We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jaye Skye. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jaye below.

Jaye, appreciate you joining us today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

The ultimate risk that I have taken was moving to California. I moved here back in July 2019 without even visiting the state. I’ve always had dreams of being an entertainer and actor. What better place to be than LA?

Moving from a small town in North Carolina to a big ocean like LA was a true risk. Not knowing anyone, besides my 2 friends who I movedd here with. I have always been a care taker and made sure that my family and friends were taken care of. But neglecting my desires and needs wasn’t fair to myself.

Making sure my maternal grandmother was cared for, working 2 jobs plus doing makeup and drag on the side, performing in community theater, mainting friendships and still trying to create a name for myself was a lot. Even though some areas were fulfilling, there were others where I felt suffocated.

Putting myself first honestly was the real risk. And I have not regretted it!

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Well….I got my start in acting at a community theater back home in New Bern, NC. I went to auditions of a off Broadway stage play of “Aint Misbehavin'” in support of my two friends.

After their auditions, the director asked them “What about him? Can he sing?” They quickly replied “YES!” He asked me to sing, so I sung a church hymn. Now, I’m a black, queer, church boy from the south and gospel was mostly all I knew. Later that day, I got a call confirming that I got one of the lead roles in this play. Mind you, this was my debut!
It started from that play in February of 2011, “Dreamgirls” of that same year in November. I originally was apart of the cast until the director heard me playing around during one of our breaks. At the time I was working at a hotel as a night auditor. I received a call from the director that offered the role of, Jimmy Early, to me. I was nervous but I said yes. So here we have another lead role.
While performing 10 years off and on, I also started working in the beauty industry as a freelance makeup artist. Doing photos hoots, weddings, proms and etc. Also, I started to perform as a drag entertainer in 2016. I got my official start in Beauty as the MAC full time lead inside of ULTA Beauty.

I know this sounds like a lot. Because it is! But it truly mapped out who i am as a performer, actor and entertainer. In 2018, I received a high regard from my peers in community theater as “Performer of the year.” That night was so hectic because I had several makeup appointments, had to go home, change and head to the ceremony.

A good friend kept calling me non-stop. I found it weird but I also was annoyed. Come to find out him and my very first director presented me with that award. So it’s no wonder why he kept calling me.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

Absolutely. About 3 years ago, I experienced the true LA experience. And by that I mean homelessness. In a nutshell, I was a victim of a scam. The deposit I put down to sublet a apartment was false.

Now it was hard to balance working at a hotel, trying to view places and also truly make calls to ensure these places are real. When this happened to me, I was in complete shock. For about a week, I didn’t say anything to anyone.

I had to sleep in different hotels and sometimes even in my car. I eventually told my best friend, my mother and my family of friends from back home. This journey lasted for about two months.

When I spoke to my mother about what happened she was very calm. She said to me “You know you can come home!” Being her oldest child I could only imagine what thoughts were going through her mind. She told me that she didn’t want to me live in regret. Try to figure it out and if I couldn’t, she would help me to come home.

Needless to say, I found place July of 2022 and I have been here ever since. So yeah, knowing that I can do it was the inner strength and reassurance I needed.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

There are a few but the main one is to truly be an example for anyone that comes from a small town and has big dreams. To go back home and encourage the younger generation to follow their dreams and to pour back into them.

But the main goal is to show everyone what having faith in God, will and can do. Believing in something higher than you is truly a gift.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: thejayeskye
• Other: Tiktok: jayeskye

Image Credits

Davide Laffe