JADE's Deluxe Album Drops as a Love Letter to Her LGBTQ+ Family

When JADE stepped into her solo career, she knew the spotlight would shift in ways both exhilarating and terrifying. A year into that journey, the artist has emerged not just as a survivor of that transition, but as someone who has deepened her relationship with the community that has become the heartbeat of her artistic identity. As she prepares to release "That's Showbiz Baby! The Encore" on December 5, 2025, JADE is opening up about what it means to build a career rooted in authenticity, vulnerability, and genuine connection to LGBTQ+ fans who have made her music their own.

The deluxe edition arrives with eight brand-new pop anthems that expand the sonic and emotional landscape of her debut. But more than just additional songs, this project represents a moment of reflection—a chance for JADE to examine how far she's come and what she's learned about herself as an independent artist in an industry that can feel merciless to those willing to take creative risks.

"On my own, I've learned that I'm actually really proud of myself, because I've surprised even myself with my creative vision and what I can achieve," JADE told Gay Times. "I think that's because I challenged myself and was willing to take risks regardless of the consequences. But, it is tougher on your own in many ways."

That honesty—the refusal to pretend that independence is all glitter and freedom—is part of what makes JADE's story resonate so powerfully with queer audiences. She acknowledges the creative liberation that comes with calling the shots, but she doesn't shy away from naming the cost: the magnifying glass, the constant opinions, the weight of knowing that every misstep is scrutinized. For LGBTQ+ listeners who have navigated their own journeys of self-determination and visibility, that candor feels like recognition.

Among the eight new tracks on "The Encore," "Church" stands out as perhaps the most symbolically significant. Described as a "future gay sermon" and a love letter to LGBTQ+ fans, the song emerged from a collaboration with songwriter Sarah Hudson, someone JADE identifies as deeply connected to the queer community in Los Angeles.

"I wrote 'Church' with Pablo and Sarah Hudson, one of the girlies that gets it, know what I mean? She's an incredible songwriter who's really intertwined with the LGBTQIA+ community in LA, so it felt important to write a song like that with her. I wanted 'Church' to feel like a love letter to those fans. It's no secret that I have a predominantly LGBTQIA+ fan base. 'Church' is like 'Angel ', it's telling a story of my journey within that space, "JADE explained.

The naming itself carries weight. For queer people, church has often been a complicated space—a place of spiritual longing mixed with rejection, of seeking transcendence while navigating institutions that have historically condemned LGBTQ+ identities. By reclaiming the language of church and spirituality, JADE is creating new sacred ground, one where queer joy and community are centered rather than marginalized. The song becomes a ritual space, a gathering place for fans who have found in her music something that feels like salvation.

This is the work of a true ally—not performative, but rooted in genuine understanding and collaboration with people who embody the community she's honoring.

"The Encore" features additional standout tracks that showcase JADE's range and willingness to experiment. Among them is "Use Me," described as a "shimmering sex bop," and a cover of Madonna's "Frozen"—a choice that signals both reverence for queer pop history and confidence in her own interpretive power.

Yet what makes JADE's story particularly compelling right now is not just what she's creating, but how she's processing the emotional toll of solo visibility. During the release week of her debut album, she undertook sign-ins across the country—intimate moments where she met fans face-to-face. Those encounters became transformative for her.

"I was so emotional because of LGBTQIA+ fans coming up to me, whether it was just being lovely and thanking me, or hearing from so many gay couples that one of my songs was their wedding song—all these moments make it so worthwhile as an artist. Seeing young members of the LGBTQIA+ community at sign-ins or shows, sometimes with their parents or someone supporting them, really fills my heart with joy, " she shared.

These stories—of couples choosing her music to mark their commitment, of young queer people bringing their parents to meet her, of community gathering around her art—reveal something essential about why LGBTQ+ audiences invest so deeply in artists who show up authentically. For a community that has historically been excluded from mainstream narratives of love, family, and belonging, having an artist who centers queer joy and explicitly honors that connection is not a luxury. It's sustenance.

As JADE reflects on her first year as a solo artist, she's also grappling with what it means to be an authentic ally to the LGBTQ+ community that has embraced her so completely. This is where her thoughtfulness becomes particularly evident—she's not content to rest on the laurels of having a queer fan base. Instead, she's actively interrogating her own practice.

"I think now more than ever, I need to be stepping my ally pussy up and showing up in ways even I haven't done before. I'm always looking online and seeing what my fans suggest about how to do that. So it's definitely a mutual love, and it has grown stronger as a solo artist. I just hope that comes across as authentic," she said.

That language—"stepping my ally pussy up"—is deliberately playful, deliberately queer in its register. It's the kind of phrase that signals she's not performing allyship from a distance, but rather speaking from within a community she's genuinely part of through her art and her relationships. It's also the kind of statement that can only come from someone who has spent real time listening to queer people and understanding how they speak, joke, and move through the world.

Looking ahead, JADE is considering a shift in her creative approach. In conversations about her debut album, she's reflected on its "genre chaos"—a deliberate eclecticism that showcased her range but also, perhaps, left some listeners uncertain about where she was headed. For her second album, she's contemplating a more streamlined sonic identity.

This kind of artistic evolution is natural, but it also raises interesting questions about what happens when an artist's debut is so deeply rooted in community. Will a more focused sound bring her closer to her core audience, or risk alienating fans who loved her precisely because she refused to be pinned down? Only time—and JADE's instincts—will tell.

What's clear is that The Encore arrives at a moment when JADE is fully inhabiting her power as an artist and a cultural figure. She's not just making music; she's creating spaces where queer people feel seen, celebrated, and held. In an industry that has long commodified queer aesthetics while marginalizing queer people, that distinction matters enormously.

"That's Showbiz Baby! The Encore" drops on December 5, 2025, featuring eight new tracks including "Church, " "Use Me, "and her interpretation of Madonna's "Frozen. " For fans who have followed JADE's solo journey, it promises both the continuation of a conversation and the beginning of something new—a deepening of the bond between artist and community that has already reshaped what both can become.