We were lucky to catch up with Jade Hassouné recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Jade, thanks for joining us today. Earning a full time living from one’s creative career can be incredibly difficult. Have you been able to do so and if so, can you share some of the key parts of your journey and any important advice or lessons that might help creatives who haven’t been able to yet?

I jumped in since the beginning of my career where there was no plan B. That meant a journey of uncertainty and challenges that I now realized has al contributed in a beautiful way to teach me about abundance and the energy of money. It has in a way been visible since graduating from theatre school as I really started to be paid to do what I love. And since then I had developed a faith that comes with being self employed, never knowing where the next opportunity will come from. No one really knows however that I had to at times go and do other jobs as my career seemed to explode and I was being recognized, I wasn’t really financially feeling that success. I then stated to ask myself how am I valuable in the world and where have I made the most money in my past and learned new ways of bringing in an income using my skills. Last year I launched a business of online programs and workshops for people who wanted to manifest an acting career and the mindset it takes to succeed in the industry. I did that for a year and learned a lot but spent this year (starting Jan 1st) focusing on my actual desires of being a touring music artist. I’ve come to learn that life wants to provide for us and that we can align with our abundant self and as a result, thrive in our chosen creative work.

Jade, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I was born in Beirut Lebanon and left that country with my family at the age of 1, moved to Geneva Switzerland for 3 years and then at 4 years old relocated to Montreal Quebec (Canada) where I grew up most of my life. I always felt like an outsider because I never associated with the cultures I visited. I was raised to discover things on my own (especially spiritual beliefs). There were painters in my family and my mother loves music and so the arts were present. I quickly discovered I loved art and they were natural ways for me to express. When I was 10 I discovered acting and my first time on stage I had a sort of heart opening where my possible future flashes before my eyes. I followed that intuition and realized on my journey that dreams actually come true and that we have something to do with them. Because I wanted to know so bad why certain people thrive and others don’t. And why so many talented people weren’t experiencing success in their chosen field. It became somewhat of an obsession, I love reading books about manifestation and the laws of the universe and how we can each achieve our own version of success and contribute to the abundance of our planet.

I’ve been in some fantasy hit shows like Shadowhunters, a guest judge on Rupaul’s Drag Race (Canada’s Drag Race) and have been building my music career the last five years with charting radio songs and headlining Pride festivals since 2021.

I just want you remind you, if you are reading this, that the desire in you, the dream to live your dream life is in you because is it possible for you to materialize it. And you are not alone, there in an intelligent force (we could call nature) there with you making this dream happen! Follow your intuition and keep your vision exciting. You got this.

Some of my bios would say something like:

“J4DE (born Jade Hassouné) is a Lebanese-Quebecois artist, actor, singer, and dancer. His music synthesizes infectious pop songwriting, an iconic queer aesthetic, and fantasy worldbuilding akin to Shadowhunters, the wildly popular Netflix television series in which he plays fan-favorite character Meliorn.
J4DE’s impressive résumé also includes a supporting role in Heartland (CBC), being a guest judge on the first season of Canada’s Drag Race, and headlining the closing show of the 2021 Montreal Pride, one of North America’s largest Pride festivals.
A fixture of Montreal’s queer community, the artist also headlined the city’s first Pride month in 2023 and performed at the notorious Unikorn Parties, celebrating his identity as a queer Arab man along with “my queer/drag-loving audience of bad bitches.”
“Radio Silence” reflects the way J4DE’s radiant optimism was forged through intersectional struggles. “People think I’ve had it easy because I am a very positive person who has already made a lot of his dreams come true,” he says. “But the truth is, I grew up as a war refugee in a new country where I was automatically considered an outsider, and to add to that I am also a queer man from a Middle Eastern culture that doesn’t accept that. I’ve been an outsider in every aspect of my life, I don’t feel I belong to any of these, which has forced me to find my truth within myself and has forged a strong confidence that is almost a survival mechanism.”
Now, J4DE aims to be a beacon for others facing similar conflicts. “Dreams do come true—that’s the one recurring theme in life. Especially when it seems like it will never happen, if you’re able to somehow keep that spark alive, it will reveal itself to you again and again.”
Since making his musical debut in 2020, J4DE has garnered 250,000 streams in 79 countries. His 2021 French-language single “Éphémère” was among the Billboard Canada AC Most Added songs and was one of the top 100 tracks circulated on Canadian radio for twenty-five consecutive weeks. He has been featured as an artist on ET Canada Pride, Build Series NYC, SiriusXM, and ETalk.
“Radio Silence” is J4DE’s first collaboration with promising UK producer C. D. Sancto. The track is also the artist’s first release since signing with maverick manager and label owner Alessio Filippelli (Kat Graham, Riley Voelkel), who described J4DE as “phenomenally talented.” The new partnership promises, in Filipelli’s words, “a whirlwind of exciting projects and unforgettable performances.”

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

Any book by Esther Hicks (Abraham Hicks), Louise Hay, Manifestation Babe

A book called A Happy Pocket Full Of Money
One of the most beautiful books I have ever read. And keep reading

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

Not too long ago, during the lockdowns, after a breakup, with enormous depts and no money in my accounts and with opportunities no showing up, I thought my career was over and I had screwed up and lost my previous success. I was at the lowest in my life and I didn’t know what I was going to do. This moment in my life made me ask new questions, made me wonder and reaffirm if I really wanted my dream life. It also made me chose that I was capable of reaching it. At least go in the direction of it. It made me discover some of my favourite experts and mentors that taught me how to rise and become a leader. Now the same dreams I thought were gone are manifesting in my life and I am way WAY happier than before. Very recently I was about to reenter this sort of cycle of fear. And with the tools I have learned over the last few years was able to make some changes in my management team and within DAYS (48 hours) I already had a brand new contract already signed and money coming my way as well as new beautiful opportunities opening themselves to me. All I had to do was take a breather, take a simple action that came from intuition and impulse, and things have shifted so quickly. Remember that things shift VERY quickly once they shift. Moving along our uncertain path with a general sense that Our Success Is Inevitable makes us relax so much more into the process.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jadehassoune?igsh=MTM4MW9veW1heDgzbw%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/dUTGVk5hbkPbGJn9/?mibextid=LQQJ4d
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/jadehassoune
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@j4de823?si=AJfZAInRtPULIDMh
• Other: TikTok:
  https://www.tiktok.com/@j4dehassoune?_t=8oooNqnEFOQ&_r=1

Image Credits

Management and PR: Alessio Filippelli
Photo credits:
Alejandra Carranza
Jules Bédard
Jackie Brown
George Pimentel