Jude borrows their moniker from one of the English war poet Wilfred Owen’s 1917 letters to his companion and possible lover, his fellow soldier-poet Siegfried Sassoon. A lifelong avid reader and music lover, Jude often finds inspiration in literature, counting John Steinbeck as formative of an influence on their music as Joni Mitchell, Janelle Monae, Brandi Carlile, and Alynda Segarra. They have played guitar since they were eight years old, and have received formal training through Book 6 of the Suzuki Classical Guitar Method. They have played an eclectic range of genres on the instrument, including early music, jazz, bossa nova, Irish Traditional, and US folk. They found confidence in their own singing voice and songwriting as a high school freshman, when they joined their school’s choir. During this time, Jude also devoted themself to studying mandolin, ukulele, and bass: they play these instruments on their own albums and film scoring projects.

Their most recent album, Songs for Afterhours Lovers (2020), borrowed inspiration from two of Sally Rooney’s novels and a 2019 trip to Ireland. Approaching their subjects (fictional or not) with heart and humor, Jude’s songs often tell stories of queer love, longing, and curiosity. They are currently studying English and Music Composition at Vassar College, and they intend to complete a senior thesis that integrates both disciplines.

Their hope is to release another album by the end of 2022 or in early 2023.