been incredible performing every song live, first on the Canadian tour and now here in Australia. There’s something special about feeling that energy in the room. It’s been awesome.

T: This is your first tour in Australia, have you changed the setlist for Australian shows, or is it similar to the Canadian run?

JL: It’s pretty much the same. I’ve got just enough music to fill the set time right now, and there are a couple of songs I don’t love performing, so those stay out. One day, I’d love to have a big enough catalog to really pick and choose what makes the setlist—that’ll be fun.

T: You’ve said each song on the EP represents a different emotion you felt while in love. Did the tracklist come together intentionally, or was it more intuitive?

JL: I think it all happened pretty naturally. I didn’t set out to make a cohesive project at first. “Sleeping With the Lights On” was the first song I wrote, then “Sweet Dreams,” and I just kept going from there. I didn’t even realise I was making a project until I started looking for a thread between the songs. That’s when it clicked, each one captured a different emotion I’ve felt in relationships. It all just fell into place.

T: What does your songwriting process look like? Do lyrics come first, or the music?

JL: It’s different every time. I don’t have one set process. Sometimes it starts with a title I love, sometimes with chords or a melody. For this EP, I actually did a lot of writing in the car. I’d record chord progressions on my phone, play them back while driving, and write melodies and lyrics over them. That became a bit of a thing for me.

T: Is songwriting collaborative, or something you prefer to do on your own?

JL: The core of it, lyrics and melody, is usually just me. I work closely with my producer, JVP, and he’s great. He understands that I need space to write authentically. He’ll offer pointers, like, “Are you sure about that line?” or “Maybe this could be better,” but the heart of it comes from me. That’s when it feels the most honest.

Photo Credit: Meredith Traux

T: Has an Australian tour always been on your radar, or had the opportunity come as a surprise?

JL: Definitely. I’ve wanted to come here for years, even outside of music. Just for fun. So when the opportunity to tour here came up, it was an obvious yes. So far, I haven't been disappointed. I love it here.

T: You started off the Australian tour by playing Party in the Paddock in Tasmania. How was that experience?

JL: It was really cool. The landscape is so different from Canada, it’s beautiful. I was hoping to see a wallaby! There was a lot of roadkill, though, which was wild. But the festival itself was awesome. The crowd had such great energy, and it was the perfect first Australian show.

T: How did you prepare for a tour this far from home? What are your essentials?

JL: Honestly, I was most worried about the flight. It was about 12 hours, then a layover, then another five. I had to stock up with an eye mask and all the survival gear. And packing summer clothes after being in -30°C Canadian winter was a shock. There wasn’t much time to adjust, either.

T: Do you feel okay? Do you feel like your body's acclimating?

JL: I actually feel great. During the Canadian tour, my throat was struggling, it was so cold and dry. Here, I feel amazing. I’ve been running, going to the gym, it’s been such a nice change.

T: You’re playing Sydney’s Factory Theatre tonight. What can audiences expect?

JL: I expect funness, more funness, good vibes, good music, hopefully some dancing. I’m just really excited to be here, and I think that energy will come through on stage. Performing in a new country for the first time is special, especially overseas. Down under, I guess you could say.

T: Do you have any pre-show rituals before you hit the stage?

JL: I’ve got to take a shot… Or a few, you never know. My band and I have been high-fiving, but since there’s three of us, we all look in the gaps between each other, so none of us are looking at each other. Then we try to high five while not looking. So that's been a ritual.

T: Do you do it until you get it perfect?

JL: For the most part, yeah. We've been playing a lot of card games as well. Golf is the one we've been playing the most. We have a bet going around on that. We're going to definitely play some tonight.

T: Is it the same band you tour with each time?

JL: My drummer’s been with me for a while, he’s a friend from home. Abby, my guitarist who also plays keys, joined for this Canadian tour, and it’s my first time touring with her. She’s been amazing. We’ve got a great little crew.

T: You’ve also released slowed, reverb, and acoustic versions of your songs and EP. What inspired that?

JL: Honestly, they just started doing well, so we kept going. I remember that being a thing years ago, and sometimes they take off on TikTok. So we thought, why not? Let’s just put them out there.

T: For people seeing you for the first time on this Australian tour, what do you hope they leave with?

JL: I just hope they leave with a great memory. That they had fun, felt happy, and can look back on the night as something special. That’s the goal. And maybe they’re a little lit [Laughs].