Batley singer-songwriter prepares for her ‘homecoming’ UK tour

Thirty-two year old Jade Halliwell - a country singer-songwriter born and raised in Batley - is “really excited” for her first full-band UK tour, which includes a performance at Origin Live on October 15.

Jade first started performing at the Batley Bulldogs Rugby Club when she was just 12 years-old, singing on the pitch at half time.

She then started singing at weddings, events, pubs and clubs before she learnt how to play the guitar and write her own music at 19.

From that point onwards Jade developed a love for country music - especially the story-tellling aspect - and has travelled around the world, going on tours in Australia, Denmark and Nashville, as well as playing UK festivals.

Now she is preparing for her UK headline tour ‘I am Woman’, which will be supported by Emillia Quinn, a female country artist based in Thornhill.

Jade, who now lives in Cleckheaton, said: “I haven’t actually done a full-band show, with all my music at home before - It’s really exciting.

“I have lots of friends and family coming down, some of them who saw me performing when I was younger around Batley.

“This year has been big for me, especially organising this tour. I have been working towards doing my own headline tour for years.

“It’s exciting and nerve-wracking but it's definitely a career high.”

Jade first experienced singing in public when she was just nine-years-old, on a family holiday to Torquay, where she had the opportunity to sing on karaoke.

After catching the ‘bug’ for performing, Jade recorded a CD of all her favourite songs at a local recording studio.

Now Jade is an award-winning artist who has won the British Country Music Association (BCMA) award for Female Vocalist Of The Year in 2017, 2018 and 2021.

She has also received nominations and awards for Best Female and Best Solo at the Box Radio Awards, Artist of the Year and UK Female of The Year from UK Country Radio, Best Unsigned Female at the Best of British Music Awards, and Outstanding Artist at the Yorkshire Roots Awards.

Jade added: “I don’t write music to win awards but it is always nice having your work rewarded.

“In this life, you are so on the go all the time and even when you're at home you're working on the next thing, so you don’t often sit back and look at what you've done so far.

“It’s nice to have those moments of reflection.”

As well as the UK tour which kicks-off in Newcastle on October 11, Jade is also preparing for the release of her new EP ‘Woman’, on October 7.

Jade said: “I will be performing the songs from the new EP for the first time on tour.

“I have been working on it for a while because it was funded by a Kickstarter campaign, so essentially the fans have paid for the EP to be created.

“it's nice to show them what their funds have produced.”

Jade will be performing at Origin Live on Bradford Road, Batley, on Saturday, October 15.

Tickets cost £16.88. Over 18s only.

To buy tickets, visit www.jadehalliwell.com