Stacey Jackson is giving Gen X its mic back – and a soundtrack to match
Stacey Jackson knows what it means to evolve. The British-Canadian singer, author, entrepreneur, and TV presenter has been through enough personal and professional reinventions to fill several lifetimes – and now, she’s using that experience to spotlight the generation that has quietly done the same.
Through her hit podcast The Gen-X-Perience, Jackson is championing the so-called “forgotten generation” with humour, honesty, and heart. “We were the original latchkey kids who learned independence before it was a buzzword,” she says. “We grew up with mixtapes, rotary phones, and no Google – but somehow we’re still here, still cool, and still rocking oversized sweatshirts and electric blue eyeliner.”
The podcast goes far beyond nostalgia. It’s a space where Gen Xers share stories of reinvention, parenting, career pivots, personal growth, and even failures – with grit and grace. “Gen X has lived so many ‘versions’ of life that didn’t need to be posted or monetized – we just did the thing,” Jackson explains. “It’s about embracing the zigzags, not just the glow-ups.”
That message flows directly into her music as well. Her latest single, “Blinded By Goodbye,” is a glittery, synth-heavy breakup anthem that feels both retro and modern – a perfect fit for a generation that grew up on cassette tapes but now streams playlists on demand. “The shock of being blindsided by someone you trust – it cuts deep. But instead of wallowing, I wanted to reclaim the power in that moment,” she says. “It’s fierce because pain can be fierce. And it’s euphoric because healing doesn’t have to be quiet.”
Produced by DJ Sparadise and co-written with longtime collaborator Ramzi Sleiman, the song is part of a larger creative campaign that also includes her upcoming novel, How A Gangsta Rapper Made Me A Better Mom. That project, launching in September 2025, features an original soundtrack with 19 songs embedded directly into the audiobook and eBook editions. It’s a storytelling format that’s never been done before – and it was designed with Gen X in mind.
“We’re the original adapters,” she says. “We had to learn to program a VCR and explain TikTok to our kids. That gives us range.” For Jackson, that range includes building a cross-platform narrative experience – book, music, podcast – that reflects the complexity and resilience of her peers.
The podcast episodes aren’t about reliving the past, she insists. “We’re not living in the past, we’re vibing with it. I always look for stories that start in the 80s or 90s but don’t end there. Gen X is the ultimate remix generation – we sample the past but build something new on top.”
Guests on The Gen-X-Perience regularly open up in surprising, emotionally honest ways. Jackson attributes that to the laid-back, non-performative environment she creates. “We’re all Gen Xers… we speak fluent sarcasm and self-deprecation,” she laughs. “There’s something comforting in knowing the person across from you remembers the sound of a dial-up modem or coins falling into a pay phone.”
Looking ahead, she envisions the podcast growing beyond audio into live events, books, maybe even a traveling storytelling festival. “Gen X deserves its own festival – maybe we’ll call it ‘Rebootstock,’” she jokes.
But at the core of everything Jackson does is a desire to connect. Whether she’s writing a novel, dropping a dance track, or interviewing a fellow Gen Xer about career burnout and parenting struggles, she’s doing it to build community.
“Relevance means resonance,” she says. “If someone messages me to say one of our podcast episodes reminded them of their teen years, or helped them laugh through a rough day, or made them call their mum – that’s relevance.”
With Stacey Jackson at the mic, Gen X is no longer in the background. They’re singing, storytelling, and shining – one track, one chapter, and one honest conversation at a time.
The editorial unit
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