Calvin WalkerWhen Jade hits high notes, it’s like being pushed in front of a bus. It’s sudden, overwhelming, and impossible to ignore.
Oh, how I live for it.
Jade does that more than once on That’s Showbiz Baby, her debut album hitting streaming services and record shop shelves today. She’s taken life experiences, chucked them through a prism, and made 14 tracks that can only be described as Big Pop.
Mike Sabath Brings Jade’s Big Pop Vision to Life
Having co-written every song, Jade has proven she has a point of view. While the album is a gallery exhibit putting her vocal mastery on display, she never shines brighter than when paired with Mike Sabath who produced almost 50% of the album.
Here’s what I mean.
‘Fantasy’ was a disco-tinged exploration of sexual desires that solidified Jade as music’s latest Pop diva. ‘Unconditional’ is an intergalactic joy ride that pulls in the vocal stylings of Siobhán Donaghy and Margaret Berger. ‘Before You Break My Heart’ twists its sample of The Supremes’ ‘Stop! In the Name of Love’ just enough to make it feel current and nostalgic. There’s a childlike quality that can be heard throughout the song and for good reason.
“What’s really special about that is the chorus vocal is actually me as a child singing [that song]. It’s about me not forgetting my younger self and losing sight of that in this showbiz world,” she said in an NME interview.
And they’re all produced by Sabath. These two together are like Brandy and Rodney Jerkins. Aaliyah with Timbaland and Missy Elliott. The aforementioned are true Pop innovators and I’m confident enough to say Jade + Mike Sabath fit right in.
The Album’s Breakout Moment
Even still, it was two British producers, MNEK and Lostboy, who have stolen the show. If the other tracks are foundational pieces that build a cohesive record, ‘Natural at Disaster’ is the crown jewel. Despite being a song that serves as a letter to be read to someone during an intervention, it starts off with a dreamlike quality. But as we hit the pre-chorus, a darkness blossoms.
Well done, you, for rainin’ on every parade till it turns black and blue
It’s just what you do
And well done, me, for lettin’ you step over every single boundary
Does that make me weak?
With moments of spoken word layered on top of a dramatic beat, there’s an echo of Charli XCX’s ‘Set Me Free (Feel My Pain)’ which is arguably one of her best songs. But that’s not the only reference detected.
Jade also does the impossible by successfully weaving in the emotional energy of Kelly Clarkson’s cover of Billie Eillish’s ‘Happier Than Ever.’ I know. That’s a lot to decipher and, once you wrap your head around it, you’ll see how brilliant it really is. Billboard ranked ‘Natural at Disaster’ as the 11th best song on the album, but even Billboard can get it wrong.
Was That’s Showbiz Baby Worth the Wait?
The rollout for this debut effort was frustrating. Half the album trickled out over the past year. As much as I wanted the full meal back then, being served so consistently did sustain interest. It was enough to make me pre-order the album on vinyl.
Now that it’s here, I can finally say That’s Showbiz Baby was more than worth the wait. It’s proof that when everything good about Pop collides, the result doesn’t just sparkle. It, well, hits you like a bus.
