Some debuts take place in the spotlight, with the weight of history behind them and the pressure to prove themselves. Then some debuts choose the path of freedom. That’s Showbiz Baby, the first solo album by JADE (formerly the voice and face of Little Mix), belongs to the latter category.
Released on September 12th, 2025, on RCA Records, the album represents an act of artistic emancipation and a journey into the many worlds that Jade Thirlwall has decided to explore on her own: from sparkling pop to luxurious disco, to bass-heavy, dark, and sensual soundscapes.
The project had been eagerly awaited for some time. Back in 2023, the singer had been spotted in the studio with Lostboy and Tove Lo, names that alone would suggest a bold and contemporary work. Later, other notable names joined the project, including Raye, MNEK, and her boyfriend, Jordan Stephens. It is not surprising, then, that the tracklist sounds like a kaleidoscopic collection, bringing together the different aspects of her personality.
The list of producers involved is impressive: Cirkut, Mike Sabath, Oscar Görres, Grades, Starsmith, and many others. In an interview with Rolling Stone UK, the artist revealed that she never felt pressure to replicate Little Mix’s global success. “If the label had forced me to be as big as the band right away, I would have been anxious. Instead, they gave me the freedom to find my own sound,” she explained. And this freedom is evident: there is experimentation, but without the anxiety of an immediate hit; there is theatricality, but without the obligation to please at all costs.
Listening to the album in its entirety, there is an almost natural division into two stylistic blocks. On the one hand, there are the “lush disco songs”, sparkling tracks ready for the dance floor, such as Plastic Box, Fantasy, and Self Saboteur. These are songs with driving beats, luxurious synths, and layered backing vocals: the ideal soundtrack for those seeking glamour and energy.
On the other hand, there are the “sexy, moody bass-heavy” moments, built on deep bass lines and more sensual, nocturnal atmospheres. This is the case with It Girl, Midnight Cowboy, and Headache, tracks that evoke smoky clubs and tense glances
The glue between these two worlds are tracks such as Unconditional and FUFN (F*ck You for Now). The former, dedicated to her mother who suffers from lupus, was born from a typically “Jade” intuition: “How can I write a sad song that also makes us dance?”, she said. FUFN, on the other hand, is an ironic and liberating anthem that manages to balance lightness and pain.
Beyond the impeccable production and carefully crafted atmospheres, what really sets That’s Showbiz Baby apart is JADE’s voice: capable of great control in both the softest passages and the most powerful belted moments. She knows how to move from more intimate low registers to clear falsettos, displaying a stage presence that is not just singing, but emotional storytelling.
Alongside the music, Jade also worked meticulously on the visual aspects. The videos for the singles (Angel of My Dreams, Fantasy, Plastic Box) display a strong aesthetic and theatrical identity. The sets, costumes, and photography speak the same language as the music: glamour and darkness, irony and sensuality. It is clear how much work went into this, and how much Jade wanted to control every detail of her project.
With That’s Showbiz Baby, Jade proves herself to be a certified pop graduate: a musician who has learned a lot from her time with Little Mix, but who is not afraid to turn the page.
It is not just a debut: it is a manifesto of creative freedom. And, apart from a few less immediate moments, it remains one of the most complete and personal pop works of the year. In short, it is an album that truly manages to transform pain, irony, and joy into spectacle. Because, as the title says, that’s showbiz, baby.
Success was not long in coming: That’s Showbiz Baby debuted at #3 on the UK Albums Chart. This result not only confirms the anticipation surrounding the project but also makes it the biggest solo debut album of 2025 in the UK. In Scotland, the album reached number two, while in Ireland it debuted at number nine, consolidating the international reach of Jade’s work, who’s now ready to embark on a tour with two sold-out dates in Dublin at the Olympia Theatre.