Building Soft Worlds: The Unfiltered Wisdom of Jacque Aye

Jacque Aye’s creative journey has been defined by an embrace of softness and everyday magic. In Jacque Aye’s world, healing doesn’t have to be neat or quiet, it can be messy, it can be loud, “tender and strange all at once”. Aye has made a career of turning life’s struggles into spells of inspiration, blending the whimsical with the painfully real. Through her work, from a Nigerian magical-girl comic to candid online diary entries, she shows that the mundane can be enchanted if you’re willing to look. Talking to Jacque feels like cracking open a window on a heavy day: fresh air rushes in, full of laughter, vulnerability, and the promise that even our darkest moments contain a spark of light.

Growing up in a small Kansas town, Aye often felt like an outsider. As a shy Nigerian-American girl who loved anime and fantasy, she hid parts of herself, worried that “Black people who like weird stuff” wouldn’t be accepted. Years later, that same awkward dreamer would launch a Kickstarter to create the story she wished she’d had as a kid ~ an unabashedly Black, fantastical adventure. In 2017, Jacque’s idea for a magical girl manga set in Nigeria struck a chord: she raised over $18,000 to bring “Adorned by Chi” to life. The resulting comic series follows five Nigerian university students who discover their goddess-like powers, fusing Sailor Moon-style sparkle with Igbo mythology and Afrofuturist flair. What began as a personal labor of love quickly grew into something larger | a vibrant community and brand that affirmed Manga and anime are for Black girls, too.

Since launching Adorned by Chi in 2015, Jacque has watched her whimsical vision blossom beyond her wildest hopes. In just two years, her niche online shop for “misfits and magical girls” transformed into a six-figure business with a devoted following. Fans weren’t just buying cute merch or devouring comics; they were finding a sense of belonging in the colorful universe she created. By 2019, Hollywood came knocking. Aye inked a deal with MWM Universe to develop Adorned by Chi for animation, film/TV and more. Major players took notice of what she’d built: collaborations with Sanrio (the makers of Hello Kitty) and Hot Topic, shout-outs from BuzzFeed and Crunchyroll, all confirming that this quirky Black-girl-magical-girl franchise had struck a cultural nerve. Through it all, Jacque remained at the center as the self-proclaimed “Head Magical Girl” of her tight-knit fandom, leading tens of thousands of followers, 100,000 strong on social media, on a journey that’s as much about mental wellness as it is about manga.

At the heart of Aye’s work is radical honesty and heart. As a woman who has battled depression and crushing anxiety, Jacque refuses to put on a flawless façade. “I cannot handle every hardship thrown my way, I am as soft as tissue paper,” she admits, pushing back against the myth that Black women must be invulnerable. She’s made it her mission to candidly share her struggles in hopes of helping others who feel the same. This vulnerability is her superpower. In her weekly newsletter, a personal “Sadgurlz Club” that reads like a diary, and across her delightfully chaotic social media presence, Aye overshares with purpose. She writes unfiltered essays about feeling lost in her 20s, about heartbreak and healing, about the days when life molly-whops her (as she jokes) and the small, sweet victories that keep her going. Her internet presence is “chaotic, beautiful” and shamelessly real. A space where crying and laughing through the pain coexist. In Jacque’s stories, whether blog entries or fiction, we often meet “woeful women trying their best” against absurd odds. They stumble, they break, they persevere. In one breath she’ll poke fun at her failures; in the next, she’ll spin those failures into insight or fantastical metaphor. The message is comforting in its transparency: you’re not alone, and it’s okay to not be okay.

