Aussie angel: Samantha Jade.
This month's featured cover girl is singer, actress and songwriter Samantha Jade.
California Dreaming.
This aussie angel became a household name winning the fourth season of "The X Factor Australia" in 2012. Samantha became the first woman to win the series and her winner's single "What You've Done To Me" debuted at #1 on the "ARIA" singles charts.
Samantha is much more that just a reality star, she is an accomplished songwriter and has written songs for JoJo and Ashley Tisdale. Before she won "The X Factor Australia" crown, Samantha sang the title track and theme song for the 2006 film "Step Up". In 2004 she moved to California and signed a record deal with "Jive Records". At the time she was songwriting, singing back up vocals and working on her debut album "My Name Is Samantha Jade". She released her second single "Turn Around" in 2007. However, Jade was later dropped by her record label, "Jive Records".
Samantha: "I moved to Los Angeles when i was 16 and started over there. I got signed to a label called "Jive Records", who had Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake...everyone you aspired to be as a pop star. I was signed there for four years, made a record, so about five albums, and none ever came out – it didn’t work out for me. So that was a tough time and i just needed to come home – i needed a bit of Australia. I needed realness, my mum, my friends – i was extremely homesick. So i moved home to Perth and worked for my dad."
Samantha returned to Australia and her home state of Perth and pursued her music career. But after releasing her third single "Secret", the song failed to chart well:
"There was a time i couldn’t even listen to the radio, i hated music – Los Angeles killed my soul."
Deflated but not defeated, she moved to Sydney and worked in a makeup store while still doing some gigs. Samantha almost gave up on her dream, but then a few years later the 25 year old stood in line for "The X Factor Australia" auditions. And lucky she did because after her big win, Samantha became Australia's new pop princess with 5 smash hit singles "What You've Done To Me", "Firestarter", "Solider", "Up!" and "Sweet Talk".
Samantha: "Winning "The X Factor Australia" was a lot for me because i had done so much in the States, i’d worked with all these big producers, i’d written songs for all these big people and to really come back down and just sing – i found love for it again."
Samantha made her acting debut in 2010 film "Beneath The Blue" as Kita. This little known american film about a dolphin was Samantha's first acting role. 4 years later Jade returned to acting and transformed into aussie icon Kylie Minogue for her first television role in the Seven's "INXS: Never Tear Us Apart" miniseries.
Samantha: "I got to the audition and thought: "Oh God, i’m not going to get this"…and then, i got it! Playing someone [Kylie], who you admire and who is loved here was pressure – i thought, i better not stuff this up."
Jade returned to Seven in march 2016, with a guest starring role on the aussie soap "Home And Away", as "bad girl" Isla Schultz.
Samantha: "I'm always asked when i will do more acting and now i am saying yes, i am coming to the "Bay". I've wanted to do more acting and i wanted to do something unexpected and different and this is very different to Kylie (Minogue). "Home And Away" was really fun."
Jade took a break from the spotlight in 2014 to be with her family after the passing of her mother Jacqui.
Samantha: "My mum. She'll always be my inspiration. Just with everything she went through, she had a bit of a trot towards the end, and she stay positive. I've never seen anyone be such a light in such a dark time, it was incredible to see."
Working nine to five.
Fans had patiently waited 3 years for Samantha's second album and with her debut album simply titled "Nine" in 2015. She teamed up with rapper Pitbull for the album's first single "Shake That". This album showcases her original songs and her talent as a songwriter with catchy uptempo tracks and beautiful ballads. Samantha's second single "Always" featured a steamy music video with her "Home And Away" co-star Nic Westaway.
Live. Sparkle. Shine.
In 2016, Samantha swapped her microphone for a makeup brush to collaborate with aussie makeup brand "Models Prefer" and released her official makeup line.
Samantha: "Before i was a singer, i was actually a makeup artist, so i have always had a keen interest in makeup and have dreamt of my own line for many years. I really wanted to create something that was high quality but affordable, so i approached "Models Prefer", which is "Priceline" pharmacy's own brand. And after months of hard work, here we are!"
Samantha's new 7 piece collection is available exclusively to "Priceline" stores in Australia. The range features some of Samantha's makeup must haves including strobing and contour palettes, brow kit, nude eyeshadow palette, duo matte lipstick set, essentials brush kit and liquid precision eyeliner. Live, sparkle and shine with the new "Samantha Jade For Model Prefer" makeup collection.
Samantha: "I worked at "The Makeup" store for about six months and i used to do makeovers on people all the time! So i learnt so much, i was kind of like a makeup artist and did a few a little jobs here and there. I love makeup – i just love it! Everyday, i do all my friends makeup, before dates, i do their makeup, before my shows, i do my dancers’ makeup. A lot of the time, i do my own makeup too. I love makeup - i just love it. I love the idea of making someone feel beautiful and i love that you can do that through makeup. It might sound materialistic, but it's not, because it makes people feel beautiful on the inside."
Being a self confessed makeup lover, Jade "loves a dramatic look - but not for an everyday look." So what's her everyday makeup essentials? Samantha shares her favourites:
Samantha: "Everyday, i’ll wear a little bit of foundation. I use a few different foundations, "MAC’s" always a goodie. Then, i’ll always curl my lashes because they’re dead straight, then "Diorshow" and and then curl again six times. They’re so heavy they just wilt. I always use "MAC" strip down lip liner and my "Nars Belle De Jour" mipstick everyday."
Sweet Talk.
So how does Samantha stay in shape? Well, performing on stage burns calories, but Jade admits that she doesn't exercise and has a sweet tooth.
Samantha: "I have an extreme sweet tooth – i love sweets! I don't follow any diets and don't do any exercise - i'm sorry! I dance though, and i do eat healthy. I’m singing and dancing, so it’s a lot – that heart rate is up! I eat a good amount of red meat and i love my chicken and i eat small portions. My typical day is avocado on toast with cayenne pepper, lunch maybe chicken with rice and chilli, and then night time probably soup or something with rice again."
So what's up next for Samantha Jade? She's writing and recording her third album in Europe and touring this april and may with Boyzlife.
Whether she is songwriting, singing, dancing, acting or applying makeup, Samantha Jade is a superstar and one truly talented lady.
Credit: [X]
