Jade was born and raised in St. Paul, Minnesota. Her dad was a music lover, who often reminds people that he actually bought a ticket to Woodstock. She was raised on a steady diet of the Stones, the Beatles, and old-school blues, giving her an early love and language for music. That passion grew through dance and choreography — until she discovered music journalism, venue booking, and hosting music shows for radio at the University of Kansas.
Since she joined The Current to host an overnight slot in 2008, she got a kick out of introducing people to new artists, and playing people songs they love from genres they thought they hated. Jade was The Current’s midday host from 2015 to 2023, and in recent years added music director to her duties.
She likes to think of herself as The Current’s touring host. Her live broadcasts include Bonnaroo, South by Southwest, Duluth, and the Eaux Claires Music & Arts Festival. She’s conducted too many interviews to remember over the years, but Brandon Flowers of the Killers, Michael Stipe, and St. Vincent stick out.
