Prestonian rekindles her love for music and lands gig as Beat 103’s breakfast show host

Jadie has a passion for all things music

A 32-year-old from Penwortham is hoping to help other people with their mental health through hosting a popular radio show.

Jadie Swales-Barnes, a local radio host, has spoken about how she spent most of her life in dark and low places, and she thought she’d never recover.

That is, until her love of music managed to get her back on track when station manager of Beat 103, based at Preston’s Guild Hall, Leroy Allen, took a chance on her and hired her as the host of the breakfast show.

Jadie now wants to spread awareness that anything is possible, no matter the circumstances you may find yourself in right now.

She said: “I self-harmed as a teen and have been medicated for anxiety and depression since I was young.

“I always had a connection with music and related to song lyrics that resembled how I was feeling. Mental health wasn’t talked about as much back then and I didn’t understand the feelings I was having and why I was so sad.

“The power of music helped me relate to other people and was so powerful that it gave me comfort. I have always pursued it since I was young, which gave me focus.”

Music is such a big part of Jadie’s life

After struggling with her mental health for years, suffering with manic episodes and psychosis, she was eventually diagnosed with multiple personality disorder and bipolar disorder, before a turn that would lead her to spend up to three weeks in psychiatric hospital on multiple occasions following attempts to take her own life.

She said she felt ‘hopeless’ having lost her job at a finance company and her once huge passion for music.

Jadie ended up staying with her uncle in Preston, and it was back home where she reconnected with old friends and finally felt a sense of support.

Jadie said she began enjoying music again, and she started producing music and writing songs to entertain people on social media.

She also attended open mic nights in Preston.

Jadie bought a microphone and began making a podcast, and dabbled in radio before putting a post on social media asking for radio work, which was when Beat 103 got in touch and took a chance on Jadie’s talent.

She said: “I’m absolutely thriving now and I just want to get the message out there as much as I can, that even with the struggles, it’s absolutely possible to reach your goals and live your dreams, especially when there are so many people experiencing poor mental health due to the pandemic.”

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