Jardine Cherelle Legere, known professionally as Jadel, is an independent female Soca artist, singer, songwriter, pianist, entrepreneur and mother from the twin-island Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. Blending Soca with R&B, Dancehall, Afrobeat and Calypso, she has developed a distinctive crossover sound shaped by powerful vocals, commanding stage presence and authentic storytelling.
Her two albums have generated more than 16 million combined streams across digital platforms. With more than 500 live performances and three Caribbean Music Awards nominations, Jadel has built an international career spanning the Caribbean, North America, Europe and Asia.
Growing up in Woodbrook, Port of Spain, Jadel discovered music at the age of nine through school and church choirs. She learned to play piano through church as a child, helping train her ear for harmony and shaping her ability to create melodies spontaneously.
After relocating to the United States, Jadel first entered the public music scene in 2009 as a backing vocalist for Barbadian Soca artist Biggie Irie. She later became the lead female vocalist with the band Surface before joining Traffik as a frontline singer.These early experiences strengthened her voice, confidence and stage presence while establishing the live-band foundation that would remain central to her identity as a performer.
In 2011, Jadel released her first Soca song, “Wine On Meh,” produced by Val Musik Productions from the band Traffik. The release marked the beginning of her journey as a solo recording artist and gave her an opportunity to define her own sound beyond her work as a backing vocalist and band singer.
In 2012, Jadel met renowned Trinidadian producer Kernal Roberts, who recognized her potential and became an important mentor in her development as a songwriter and recording artist. Under his guidance, she strengthened her writing skills and expanded her understanding of the creative and professional sides of the Caribbean music industry.
Their creative relationship led to Jadel co-writing Machel Montano’s 2014 single “Haunted.” The song became a notable release in Montano’s catalogue and marked an important achievement for Jadel as a developing songwriter.
Despite this breakthrough, Jadel’s own music career was not generating enough income to sustain her. Throughout 2014, after years of investing her time, energy and limited resources into pursuing music, the financial pressure became increasingly difficult to manage. She eventually experienced severe financial hardship and became homeless.
Toward the end of 2014, the experience forced Jadel to reconsider the direction of her life. She stepped away from actively pursuing a performing career and began studying toward a bachelor’s degree in law through the University of London. She continued her legal studies into 2015, viewing law as a path toward greater stability, financial security and personal progress.Music, however, remained central to her identity. Her desire to write, record and perform never disappeared, and she eventually realized that it was not simply an interest she could leave behind. Her decision to recommit herself to music would prove to be life-changing.
In 2016, Jadel broke onto the international scene with the Chutney Soca release “All of It.” The song earned her the Carib Breakout Artist Award and helped launch her first European tour, with appearances across the United Kingdom, Switzerland and Spain.
In 2018, she released “Round N Round,” which earned her a place in the International Soca Monarch finals in Trinidad and Tobago. The achievement marked a major performance milestone and strengthened her position within the Soca industry.That same year, Jadel became a mother following the birth of her daughter. Motherhood transformed the way she approached her career. Rather than focusing mainly on popularity and industry hype, she became more intentional about music ownership, financial stability and building a sustainable future for herself and her family.
In 2019, Jadel released “Jam Day,” which secured her a place in the International Soca Monarch semifinals. That year, she also opened for Kes The Band at New York City’s historic Best Buy Theater, now known as Palladium Times Square.
A new chapter began in 2020 when Jadel joined JP Music Group, under the leadership of Julian Hackett, for artist management. That same year, she independently released her debut album, Call Me Jadel, introducing listeners to her blend of Soca and contemporary Caribbean sounds.
On “Hold Me Close,” produced by London Future, Jadel showcased her R&B background for the first time as a recording artist. The song revealed a softer and more intimate side of her artistry while establishing the R&B and Soca fusion she would continue developing.
Call Me Jadel has accumulated more than three million combined streams, led by “Hold Me Close” and “Round N Round.” The album also featured fan favorites including “Dominate” and “Jam Day.”
In 2021, during the COVID-19 lockdowns, Jadel doubled down on her crossover sound with “Deserve It All.” The Soca Afrobeat fusion became an immediate success in Trinidad and Tobago and attracted a growing audience in South Africa.
As the song gained momentum, performance opportunities in South Africa began pouring in. However, continuing travel restrictions and lockdowns in Trinidad and Tobago prevented those appearances from taking place. For the first time since fully pursuing her career, Jadel was unable to tour internationally.
Despite those limitations, “Deserve It All” continued to grow. It became the biggest streaming record of her career, surpassing seven million streams worldwide and receiving rotation on BET Jams and MTV.
The song was also a major financial breakthrough. Income generated by “Deserve It All” helped sustain Jadel during the lockdowns, demonstrating the value of music ownership and reinforcing her decision to approach her career as both a creative pursuit and a business.
In 2022, as international travel and live entertainment returned, Jadel entered the most successful year of her career to that point. She continued exploring her R&B and Soca fusion with “Yuh Man,” while reconnecting with the party elements of Soca through “Up In The Party.”
Inspired by being stuck at home for nearly two years, “Up In The Party” captured the public’s desire to go out, reconnect and celebrate again. The song reflected the excitement audiences felt as borders reopened, events returned and Caribbean communities reclaimed the Carnival experiences they had been missing.
The single led Jadel’s 2022 Up In The Party Tour, the first of what would become five consecutive annual tours. She performed more than 50 shows across Trinidad and Tobago and international markets, including St. Kitts, Antigua, Toronto, London, New York, Miami and Singapore.
Many of her 2022 performances were backed by the A-Team Band, reconnecting her with the live-band energy and flexibility that shaped her early years with Surface and Traffik.
