When British singer JADE stretched her sequin-clad leg out from behind the red curtains, the audience of millennial girls and gays went wild.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Born Jade Thirlwall, the pop singer and former Little Mix star performed to a sold-out crowd at the House of Blues on Thursday, packing the intimate venue for the Chicago stop of her first solo tour.\u00a0<\/p>\n
JADE\u2019s setlist featured her debut solo studio album, \u201cTHAT\u2019S SHOWBIZ BABY!,\u201d which released in September 2025. In her glitzy yet campy album, the artist sings about the highs and lows of her experience as a woman in the entertainment industry.<\/p>\n
Onstage, she was joined by a small but mighty team: two backup dancers, a drummer and a guitarist who doubled as keys. In a high-intensity show, JADE kept up with demanding choreography while belting vocals nearly equal to her studio recordings.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Her girl-group background was evident in her commanding stage presence and sharp yet sultry dance moves. The 33-year-old singer got her start on \u201cThe X-Factor\u201d at 15 years old and eventually rose to fame in 2011 as part of the popular girl group Little Mix.<\/p>\n
JADE said she was \u201clucky\u201d to be part of Little Mix for over a decade, and yet is so grateful to get to do it all again \u2014 this time,\u00a0on her own.<\/p>\n
What struck me most was JADE\u2019s sincere connection with her crowd of adoring fans.<\/p>\n
The attendees\u2019 facial expressions seemed to be full of pride: They\u2019ve followed JADE through her music career, watching her grow from her early days as a girl group member into a solo act.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Near the middle of the show, JADE, in her charming British accent, asked for the house lights on so she could see the attendees\u2019 outfit choices. The venue was small enough for her to point people out individually and have brief, but meaningful, interactions. JADE smiled at someone dressed like a \u201cshower loofah,\u201d who was apparently referencing a dress she wore in the early 2010s.<\/p>\n
When a person in the crowd fainted, the singer paused the performance and offered to bring the attendee \u2014 who was afraid of missing the show \u2014 backstage, promising to say hello to her when the show ended.<\/p>\n
I overheard a few concertgoers complaining about how the venue was oversold. But to me, this was a heartwarming sign of JADE\u2019s large, passionate fanbase. The venue was standing room only, so attendees were grooving along with the onstage performers. During a break between songs, someone shouted that JADE should perform in an arena next time, and she gave a cheeky grin.<\/p>\n
In \u201cNatural at Disaster,\u201d JADE sat alone in the center of the stage, elegantly draped in a red velvet curtain, in what she described as a \u201cMother Gothel\u201d look.<\/p>\n
For another show-stopping moment, JADE ascended to a second-floor balcony and sang\u00a0 \u201cSilent Disco\u201d an arm\u2019s reach away from her fans. A single, golden spotlight shone on her as she crooned her ballad, and sighs of admiration echoed throughout the crowd.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The set ended on \u201cAngel Of My Dreams,\u201d the song that kickstarted JADE\u2019s solo career. In the middle of the song, she disappeared into a mess of strobe lights and dramatically reemerged with large, feathery angel wings on her back and prop arrows pinned to her chest.<\/p>\n
At the end of the ninety-minute set, JADE and her company took their bows. The crowd\u2019s applause shook the room, making it clear that her first solo endeavor has made JADE an \u201cIT Girl.\u201d<\/p>\n
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