If there is one person who knows how to put on a proper show, who has all the skills trained for perfection and who knows exactly how to move in the spotlight, it is JADE. Formerly known as Jade Thirlwall, one of four who together were one of the most iconic girlbands of the past decade: Little Mix.
JADE has released her very first solo album THAT’S SHOWBIZ BABY! in 2025 and she is now putting words into practice on the ‘THAT’S SHOWBIZ BABY! THE TOUR’.
Even though she is used to playing arenas with the group, it was not guaranteed that her solo career would be as successful. The venues that were chosen for this tour were a safe bet as these were smaller, more intimate rooms. Ofcourse, the tour sold out so fast, they had to add extra dates.
The 9th of March, a Monday evening, was one of those extra added dates. Her second night in Amsterdam. What a spectacular night it was. If you would arrive at the venue at the time the doors were opening, you would find a queue so long, it led around the corner, even past the Hard Rock Cafe. From the back of the queue, you could see the entrance to Vondelpark.
To get the crowd warmed up before the actual start of the show, there was DJ Adam Theo. He asked everyone to sing along if they knew any of the songs. He knew just what to play for this crowd. He started off with one of Hillary Duff’s newest releases, followed by multiple hits from Ariana Grande, one from Chappell Roan and the crowd went absolutely wild when he played ‘Shout Out to My Ex’ and ‘Power’ from Little Mix. It was safe to say that after a mix of these hit songs the fans’ lungs were all warmed up for what was coming next.
As she is an expert on ‘Showbiz’, the expectations for the show were high. A very theatrical scene farmed on stage where crew members seemed to be dusting the pieces of decor on a tune which felt as if it was straight out of a cabaret show. When the lights dimmed, a spotlight appeared on the decor curtains. As the first notes of ‘FUFN (Fuck You For Now)’ sounded through the speakers, a very elegant arm came through the split in the curtains. Next, a leg appeared through the split. At last, Jade came fully through the curtains. The earlier mentioned high expectations were already met within the first song alone. The choreography, the costumes on both Jade and her dancers, the decor, every detail was thought through. The only thing which was slightly off, was the loudness of the backing track compared to Jade’s live vocals. This issue seemed to be fixed as the show progressed.
Coming from such a successful girl band, Jade has everything to be the next big pop star. She is the it girl, she even says so herself. To witness a show that has everything it would need to be played in an arena, in such an intimate venue was a magical experience.
Jade announced that she was going to play every song on the album and she was met with the loudest cheering from the crowd. Jade also opened up about the journey of being a solo artist after being in a group for so many years. She said she had to learn how to be more vulnerable in this process. She was used to writing and performing these upbeat, powerful anthems. As a solo artist, it is expected to share more of your own story which made her feel particularly vulnerable while writing these songs. ‘Unconditional’ is a result of those writing sessions. Performed live, the emotional attachment she has to this song became very clear.
Jade is known for her active allyship to the lgbtq+ community. Before she sang ‘Self Saboteur’, she emphasized how important the lgbtq+ community had been for her. So many of her friends who helped her become who she is now, are part of this community. She also said it is so special to her that her music and her shows can be a safe space for people. The feeling is mutual, as she said the fans are very much a safe space to her as well.
After singing ‘Midnight Cowboy’, ‘gossip’ and ‘IT GIRL’, she disappeared off stage and all the lights went off. It was as if the show had ended. Except, it had not, for she had promised to sing all songs on the album and we were missing a few very important ones. Something was happening in the back of the room. More and more faces started to turn around, away from the stage. Until everybody was looking at the balcony in the back of the room. A security guard positioned himself strategically, so a free path appeared to walk in between the fans.
Finally, Jade appeared on the balcony. She started singing ‘Silent Disco’. While singing, Jade held hands with two fans. With the light reflecting from the giant disco ball in the center of the ceiling, it was a beautiful scene to watch. When she ascended back to the stage, she ended the night with ‘Church’ followed by ‘Angel of my Dreams’. The long and loud applause she got was very well deserved.
Written by: Demi Anne
Edited by: Sabine de Graaf
