From growing up in a creative household in Ennerdale to performing sold-out shows in Germany, Money Badoo (Jade Alves) is staying true to herself while inspiring a new generation of South African dreamers.
Berlin, Germany (06 October 2025) – South African artist and songwriter Jade Alves, better known as Money Badoo, is proof that daring to dream can open doors far beyond one’s imagination. Born and raised in Ennerdale, she grew up surrounded by creativity at home, and that environment shaped her artistic outlook.
“I was always inspired to do whatever I wanted to do. My sister was into fashion, and she had a t-shirt line, so luckily everyone around me was into something creative. So that’s how it went about. I was like, ‘oh, I could do anything’.”
But like many young artists, she felt the tension between following her creative passions and society’s expectation of a “safe” career path.
“A lot of people were scared of the creative industry, it was like: ‘Are you sure? You don’t want to have a more stable income?’ So that was a big fear of mine coming into music.”
Her music blends hip hop with touches of R&B and alternative influences.
Recently, Money Badoo had her first taste of international recognition with shows in Germany, including a slot at the prestigious Reeperbahn Festival in Hamburg, followed by packed performances in Berlin.
“That was just amazing for me. Very life-changing. First time that I had the privilege of leaving the African continent for music and for work. Sold out the shows, the entire time I was performing there from Hamburg to Berlin, all the shows I played were packed, so much love and support from people I’ve never even met before.”
For her, the trip reinforced the importance of staying true to herself.
“Being true to myself is what people resonate with. They don’t even have to know me, but rather like my songs. So they don’t even need to know my backstory or why I wrote the song to love it.”
Looking back, she hopes her story inspires other young South Africans. Next on the horizon is a new EP inspired by her German trip.
“This EP is going to be a little bit of trap and soul and a single will be dropping in a few weeks.”
For Money Badoo, the journey has only just begun and her art, born in Ennerdale, now resonates on global stages.
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