"What I'm going for is a relentless, huge pop punch to the
face. I want people to be like 'oh my god,
I didn't expect that' – but then want to listen to it again.”
JADE, a.k.a. Jade Thirlwall of multi-platinum
selling, BRIT Award winning pop phenomenon Little Mix, today releases
her highly anticipated debut solo single, “Angel of My Dreams.”
JADE co-wrote 'Angel of My Dreams' in LA alongside
Steph Jones (Sabrina Carpenter's Espresso), Pablo Bowman (Calvin Harris'
Miracle) and producer Mike Sabath (RAYE). The track is a frenetically
shapeshifting, gloriously OTT banger that explores her love/hate
relationship with a pop industry she's been at the heart of since
2011.
“I didn't want to do a safe first single, that was really important to me,” JADE states. “I'm setting the tone of who I am as an artist on my own. I want people to hear it and be like 'what the fuck is that song?'. My worst nightmare is for someone to hear my song and go 'that's nice'.”
The lyrical themes are brought to life via an eye-popping video
that takes the song's playful storytelling and blows it up into big neon
letters. Directed by Aube Perrie (Harry Styles, Megan Thee Stallion), and
filmed over four days (“the budget was budgeting” laughs JADE), it's a visual
feast, inspired by the Fifth Element, Showgirls and Black Swan, that stars
various versions of Jade all scrapping for the spotlight.
“There’s 11 looks in the video! The concept is sort of rags to
riches It was emotional actually because for one bit I’m busking and walking
past a Sainsbury’s Local. When I was 16, I would stand outside my local
Sainsbury’s and sing Christmas songs.”
It's been a long, carefully chosen path to get to
'Angel of My Dreams'. When Little Mix announced their hiatus in
2022, JADE started to set her solo career in motion across multiple studio
sessions with collaborators including MNEK, Cirkut, Lostboy, RAYE, Lauren
Aquilina and Dave Hamelin alongside Mike, Steph and Pablo. 'Angel of My Dreams'
immediately jumped out as the lead single. Built around a cheeky, knowing
sample of Sandie Shaw's 1967 hit 'Puppet on a String', lyrically JADE wanted to
reflect on her time in an industry that has brought her both unimaginable highs
and deep lows.
“It's about how obsessed I am with the industry – so there are
lyrics like “love when you call me a star” – but also there's the dark side
that comes with that. It's not as glam as it seems.” The sample, which JADE
had wanted to use in a song for years, was chosen very specifically. “In the
beginning of our career you do think you are this puppet, but at the same time
it isn't true – we wrote a lot of our songs, and we were behind a lot of what
we put out there. I resented that as a statement. So it felt natural to take
that and show that it can be true and untrue at the same time.”
The track is Jade delivering Big Pop Girl Energy. It is,
as she says, doing the most; it's OTT, it's ridiculous and it's gloriously WTF.
“This dawn of pop girls giving people everything is so exciting. It couldn't be better timing for my music. I'm so proud of it and I can say that with chest. The fans have waited long enough so now we just want to give it to them".
About Sony Music Entertainment
At Sony Music Entertainment, we honor the creative
journey. Our creators shape movements, culture, communities, even history. And
we’ve played a pioneering role in music history, from establishing the
first-ever music label to inventing the flat disc record. We’ve nurtured some
of music’s most iconic artists and produced some of the most influential
recordings of all time. Today, we work in more than 100 countries, supporting a
diverse and distinctive roster of talented creators at every level and on every
stage. Situated at the intersection of music, entertainment, and technology, we
bring imagination and expertise to emerging products and platforms, embrace new
business models, and employ breakthrough tools—all to support the creative
community’s experimentation, risk-taking, and growth. And we form deep,
trusted, cause-based partnerships to uplift and empower communities around the
world. Sony Music Entertainment is part of the global Sony family. Learn more
about our creators and labels here.
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