Jade Novah took social media by storm in 2012 and hasn’t looked back since. Her oldest YouTube video — a cover of her singing Rihanna’s “Diamonds” — has over 13 million views. More than just a singer, Novah gained notoriety for her hilarious Beyoncé impersonations and pop culture parodies. She doesn’t miss a beat either. If there’s a viral moment that has the ‘TL’ buzzing, you can bet the Ohio native has a sketch inspired by it on the way. Her organic ascent into social media super stardom has been accompanied by lessons she’s excited to share.
See what Novah had to say about her rise to success, who’s got next and more in our exclusive interview:
MadameNoire: Tell us about your start on social media.
Jade Novah: For me, I really just wanted to start to create a blueprint for everything that I wanted to. Comedy, with some of the characters like Keyonce or different impersonations I would do, I just wanted to help tell that story and also bring people to know my voice and my music, so social media was a very organic climb.
MN: Has there been a moment where you’ve sat back and said, ‘Wow, I made it,”
JN: That’s a tough one. I guess in the back of my mind I always feel like what does that mean and look like. I’ve literally been doing the same thing, but I think it’s more of people’s reactions like being recognized more is sort of surreal. It’s something I don’t know that I will ever think I’d be able to get used to.
MN: What’s the most memorable reaction a fan has had to seeing you out in public?
JN: I had an event in Vegas and my son and my husband were with me and we were at the airport heading home. This lady in the airport like screamed and ran up to us and she gave her phone to my child and said, ‘Can you take a picture of us,’ and I was like, ‘Sis!’ And my little baby, he’s like, ‘Umm right here? Is this how you do it?’ It was a lot, but it was hilarious. When she had my little baby as the paparazzi, I was about done.
MN: What’s your favorite social media platform, and why?
JN: I am privy to Instagram. It’s interesting because I was very late to the Instagram party. When it first came out, it was such a wild concept to me. I’m just supposed to put up my picture and people just like it? It seemed so odd. Now there are so many tools. I feel like I’ve mastered Instagram the most. It’s the most social. It’s the most instant. Instagram is my fave.
MN: What’s your favorite sketch/parody that you’ve done?
JN: I’m doing this series called ‘Real Divas.’ The first one I did is ‘Real Divas in Quarantine,’ so that’s following them during that time then I have one that’s coming out called ‘Real Divas in the Kitchen.’
I love it because it’s feeding everything that I want to do. My goal is to have a variety show, a sketch comedy show one day of my own, so I get to write these pieces and star in them and do music and do impersonations and comedy, but there’s still a musicality to it. So it’s literally feeding every part of my artistry. I don’t know what took me so long to do it. I love it. It’s my favorite.
MN: How do you deal with negativity from trolls online?
JN: It’s interesting because I feel like I’ve carved out a very positive group of supporters. A lot of people who follow me are in that space. They’re following because my music reflects vibrating high or what I wear and like I’m always about third eye and keeping your intuition, so I kind of have this tribe of likemindedness where I don’t receive that sort of negativity often.
MN: Do you have your eyes on any rising social media talent?
JN: The first girl her name is Shuba . I’ve never met her, but she did this TikTok where she was singing “Savage” as all of these different artists, and it was brilliant. I’ve been following her ever since I came across her work and her following is just growing so quickly. I already know she’s out of here. She’s so young. She’s got next for sure.
MN: Is there anyone else that has your attention?
JN: It happened so quickly and I had just started following him [Julian Bass]. I had reached out to him because I wanted him to shoot my ‘Real Divas’ stuff. Before I had done it, I had saw his work and he’s here in Atlanta where I am and I was like ‘Yo, we have to connect’ and he’s like ‘for sure,’ and then the next day all that crazy madness happened and I haven’t heard from him since (Note: Julian Bass is a TikTok creator that caught the attention of Disney’s CEO after going viral with a superhero themed video). https://twitter.com/thejulianbass/status/1278714517770440707
I was like ‘dang’ because I really wanted him to do this project because having those special effects may have elevated it even more, but everything happens in the perfecting timing that it’s supposed. I believe in him so much. I hope one day we’ll get to work together. Him and Shuba, they’re both extremely talented.
MN: If you could offer advice to aspiring social media talent/influencers, what would it be?
JN: Just enjoy the journey. Celebrate every little victory because that’s what it’s about. There is no end game. There is no magic number. I know people who have millions of followers who are still like ‘When am I going to get to that next, next level?’
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