Singer-songwriter Jadea Kelly‘s “Thirteen” is the latest single from her forthcoming album – set for release in October – the song is a heartfelt tribute to the close group of friends Jadea had during her formative years in Whitby, Ontario, and particularly to a friend, Kathleen Toner, who tragically passed away from Cystic Fibrosis when they were teenagers.
“Thirteen” explores themes of friendship and loss, echoing the deep bonds and shared experiences of Jadea’s youth. “I was reflecting on how I missed elements of the pandemic,” Jadea says about the release of her song. “I missed the community. During the lockdown, our only priorities were each other. My four-person pandemic bubble was a beautiful group. We got through it together, and that connection reminded me of being a pre-teen in Whitby. Pre-teen girls are practically married to each other, with no responsibilities or jobs, just each other.”
The album title, “Weather Girl”, is a metaphor for Jadea’s resilience in facing life’s changes and also a nickname from her tour mate and collaborator, Ryan O’Reilly, referencing her unique sensitivity to barometric pressure changes which trigger severe migraines for her. Kelly humorously refers to this as ‘the worst superpower ever,’ allowing her to predict storms through her physical reactions.
Jadea is for fans of heartfelt storytelling and eloquent songwriting who will find much to appreciate in “Thirteen” as they await the full release of the album in October.
