Empowering, phenomenal, authentic and witty are words her fans would use to describe her. But what is that spark behind Jade Thirlwall that draws Mixers around the world to her? She has been one third of Little Mix for over a decade, the biggest girl group in the world. But what most people might not know is that, according to Perrie Edwards, Jade is the one who kept Little Mix together all these years. So what makes the gorgey hun from South Shields so special?
“Her talent is overflowing, it’s explosive. Someone so talented is going places, you know? I feel like the only way is up for her.”, Leigh-Anne Pinnock once said in an interview.
And that does describe Jade perfectly. Being a part of a girl group for so long, you would think that the talent is split and each member can’t really stand on their own. For these girls, that most certainly doesn’t apply. If you know Jade, you know that she has a very unique personality, an incredible sense of humor and talents for days. She has made a name for herself not just as an artist and outstanding songwriter, but as an important ally for the LGBTQ+ community and a voice for all women and charity as well.
Jade always stood up for what’s right, even when it came to label difficulties, and never hesitated to speak up against any media hate. Knowing the power she has, being part of a force that made history together, she has been a huge advocate for what matters most to her. With that, Jade set a great example for others to follow.
Her journey hasn’t been easy and it took a few steps backwards to make the big jump forward into the career that was meant to be, so what? She has proven that she is deserving of all the success that came and will continue to come her way. Working on every single step of the process, she has the ability to listen and understand what people like, and uses that vision to create something new that has her own style imprinted in it. Everything she does from music, TV appearances, charity and brand collaborations, to opening her own cocktail bar Arbeia in her home-town South Shields, Jade puts passion into all she does and is determined to make the best out of it. And she always does it with lots of laughter and a touch of pure joy, which is one of the reasons why we all love following her journey. Would you believe that she is actually shy and a very private person? Let’s keep it between us.
When asking fans about the impact Jade has made on them, it quickly became clear to me that she has been a huge inspiration and role model to young fans worldwide. She taught them to love and embrace who they are, she inspired them to use their voices and become better people. The way she has shown her values, the kind of person she is in her humble personality, seeing her hard work and determination and how devoted and loyal she is with people she loves, inspires them to proudly be their own selves.
Watching Jade thrive and succeed further and further encouraged fans to start chasing their own dreams. And by being her humorous self, she has helped Mixers get through their mental struggles and find happiness again. How special is that? Jade has been uplifting a whole generation, always representing her Arabic heritage, her Northern roots and the female power she embraces. And yet, she is still very much underrated and unappreciated for her impact on the music industry and being the icon she is.
For me personally, Jade Thirlwall has been such a light and breath of fresh air, especially during the peak of the pandemic when we all needed a spark of joy in our lives. Her social media presence is very much entertaining and her struggles with technology, when going live on Instagram, made her even more relatable. And if you wanna get a sense of sassy Jade, go look at her replies to TikTok comments. The way she lives carelessly and gives the world content to enjoy, it’s such a blessing.
It’s really not that hard to be a good person and, as Jade herself once said, it’s really not that hard to be an ally. So shout out to the real Angel of the North because, thanks to strong women like her, our generation and society are moving in the right direction. We’re still a mess with our glory days yet to come, but it takes more than words to get our wings to fly. Luckily, there’s women like Jade to help us believe that we are good and strong enough to create the future we deserve.
ROARA Magazine 