After almost eleven years in one of the most successful girl groups of all time, Jade from Little Mix is now just JADE and has been creating her own world that is unique and authentic to her.
As someone who grew up listening to Little Mix, it’s been fascinating to see how the three of them create such different solo music. I was thrilled when her debut single ‘Angel of My Dreams’ first came out. It was bold, loud, and unconventional, defying all expectations. This trend would only continue with her subsequent singles and throughout her debut album.
THAT’S SHOWBIZ BABY! is a collection of 14 tracks that detail JADE’s life as a popstar so far, as well as what she hopes to achieve beyond the Little Mix label. The album’s major genre is her alternative and brash take on pop, with influences from 70s disco, house, and indie rock.
There’s so much that I love about this record. First of all, the production is top notch. Each track is unique and has its own small details and quirks that set the songs apart from each other. The songwriting is also incredibly strong throughout. This has always been one of JADE’s strengths since her time in Little Mix, and it continues to remain so. One of my favourites is the fire metaphor she uses in ‘Natural at Disaster’; from matches catching fire to them turning to ashes, lines like these help to develop the story she’s conveying. Vocally, she sounds incredible, and I love how she sounds so diverse throughout the album; she’s making the best use of her voice as an additional instrument.
She’s also made this album a visual one. Music videos are becoming a lost art, but she’s given each song its own visualiser to help us understand what they mean and what she wants us to take away from them. I also enjoy how campy and over the top her videos can be; she never shys away from not looking her best as long as it tells the story.
I have so many favourite songs from this album, but if I had to choose, ‘FUFN’, ‘Plastic Box’, ‘Self Saboteur’, and ‘Lip Service’ are my favourites. These songs are so much fun while also dealing with such diverse subjects, and JADE sounds fantastic on all of them. Another production highlight is the flawless transition from ‘Self Saboteur’ to ‘Lip Service’; you don’t even notice a new song has started.
However, some songs did not quite work for me. After listening to the entire album, ‘Midnight Cowboy’ and ‘Unconditional’ appear to be the weakest singles. Although I appreciate her experimentation, the tracks don’t have the same impactful payoff as ‘Angel of My Dreams’ for example, and feel like they disturb the album’s flow in comparison to stronger songs.
‘Headache’ is my least favourite song. Even though I enjoy the idea of establishing herself as a headache you can’t get rid of, the song feels like it’s full of ideas that don’t quite work together. I don’t think its position on the album helps it. It’s wedged between (in my opinion) two of the album’s best songs, making it appear worse than it actually is.
Finally, and this is just a personal issue, the first seven songs on the album were all pre-released as singles, so we were already familiar with the first half. I think that this stops you from fully immersing yourself in the record and its overall atmosphere within the first twenty minutes, as there is no fresh music or surprises.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this album. It’s bold, experimental, and out there, and it truly helps establish JADE’s identity as a solo artist. I admire her for taking so many risks, even if they did not all pay off for me, because it shows her desire to bring something fresh to the mainstream pop world. I think this is a fantastic start to her solo career, and I’m looking forward to seeing what else she has to give in the future.
8/10