Aye’s creative universe is painted in shades of pastel pink and midnight black; equal parts whimsy and darkness. She cites surrealist storytellers like Haruki Murakami and Sayaka Murata among her influences, and you can feel it in her writing: a dreamy absurdity grounded by emotional truth. Her breakout book The Magical Girl’s Guide to Life is, on the surface, a fun self-care manual for grown-up geeks; complete with sparkly illustrations and Sailor Moon references. But beneath the cute veneer lies a heartfelt guide to surviving reality using the lessons of fantasy. She urges readers to “inject a bit of magic into their mundane lives,” sharing embarrassing personal anecdotes and gentle exercises for “glowing up when the world feels drab”. In How to Be a Better Adult, her recent surreal comedy of errors, Aye tackles the bleak absurdities of post-college life ~ the dead-end jobs, the bills, the loneliness ~ with wry humor and empathy. It’s part memoir, part mock-guidebook, finding meaning in the mess of growing up. Across all her projects, Aye blends humor, fantasy, and emotional honesty to craft stories that resonate on a soul-deep level. Whether she’s writing about workplace drama or the literal apocalypse, she never loses that light touch. As one profile put it, her work is “a refreshing reminder that we’re all figuring life out one step at a time”.

What makes Jacque’s impact especially profound is how she centers Black girlhood and softness in genres that often left girls like her out. In Aye’s hands, the magical girl archetype isn’t just about sparkly transformation sequences. It’s about claiming the right to be vulnerable, joyful, and seen. She speaks often about the need to treat Black women gently in a harsh world, noting how society expects them to shoulder endless pain without complaint. Her own approach is the opposite: she invites Black women to be “soft”, to embrace their inner child, to indulge in daydreams and “weird” interests as an act of healing. The five heroines of Adorned by Chi are soft-spoken, creative, even shy, yet they are undeniable heroes. This celebration of a different kind of strength (one that cries and feels deeply, yet still stands back up) is threaded through everything Jacque creates. It’s in the gentle affirmations of her journal entries and the empowering geeky merchandise she’s designed. It’s in the way she talks about self-care not as luxury, but survival. Jacque’s broader creative mission seems to be building soft worlds in hard times, carving out imaginative safe havens for those who need them most. In doing so, she’s become a guiding light for a generation of young Black women who see themselves in her stories and realize that they, too, deserve magic and rest.

Now in her early 30s, Jacque Aye stands at a unique intersection of internet culture, entrepreneurship, and art. She’s a writer who can just as easily geek out about anime as delve into introspective musings on therapy. She’s an entrepreneur who turned fandom into a movement, yet measures success not just in sales or follower counts but in moments of genuine connection. (In 2020, for example, Aye rallied her fanbase to help donate $10,000 to the Loveland Foundation, funding therapy for Black women in need. A real-life quest for healing that mirrors her values.) And she’s a budding storyteller-for-hire in the mainstream comic world, recently bringing her voice to beloved franchises. Writing an issue of Monster High for IDW Publishing, she found that her penchant for “weepy girl writing” fit perfectly amid the ghouls and misfit monsters of that universe. It’s a full-circle moment for a self-described nerdy girl: the outsider who once felt too weird for the crowd is now shaping pop culture from the inside, all while staying true to the authentic, magical soul that started it all.

As we prepare to step into Jacque Aye’s imaginative realm, one thing is clear: this isn’t just an interview; it’s an invitation. Aye’s story is about finding magic in the mundane, about slaying life’s monsters (sometimes with a sailor wand in hand) and learning to hug your inner child. Her presence exudes the warmth of someone who has turned her wounds into wisdom, yet kept an impish twinkle in her eye. She speaks with the ease of a storyteller among friends, unafraid to be goofy or profound, often both in the same breath. It’s the kind of voice that makes you feel seen. In the Q&A that follows, Jacque Aye shares the inspirations behind her work, the lessons she’s learned along the way, and what new adventures lie ahead. Grab a cozy seat and maybe a cup of something sweet. Our conversation with this modern magical girl is about to begin.

You’ve built a world where anime, healing, and magic all exist together. Was there ever a moment when you realized this world needed to exist, or that you had to be the one to create it?

No, I never think too deeply about the things I create. I just started making things that spoke to me and telling stories from my soul. It’s not until I look behind me at everything I’ve done that I realize, oh…. all this kind of goes together, ha. 

