Now that Shadowhunters has come to an end, Jade Hassouné is focusing on his next projects and his music. Season 3 of Shadowhunters may have been the last, but Jade will always be Merlion in our eyes. But when he is not being an epic knight and saving the world, Jade Hassouné enjoys his music and dedicating it to his fans. Jade talked to Cliche Magazine about the end of Shadowhunters, his EP, Love Letter to the Fandom, and the best advice he has received since beginning in the industry.
Cliché: When did you know you wanted to be in the entertainment industry?
Jade Hassouné: I knew when I was 10 years old. That’s the first time I realized that people had careers playing on TV and in films. That’s when I understood that the entertainment world was a path that I could choose. And even though I did love the visual arts and music, I felt like acting was the one I could accomplish first. I started community theatre classes and the first time I walked on stage, I had a moment of seeing my future life flash in front of my eyes. I had a sort of heart opening feeling and vision of the future, but really it was a feeling of being connected to my creative flow, feeling of joy of being connected and in the moment doing what I love. I then continued to chase that feeling of joy for the rest of my life which led to my dreams unfolding incrementally.
What has been the best advice you’ve gotten since entering this industry?
That if you keep up the work and stay in the direction of your vision, success is inevitable. And to not take things too seriously or too personally.
What has Shadowhunters meant to you over the years?
It has changed my life in many ways. It was a teenage dream come true. It has brought me great lifelong friendships and has brought to me a supportive audience who believe in me and keep me going. I want to tend to these relationships and continue the connection with the fandom. That’s why I’ve dedicated my first EP to them.
What has been your favorite moment about playing Merlion on Shadowhunters?
Oh man! SO many. I’ve always wanted to play an elf knight! And Meliorn is the closest thing to that, however in that world they are Faeries. It’s been so fun to play a 147 year old being who feels superior to humans, who sees the human drama as trivial. It’s been so cool to be a being who cannot lie but can bend the truth and speak in riddles. And it’s been so fun to be in an epic world and be an epic knight being fighting in wars to save the world.
What can fans expect from your upcoming EP, Love Letter to the Fandom? What was the inspiration behind the EP?
It’s my way to make our connection last forever. To take what we’ve all built with Shadowhunters and move forward together, while honouring the past, but looking eagerly into the future. My life has changed in many ways, and I’ve been traveling the world with my cast mates to meet this beautiful passionate fandom, we are about to go on a new summer tour again. On these journeys I meet so many cool people at the conventions but also on my personal time in different countries. I am away from my home, I fall in love, I feel excitement, I see beautiful parts of the world, and then I have to say goodbye. There are so many beautiful emotions. And so when I got back with a heart full of joy but also of heartbreak from last summer’s tour, I had a burst of inspiration and a few songs came out. Then I knew with every cell of my body that the time was now to start putting music out there and live life in that way and celebrate it with music and dancing and fun and expression.
Are there any future roles that you would like to play?
I’ve had specific roles that I really wanted that I’ve gotten, and others that I have not. So I’ve experienced many aspects of dreams coming true in ways I expected and others coming true in a way that I wasn’t expecting, that were better than I could have expected. So now, I feel like I want to be open to roles that sparks passion within me. If a role or project inspires some sort of creative spark, then I’ll be interested. I’m staying in this open place, I feel it will be easier to go through the constant unknowns.
As Shadowhunters comes to an end, is there any special words you would like to say to the fans?
Stick with me and I’ll stay by you! I’m so excited to meet you and sing together and celebrate our connection. I’m going to start releasing songs starting with “Insta Story” on June 9th! I’m also creating a platform where we’ll be able to connect on a more personal level and get to collaborate on future projects!! I also have been creating a behind-the-scenes video episodic series of my process of transforming into the music artist J4DE, you’ll be able to see my life behind-the-scenes while I record my EP, change my whole look, open my fan mail, explore my city and collaborate with my friends and eventually, You! Stay tuned!
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Jade Hassouné Talks the end of “Shadowhunters” and his brand new EP, Love Letter to the Fandom. Photo Credit: Barrington Orr.
