Popular for songs that get the whole country grooving, Samantha Jade’s newly released album Nine is bound to have you wholeheartedly hooked.
The album is second to the singer’s self-titled first studio album, which mainly consisted of covers she performed while competing on and winning the hugely popular reality show X-Factor.
“Nine is all original. The album is called Nine because it’s a very special number within my family. My brother’s born on the ninth, my other brother is born on the 19th of the ninth and I’m born on the 18th, and two nines make 18, and one plus eight is nine,”.
“It’s a number that kind of always shows up in our family and the meaning of the number nine is universal love. I love everything the number represents and it’s a personal album… as It’s dedicated to my beautiful mum and it’s really really, special.”
Samantha says the Australian music industry can be a tough gig to be a part of, taking three years with Sony music and a lengthy nine in total to make her latest album.
“It’s a great thing to get an album out, to work hard and pass the show because that is the most difficult part. I think when you come off a show like the X-Factor it’s really up to you to work hard,” she says.
“I feel like it’s hard here because we don’t have that many outlets to perform on, that’s the hardest part. There’s no late night shows anymore that we can go on to. There’s no Rove McManus anymore, there’s no David Letterman over here and those are the things that are hard for Australian musicians.
“Australian music is tough. You’ve got a lot of heavy headed hits coming out with albums as well, so it’s tough, but my song Up is doing pretty well. My fans are happy and they’re liking it.”
And as for her favourite song on the album, it may come as a slight surprise it isn’t one she’s already released, choosing Nine as her personal pick.
“Nine’s probably my favourite because it’s written by myself and my best friend, and it’s a very family song. It came from a deep place and it was one of those songs I knew I had to write. I started writing it when my mum was sick and I finish writing after she had passed, so there’s a lot that went into that song, a lot of emotion.”
While music is what she does best, it seems it isn’t her only talent securing a new role on Home and Away that’s soon to hit your screens. “Home and Away was something they had offered me beforehand to do a part on the show and I was kind of unsure about it. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to do it, I just wanted to make sure that if I was going to do Home and Away, I was going to do the right role.
“It was exciting for me and something I wanted to play. When I read the script and who I was playing, I was drawn to it because this character is so different to the real me and I’m excited for you all to see it.
“I can’t give too much away, but Isla’s a mother and is the kind of person that does whatever she has to do to look after her children.”
It may have been unplanned, but acting seems to come naturally for the singer after gaining a Most Popular New Talent Logie nomination for her role as Kylie Minogue in the INXS: Never Tear Us Apart miniseries.
“It wasn’t something I always wanted to do, but when I played Kylie that just made me so excited and that’s when I knew I wanted to get into the acting world a little bit more. I loved it.”
With singing and acting now on her agenda, she ensures she’s just like every other girl and doing her best to enjoy the free time between her workload.
“I love to shop, I love to go to the movies, but I love to do nothing the most, that’s become my favourite thing to do because my schedule has become so insane.”
Though, amongst all the demands of the music and acting industries, spending time with her family is her most important priority.
“I make sure I go home all the time. I miss my family so much; I’m very close to them. I make sure I go to Perth and spend time with them, but if I can’t go home, I fly my family to me.
“In the media, you learn who to trust, that’s a really big deal. You learn that your circle is small and you learn not to take things for granted because you have big moments that are exciting, but then you have moments of sadness. You just need to keep people around you that believe in you.”
The Aussie favourite is next set to appear at this year’s Carol in the Domain and is currently working on a national tour now that her album has released.
“The most exciting thing for me this year is Carols in the Domain. I’m the ambassador this year, so I’m excited because that is the most beautiful gig of the year.
“Hopefully my new album does well because I’ve also an Australian tour I’m trying to plan for next year, which will be fun. For me, music is everything and it’s what keeps me going, so this is an exciting time.”
You can catch Samantha Jade at The Carols in the Domain It airs on Seven from 8.30pm on Saturday, December 19th. While you are at it get a copy of her new album “Nine” Out Now!!