I think I just try to make what I would need if I weren’t me. And for years I was going through it. Life was kicking my butt. Molly whopping me. Curb stomping, even. So I wrote from a place of pain, but also hope that it would eventually end. And… it has! Now I continue on, because being an introspective, weepy girl is just who I am.

A lot of people know you for helping others heal. What helps you heal when the world is too loud?

That is very shocking to me because I feel like I’m a chaotic gremlin, typing my strange little thoughts onto my little, overheating keyboard. I do try to help in my own way by sharing all my failings and shortcomings. And I always hope others can use me as an example of what not to do, ha.

Whenever I’m asked how I deal with life’s right hook, I always answer the same way: I don’t. I get pummeled. I cry. I write weird essays. I call my friends and ruminate. And then I get a sweet treat to reward myself for continuing on this harrowing rollercoaster called life…. I guess those are my coping skills! I’m also in therapy, and I’ve been in and out of it for years.

If you could create your own anime, what would it be called and what would the main character be healing from?

Hm, I’m not sure what it would be called. But the main character would dedicate her life to making people say what they actually mean. She’d be healing from the epidemic of passive aggression and emotional suppression.

What’s something about softness that people still get wrong ~ especially when it comes to Black women?

I think people assume that a Black woman can handle any hardship thrown her way. I cannot. I am as soft as tissue paper. I persevere because I have to, not because I’m specially equipped. I think more people need to realize that Black women experience more hardship and more pain than our counterparts. And they should treat us even more gently. Instead, we’re disrespected over and over again…

If your younger self could see what you’ve built, what do you think she’d be most surprised by?

I don’t think she’d be surprised. I think she’d think, “Of course I became a weird woman oversharing on the internet. Of course I published those weird little stories.” Actually, she’d be most surprised that I have friends.

You once said, “Not everything has to be a brand.” How do you know when something you love is worth protecting vs something you’re ready to share?

I seem to share most things. From budding crushes to feelings of disappointment, confusion, hope and joy. I don’t keep much to myself. However, there’s a lot that people don’t know about me. The things I keep to myself are the things I consider precious. Things I don’t want tainted by the opinions of others. Things that make me smile and warm my heart. Things I can’t live without.

Your visuals are always on point. What’s the moodboard in your head when you’re styling a new shoot or post? What inspires your aesthetic the most these days?

I usually make Pinterest boards before any shoot I do, with inspirations and all. I’m inspired by Tyler the Creator, Phantom Siita, Lydia Deetz, and Doechii. I’m also inspired by IG baddies. Love them. Recently, someone told me I seemed spooky—in a good way. So I see my aesthetic as that cutesy creepy girl who’s smiling but harboring a deep sadness. Hehe. 

You’re at the head of a magical girl council. Who’s on the squad and what are their powers? You can include real people or fictional characters.

Nah, I’m not the head! My friend Sailor Victoria is! She’s the lead magical girl, and I am her sidekick, splashing my tears in the eyes of her enemies. Her power is the ability to uncover the truth. 

Let’s remix it ~ what would a “Jacque Aye Tarot Deck” look like? Give me 3 cards and their meanings.

Ooo I don’t think I’m qualified to do this! Haha.

You’ve made magic out of everything from merch to therapy tools. What’s the next spell you’re casting that no one sees coming yet?

Well, my next magic trick will be a disappearing act. At the end of the day, I’m working hard so I can escape to nature and be at peace. I want to live in the woods and write in peace and silence. Then I want to take a solid three years to rebuild and breathe before returning to the world at large. Before then? I’m launching a Kickstarter about a struggling musician and the monster under her bed.

Whether she’s crafting new worlds or preparing to vanish into the woods for a much-deserved recharge, Jacque Aye is a reminder that healing and magic often look nothing like we expect. Stay connected with her journey, and keep an eye out for her upcoming Kickstarter project, by following her online and supporting the stories that remind us we’re never too weird, too soft, or too tender to take up space.