Jade Thirlwall's Leeds Triumph Proves Pop Girls Were Never the Problem
Jade Thirlwall has delivered a pointed rebuke to the festival establishment, declaring that her former band Little Mix were shamefully 'overlooked' during their heyday. The Geordie singer, now a formidable solo act, made her long-awaited Leeds Festival debut on Sunday, treating the crowd to a set that mixed her own hits with a nostalgic nod to her girlband roots.
For those who remember the X Factor glory days of 2011, Little Mix were once the pride of British pop. Yet, as Thirlwall herself noted, the festival circuit never came calling. Speaking exclusively backstage at Leeds, she did not mince words about the snub.
'We never really booked many festivals in our career. I don't know why. I think as we were pop girlies back in the day, it was a bit shunned upon. But I feel now, the pop girlies are smashing it and it's undeniable so they get invited to these festivals.'
It is a sentiment that will resonate with many who felt the British music industry too often looked down its nose at chart-friendly pop in favour of more 'credible' genres. Thirlwall, however, is not one to dwell on past slights. Her performance, which included renditions of Touch, Shout Out To My Ex, Reggaetón Lento, Wasabi and Power, was a masterclass in showmanship.
Why did Little Mix miss out on festivals like Reading and Leeds?
The answer, according to Thirlwall, lies in an outdated snobbery. 'Being here on my own feels really f***ing special actually,' she told the crowd, 'because I know how much we grafted to be here.' Her words were echoed a day earlier at Reading Festival, where she joked: 'You may not know, but I used to be in a girl band.'
It is a remarkable journey for a group that was once dismissed by the gatekeepers of the live music scene. Little Mix, comprising Thirlwall, Jesy Nelson, Leigh-Anne Pinnock and Perrie Edwards, went on to become one of the most successful girl groups in British history, with multiple chart-topping albums and a legion of devoted fans.
What does Jade Thirlwall's solo success mean for British pop?
Following the bitter departure of Nelson in 2020 and the subsequent indefinite hiatus of the group, Thirlwall has carved out a solo career that has exceeded all expectations. Her debut album That's Showbiz Baby has been a critical and commercial triumph.
A source close to the singer told this paper: 'Jade has more than proved herself since the release of That's Showbiz Baby. She's done so many festivals in recent years but to be at Reading and Leeds really is the icing on the cake for her.'
As the sun broke through the clouds over Leeds, Thirlwall paid homage to her past, acknowledging 'one of the best girl bands in the world' before launching into a medley of Little Mix's greatest hits. It was a moment of triumph, not just for her, but for every pop act that was ever told they didn't belong on a festival main stage.
The message is clear: the pop girlies are here to stay, and the festival circuit is all the better for it.