In 2023, Jadel released “Shake Up.” Originally introduced as a solo single, the song gained significant momentum before being officially remixed with international Dancehall artist Demarco. Both versions were released in 2023.
“Shake Up” became the lead record for Jadel’s 2023 Shake Up Tour, which included more than 80 performances across Trinidad and Tobago and international markets. During the campaign, she appeared at the Belize International Music & Food Festival, performed in Japan and opened for Shenseea at Kings Theatre in Brooklyn.
That year, Jadel also collaborated with Skinny Fabulous on “Right Track” and received her first Caribbean Music Awards nomination in the Female Impact Soca Artist of the Year category.
Her sophomore album, Don’t Be Mistaken, arrived in 2024. The project brought together some of the most successful songs of her career, including “Deserve It All,” “Up In The Party,” “Yuh Man” and “Shake Up,” alongside new releases such as “Doh Ease Meh Up,” “Addictive” featuring Charly Black and “Calypso.”
On “Calypso,” Jadel blended Calypso, R&B and Dancehall to create a contemporary tribute to Trinidad and Tobago. The song connected elements of the country’s traditional musical heritage with her evolving crossover sound.
“Addictive” became the lead single for Jadel’s 2024 Addictive Tour, extending her annual touring run and introducing the music from Don’t Be Mistaken to audiences across Trinidad and Tobago and abroad.
Don’t Be Mistaken has generated more than 13 million combined streams, led by “Deserve It All,” “Up In The Party,” “Yuh Man,” “Addictive” and “Shake Up.” The album received coverage in the Miami Herald and was promoted through a Times Square billboard campaign.
In 2024, Jadel also wrote “Take Yuh Time” for Trinidad and Tobago female artist Nailah Blackman. This followed her earlier work on Machel Montano’s “Haunted” and further demonstrated her ability to write for other leading Caribbean performers.Jadel entered 2025 with “Jam Somebody,” “Meh Darling,” “Bubbling Champion” featuring DJ Private Ryan and “Fitness” featuring Trinidad Killa.
“Bubbling Champion” led Jadel’s 2025 Bubbling Tour, which included 23 performances in Trinidad and Tobago and 19 international appearances. The tour introduced her to new European audiences through performances at Ibiza Soca Festival Malta, Swiss Soca Festival and Oh Bacchanal Weekend in Berlin.
That year, Jadel received two additional Caribbean Music Awards nominations: Female Soca Artist of the Year and Impact Female Soca Artist of the Year. These brought her career total to three Caribbean Music Awards nominations.
Entering Carnival 2026, Jadel introduced another chapter with “Another Man,” an empowering Soca and Bouyon-inspired anthem produced by XplicitMevon. The release was followed by “Permission,” a crossover single co-written with GBM Nutron.
“Another Man” became the lead single for Jadel’s 2026 Another Man Tour. The campaign marks her fifth consecutive annual tour, following the Up In The Party Tour in 2022, the Shake Up Tour in 2023, the Addictive Tour in 2024 and the Bubbling Tour in 2025.
This five-year touring run reflects her consistency as an independent artist and her ability to build each season around new music, evolving performances and continued international growth.
During the 2026 Trinidad Carnival season, Jadel performed as a lead singer with Dil-E-Nadan alongside Raymond Ramnarine. The experience brought her journey full circle by reconnecting her with the live-band environment in which she first developed as an entertainer.
Jadel performs with both backing tracks and live bands, allowing her to adapt her show for fetes, festivals, theatres, concerts and cultural events. She has a special preference for live-band performances because they take her back to her roots while giving her greater flexibility to extend arrangements, reinterpret songs and respond creatively to the audience.
With more than 500 live performances, her career has taken her throughout Trinidad and Tobago, the wider Caribbean, the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Singapore, Japan, Malta, Switzerland and Germany.
Selected appearances include the Belize International Music & Food Festival, Soca in Japan, Ibiza Soca Festival Malta, Swiss Soca Festival, Oh Bacchanal Weekend in Berlin, Kings Theatre in Brooklyn and Palladium Times Square in New York City.
Beyond recording and performing, Jadel takes an active executive role in managing her career. Working alongside her manager, she independently releases her albums and participates in financial planning, release strategy, distribution and brand development.
She writes most of her songs, handles much of her professional networking, scouts beats and producers as part of the A&R process and works with her team to manage marketing internally. This hands-on approach gives her greater ownership of her music, image and long-term direction.
Her favourite color, pink, has also become a deeply personal and recognizable part of her identity. During some of the most difficult periods of her life, pink became a source of comfort and happiness. It represented a brighter emotional space she could return to while facing hardship, uncertainty and financial pressure.
Over time, that personal connection developed into a defining element of Jadel’s visual branding. Pink reflects her lifestyle, femininity, resilience and determination to hold on to joy, even during challenging moments.
As an artist and songwriter, Jadel continues to connect traditional Soca influences with R&B, Dancehall, Afrobeat, Calypso and contemporary global sounds. Her catalogue reflects the many dimensions of her artistry, including strength and vulnerability, grit and glamour, Carnival energy and everyday authenticity.
“This season is about stepping fully into who I am,” says Jadel. “I’m not only the voice you hear on stage and radio. I’m the woman who lives the same struggles, laughter and love as my fans.”
Today, Jadel continues to expand her global audience while proudly representing Trinidad and Tobago as an independent female Soca artist. Her journey from financial hardship and homelessness to international touring, streaming success and music ownership demonstrates how resilience, consistency and independent artistry can create a lasting career.
Official Website: http://callmejadel.comFollow Jadel: @CallmejadelListen on: YouTube, Spotify, Apple Music, TIDAL, Amazon Music, and all major streaming platforms.
