In a jumble of chaos and glitter, Jade Thirlwall bursts onto the scene with her debut solo album THAT’S SHOWBIZ BABY! Initially gaining fame through her appearance on “The X Factor” as part of the girl group Little Mix, Thirlwall now channels that same star quality into a project that is equal parts a theatrical spectacle and an intimate, personal statement. The album doesn’t just continue her legacy — it refracts it, transforming the polish of pop stardom into something messier, louder and completely her own.
Having followed a traditional path into stardom, Thirlwall is ready to break free from the shackles holding her back. THAT’S SHOWBIZ BABY! revels in that liberation, spinning tales of ambition, exhaustion, incredible highs and the inevitable crash landings that follow. The record balances tongue-in-cheek showmanship with gut-punch honesty, capturing what it feels like to love the spotlight while continuing to question everything it demands in return.
“Angel of My Dreams” opens the album with a grand, operatic lament, but Thirlwall switches it up quickly, changing to a faster tempo after the first verse. The bass thunders like the soundtrack to a cinematic car chase. This first segment sets the stage for the rest of the album, reminding us that Thirlwall always has another twist hiding up her sleeve. The lyrics explore her complicated relationship with the music industry, contrasting the money-hungry moguls with her feelings of elation at being the center of attention. Some lyrics lean into a deliberately dumbed-down style: “When the camera flashy, / I act so happy” mirroring the pressure often placed on women to play a watered-down version of themselves in order to succeed. Thirlwall’s vocals are distorted, sped up and slowed down throughout the song, constantly keeping the listener guessing what’s going to happen next. The chorus especially highlights this rollercoaster.
The second track, “IT girl,” opens similarly, and for a moment I worried that every song was going to follow the same formula. Instead, Thirlwall pivots into electronic instrumentals that build the intensity and drama. The pulsating beats mimic strobe lights; her harsh delivery makes listeners feel overwhelmed before she breaks away into theatrical vocals once again, providing a sense of relief. The final lyric, “It’s a no from me,” lands like a mic drop, cutting through the glitz with a sharp dose of rejection that feels cheeky and defiant. The song is sung from the perspective of a music industry executive trying to convince Thirlwall to sign a contract that’ll make her “Say goodbye to autonomy.” There’s venom in the way she spits out the lyrics — you can taste the resentment. With “IT girl,” Thirlwall creates a call-and-response between herself and the executives. Her lyrics double as anthems of self-empowerment, refusing to let the industry box her in. They emphasize that she’s not some toy they can play with, but an independent artist, creative and passionate about her craft.
Thirlwall clearly loves theatrics. Despite the drab and dark parts of the music industry that her lyrics address, the songs still sparkle and strut, giving each track its own unique flair. “FUFN” shifts the vibe into full-on party mode, its chant-worthy chorus begging to be screamed with friends on a dance floor, even if it doesn’t lean into Thirlwall’s impressive vocal range as much as some of the other songs do. “Midnight Cowboy” slows things down with a sultry, self-assured swagger while later tracks like “Unconditional” lean into rousing ’80s synths, building up to the chorus where we hear Thirlwall resigning herself to the unconditional love she feels for this person even if “her heart explodes.” “Glitch” offers one of the record’s most inventive moments, its glitchy production underscoring the bit of Thirlwall’s delivery. “Silent Disco” closes the album, tying a nice bow on the project and leaving the listener focused on its highs, even if some moments in the middle falter.
Most of the tracks hover around the three-minute mark, but parts of the album feel dragged out — as if Thirlwall was trying a little too hard to hit that perfect radio-friendly length. Certain moments come off as filler, included just to meet that “magic” time frame, while others are particularly captivating yet cut short. Had Thirlwall leaned further into the more eccentric instrumentals that occasionally emerge throughout the project, another layer of depth could have been added to the album.
Having a preestablished reputation in the music industry can make it challenging to break away to and forge your own path, but Thirlwall rises to the challenge with THAT’S SHOWBIZ BABY! The album balances pulsing electronic beats and cinematic swells with honest reflections on fame, ambition and the pressures women face in the industry. Each track asserts her independence while keeping the spotlight firmly on the fun. In the end, Thirlwall doesn’t just put on a show — she reminds listeners that the stage is hers to command, on her own terms.
Daily Arts Writer Caroline Nowik can be reached at cnowik@umich.edu.
