JADE’S BOMBSHELL

Townsville star reveals she was denied gigs for refusing sex with venue managers

A FORMER Townsville musician has opened up about the horrific treatment she received as a young singer songwriter.

Pop country artist Jade Holland is speaking up about her struggles as a young musician and feeling pressured to have sex with venue managers, or not get booked to play their venue again and the toll that took on her mental health.

Ms Holland is talking about the issues she faced trying to make her way in the music industry, in the hope it helps other young female artists.

A FORMER Townsville musician has opened up about the horrific treatment she received as a young singer songwriter trying to make her way in the industry.

Pop country artist Jade Holland is speaking up about her struggles as a young musician and feeling pressured to have sex with venue managers, or not get booked to play their venue again and the toll that took on her mental health.

Ms Holland is talking about the issues she faced trying to make her way in the music industry, in the hope it helps other young female artists know you don’t have to submit to those pressures to become successful.

“I have had my fair share of run-ins in the music industry, being a female we are still not getting the same equality as men,” Ms Holland said.

“There have been instances where, because I am not interested in sleeping with a venue manager who has put themselves forward for that kind of thing, I have then received feedback that I am not being booked at that venue ever again.

“I just felt the need to kind of stand up and put forward what had happened to me because it is not the first time, probably the fourth, or fifth time.”

M s H o l - land la is the th ambassador for the Queensland Quee Mental Awareness Foundation and knows the th toll these pressures can take tak on a young woman.

“Did you stop doing music because of something that happened in the industry indus or something that happened happen at a show?

“These are really big topics and they do relate back b to mental health. I am excited to be the Queensland Mental Awareness Foundation ambassador and to be able to represent us as a collective at the Australian Women in Music Awards and share my knowledge and things I have learnt over the years.

“I have been through my battles, I have had a million ups and downs.

“From the outside, my life might look so great and dandy, but it is not, I still on a daily basis go through my regular routine of, am I OK, is today a self-care day?

“I am a 32-year-old woman, I am having these conversations and I am not afraid of them anymore.

“It is the youth of today that are still struggling to be able to talk about it, so the least I can do is at least start that conversation.

“They can come to me or they can talk about anything they are feeling in the industry, then I feel I have done my job, because I just want to let

There have been instances where, because I am not interested in sleeping with a venue manager who has put themselves forward for that kind of thing,g I have then received feedback that I am not being booked at that venue ever again

JADE HOLLAND

people know that it is OK to talk about it.”

Ms Holland has been named as one of eight recipients for the Regional and Remote Engagement Program, part of the Australian Women in Music Awards and plans on talking about her experience at a conference in Brisbane later this month.

“Ten years ago I would have been more shy to put forward my opinion and put forward what had happened to me.

“Growing as an artist and growing into my own skin and becoming more confident with myself as a musician, as a person, as a woman, as an artist, as a friend, as a daughter, as a sister I have come to that point where I am comfortable with myself.

“I am content that I can confidently put forward what I need to say and know that it will be heard and hopefully I can help somebody else.”

She hopes that sharing her stories at the conference will make a difference. “Even at the minimum, if it is a talking point and it starts the conversation to change then that is wonderful.

“Rome was not built in a day and I don’t think I can fix many, many years of these things happening to people, it can’t be fixed overnight.

“But I do think we can start the conversation and starting this conversation can lead to multiple other conversations.

“It is not just this happened to me and I need to say something about it, but it is also how it affected me mentally and physically.”

It has been a busy period for Ms Holland who is back on the road with her Summertime 365 tour, after she just flew back from the Middle East where she performed for Australian troops on Anzac Day.

“This is now my second time performing in the Middle East on Anzac Day and it does not get any better than that.

“It is a very eerie, yet inspiring feeling being with everyone who is currently serving.

“To jump on a plane and go over and do something like this was really amazing.”

After a long break due to Covid, Holland is finally coming home to Townsville as part of her Summertime 365 tour.

“On the June 19 we are playing at a Touch of Salt with tickets going on sale today. (Monday May 9)

Tickets are $20 with Matilda Duncan opening the show.