We had the good fortune of connecting with Jacquea Mae and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jacquea, other than deciding to work for yourself, what else do you think played a pivotal role in your story?
Researching. The best lesson is one I learned as a child & still keep learning, as I grow & transforming. Growing up, I didn’t see artists that looked or sounded like me, so I began to dig in the crates & allow music to take on a journey of self-discovery. I found Aretha Franklin. Marvin Gaye. Big Mama Thorton. Stevie Wonder. Pearl Bailey. James Brown. Betty Davis. Sly & The Family Stone. Bessie Smith. Donny Hathaway. Big Maybelle. Ray Charles. Ma. Rainey. Koko Taylor. And the list goes on. To this day, I am still learning, researching & it always reminds me that I have so much more to learn.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
What sets me apart. For me, singing, to me is like air. I can’t live without it. I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for music. As early as I can remember, I was singing in church & growing up in the church, taught me and laid the groundwork for singing in ways that I am still learning. I always had a big voice. but I did not know always what to do with it, outside of church and singing gospel. So, I started asking questions, researching to seek the answers I craved & looking for those that sang like me & once I did, I set my own self free. That’s what sets me apart. I am so excited about working with my new band, NASH.V.ILL, working on new music, creating and becoming what I don’t see. Today, I haven’t stopped asking myself questions, asking for help, getting out of my own way, taking risks & trying new things & it is hard! But reminding myself to let go, heal, learn, & transform, that has helped me overcome challenges. There are so many lessons I have learned along the way, but I will divulge a few. Always be a fan of music. Just listen. I know enough to know that I don’t know enough. Give back. And lastly, always invest & believe in yourself. If you don’t, you have lost before you have started. I want the world to know that I am a force to be reckoned with & that my story is a part of a journey but it does not define me. I define me. ‘

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
There’s so many places that I am still discovering in Pittsburgh. I would take them to Brassero Grille in Braddock for tasty & healthy burritos & all around good food, go get donuts at Dana’s in Homewood, volunteer at Assemble Pittsburgh in Garfield with the youth making weird stuff like astronaut helmets, go to Johnny Angel’s Ginchy Stuff for some record digging & music history, grab a cider from Trace Brewing in Bloomfield, go to a UNION party at the Brillobox in Bloomfield by DJ Big Phil, DJ BlakSteel & DJ Selecta, visit 1700 Penn Avenue for a tasty locally made whiskey in the Strip, head to the YMCA Lighthouse to record, go to Ujamaa Collective or Jamil’s Village for skin care & books, check out the exhibits at the August Wilson Center Downtown, check out a local play by the Pittsburgh Playwrights Theater & New Horizons Theater, chill at Oasis Taproom for an open mic, & grab some red beans & rice from Secretos, get some tasty chicken satay from Kambodican, & cheesy bread frm Casa Brasil.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would like to dedicate my shout out to my tribe, the countless Ancestors, elders, teachers, friends that became family & held me up. There is so many people to name! They know who they are! And I am so very thankful for all of them! Because of them, I AM.

Website: https://www.jacqueamae.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fearlessmae1023_/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/fearlessmaellc

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Jacqueamaemusic

Image Credits
Imani Jahaan Vintage & Ray Carrington

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