Today we’d like to introduce you to Skyler Jade.
Hi Skyler, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
In one way or another, magic has always been a part of my life. My grandparents play cards so whenever I visited growing up, there was always a deck on the table. I was also the kid that would stay up late and be completely mesmerized watching David Blaine specials, and later feeling that same sense of awe watching Mat Franco become the first magician to win America’s Got Talent. But for a long time, magic was just something I enjoyed watching. That all changed when I was 13 and saw a magician perform live right in front of me. Something about experiencing magic in real life flipped a switch, and I dove headfirst into YouTube to learn everything I could. I would practice one trick relentlessly and perform it for my family over and over until they were completely sick of it and I would have to learn something new. Word eventually spread at school, and before starting high school I connected with a graduating student who was already a member at the Magic Castle. He encouraged me to audition, and I spent months practicing and refining a routine. At 14 years old, I was accepted into the Magic Castle. That experience completely changed my perspective, and it was like someone had handed me the key to open a new world. Being surrounded by other young magicians who were just as passionate and talented pushed me to raise my standards and work even harder.
Things grew pretty steadily from there. I booked my first restaurant gig to perform after school for guests waiting on their meals, which led to working for corporate events, birthdays, local news features, and later receiving the Young Magicians Award for advancing the art and history of magic. Last year, I traveled to Australia to perform and connect with the magic community there, which strengthened my confidence and ability to adapt to different audiences and venues. Soon after returning to the States, I had the opportunity to open for indie-pop singer Rocco on his North American tour. That experience was unforgettable and gave me the chance to share my work with thousands of people across the continent.
When people ask how I got to where I am today, the honest answer is consistency. The grind has been nonstop for the past eight years but it is what I absolutely love to do most and I can’t wait to keep performing and see where this crazy path of a life leads.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It definitely has not been a smooth road. Early on I had to learn how to navigate being someone who automatically stood out in this space. Growing up, there weren’t any magicians in the public eye who looked like me, but that never actually registered until I joined the Magic Castle. It was then that I realized just how male-dominated the industry was, with me being one of two girls in the program when I joined. I was often met with shock when I told people I was a magician, and it took a while to learn at that young age how to maneuver the mixed comments and assumptions that came with that. At the same time, I was working to gain my parents’ confidence in the path I was choosing. I am incredibly grateful that they were supportive from the beginning, but with having an Asian mom there was naturally a lot of concern about stability and what my future would look like. Over the past few years, I can confidently say that that concern has turned into trust and belief, and I truly would not be able to do this without their continued support.
With all of that said, I am deeply appreciative of the women in magic who sacrificed so much to make space for people like me, notably the incredible woman who founded the Junior Society at the Magic Castle, Diana Zimmerman. Without her I wouldn’t have had a space to find other likeminded kids and become the performer I am today. I know that my challenges exist because of the progress they fought for, and that my experience is far easier because of them. Their work not only allowed me to enter this community, but to feel welcomed within it. I struggled a lot throughout high school, and magic became a place of comfort and grounding for me. It has always been my creative outlet that I can turn to during difficult moments.
But the struggle is never really over. I am constantly challenging myself to improve, to keep advancing the craft, and to grow as a performer until I am viewed as an equal and not just a “female magician.” I also hope to keep being someone that young girls discovering magic now can turn to for guidance and reassurance that I did not have when I was figuring everything out myself.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
If you haven’t already put it together, I’m a magician. At the core of everything I do, I love performing. But there’s no grand scale levitations or illusions; what excites me most is creating shows that feel personal and genuinely shared with the audience. I combine stories from my own life with interactive magic so that they can be as participatory as possible. I love learning about the people who choose to spend their time with me, whether that is on a Sunday brunch or a night out, and allowing those exchanges to shape the show in real time. Not only does it make the show more fun, but the collaborative aspect leaves room for people to feel like they can know me, not just the tricks.
Outside of magic, I spend most of my time enjoying art in all forms. A lot of my inspiration comes from spending time with musicians, artists in film and media, and paying attention to what makes those performances and experiences stand out. I find that if I’m ever struggling with writer’s block, watching a movie, going to a concert, or even listening in to some friends’ jam session helps put my mind back in the magic headspace. When I was invited to open on tour for Rocco, I knew I wanted to acknowledge that it was my first time opening for a musical artist and that seeing a magician before a concert isn’t the norm. The show I created for that stage was still very much my own, but I incorporated little nods to Rocco’s album so that the set felt connected and the audience could associate what they love about his music and see it in my magic. What sets me apart from other magicians is the emphasis I place on personalization and creating a shared experience; I always want people to leave my show feeling like they were a part of something that could not have happened the same way with any other audience or on any other night.
What matters most to you? Why?
Since I started performing, I realized how special it is to be able to create moments that actually stick with people. I have always loved connecting with people, and it means the world to me when I run into someone months or even years later and they tell me that they still have a playing card from my show in their wallet. As I continue to chase this wild dream of a career, I hope to connect with as many people as I can. If I can give someone even a short break from everything going on in the world or in their own life to appreciate the smaller magical moments, then I feel like I am doing something that truly matters.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://skylerjade.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skylerjade19
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Skyler-Jade-Magic
