MC’s MUSIC LOUNGE: JADE honours her younger self with “Before You Break My Heart”

European pop music hits harder than any other subcategory of pop and the 90s dancefloors will tell you that. Whether it was Spice Girls, Ace of Base or Eiffel 65, chances are you busted a one-two step at some point to the pop coming from Europe. This week features new music from Italian and British pop acts, with UK’s Little Mix alum JADE spreading her “wings” and getting the chance the make the European-infused pop party that is her debut album, That’s Showbiz Baby.

After releasing the UK Top 10 hit “Angel of My Dreams” last July, JADE’s been on a slow journey to this final stage of her album release. She won the Best Pop Brit Award earlier this year, and tore the house down with a show-stopping performance. The album suffered a few delays in the process but she made it a point to stay connected with fans every step of the way and kept them engaged through the entire 14 months it took for the project to finally get released. The album is both experimental and traditional pop – which is basically European pop at its core. The experimental aspect is what sets it apart from the rest. She’s gone so far as to call this album a “rebirth”, and that means giving us c*nty bops. One thing that continued to come to mind upon listening to the record is the strong similarity to Geri Halliwell from the Spice Girls. When Geri released her first solo album Schizophonic in 1999, she prioritized an edgier sound and imagery in comparison to what she did with the Spice Girls. The music had a deeper message and all the videos fed into a storyline. JADE is a student of that school of pop divas and is using her learnings by creating an entire visual album associated with the project. It’s bubbly music yes, but it has something extra to it. It feels like its own category of girl group members gone solo and I need more of it. From the glamourous “Fantasy” to the sexy “Lip Service”, every song on this album has a taste of what makes pop music so great. It’s clear that JADE wants this and is making sure that she’s doing it right. It’s very common for members of UK girl groups to score some success in their hometowns but JADE is determined to take her sound global. It may take some time but American audiences have a history of embracing Europop in different segmented eras, and maybe the time is now.

Next week is a big one with the release of Cardi B’s long awaited second studio album Am I The Drama?, finally. The project is expected to have features ranging from Selena Gomez and Megan Thee Stallion to the queen miss Janet Jackson (!!). Obviously, I’ll be listening. This week is a pop confection with JADE, Damiano David with Tyla and Nile Rodgers, Demi Lovato, Mario and Kali Uchis with Ravyn Lenae. Plus, this week’s viral pick is one for all the milkshakes.

Listen on …

MC’s PICKS OF THE WEEK

“Before You Break My Heart” by JADE

Sampling your own childhood-self singing a classic Supremes song is a move that even I couldn’t have come up with, but wow is it ever brilliant. “Before You Break My Heart” features a sample of The Supremes’ 1965 #1 hit “Stop! In The Name of Love” with a younger JADE as the vocal, taken from a video recording of her as a child. She is easily the most successful solo artist to come out of Little Mix so far, likely due to her incredibly detailed creative vision for this entire debut project. I mean, what a beautiful way to honour your younger self who dreamt of being in the position you finally are in. It also helps that the song is a feel-good track that makes you want to dance through a f*cking field. JADE adds to this dance-pop song with her angelic voice and the use of the sample feels like the ultimate healing moment for her as an artist and a woman in the industry. So much of That’s Showbiz Baby is about the difficulties of being a young woman in such grueling industry. That story is depicted beautifully in the entire visual album, with the visualizer for this song being the ultimate dedication to baby JADE, as she runs around the city with her younger self. It’s the reason a lot of us do the things we do in the first place – for our younger selves. I know I do.

“Talk to Me” by Damiano David, Tyla, Nile Rodgers

Not many other European bands have seen as much success in the last decade as Måneskin. After their international breakthrough post-Eurovision in 2021, they earned their first Grammy nomination in 2023. The band from Rome has since sold millions of albums in a short period of time and continues to perform sold-out world tours. With all this success, lead singer Damiano David is taking a break for some solo work. Well, he actually already has as he released his debut solo album in May of this year, but it’s his new standalone single that has caught my attention. How could it not with a name as iconic as Nile Rodgers attached to it? He did, after all, produce “Like a Virgin” and “Rapper’s Delight”, among other classics. Similar to the 70s pop that is being revisited in Sabrina Carpenter’s music, “Talk to Me” feels like a modern twist on the magic of the Bee Gees/Earth, Wind & Fire. I’d like to reiterate that I’m NOT comparing those icons to Damiano and Tyla, but it’s clear that that is the sound being played with here. Oh, and it’s really fun! Tyla doesn’t generally step into the dance-pop bag too often, but it looks and sounds great on her. Her versatility as an artist is one of the reasons she has continued to evolve so well in her career. The chorus is infectious and sounds like something that will be playing in drug stores and shopping malls for decades. Nile Rodgers has his moment in the bridge where he plays that guitar with that same charisma that helped him create all those hits way back when.

“Here All Night” by Demi Lovato

I never thought I’d say this but I’m so grateful to Demi Lovato for being the dose of fun escapism pop music that I need during such a dark time. Yes, you read that correctly – Demi Lovato is the artist I’m turning to for a good ol’ time. She may have been through some rough patches over the years but she’s finally becoming the pop star she always was deep inside. This new era has her not just embracing those pop roots but making music that is designed specifically for party gays, and f*ck sometimes even this gay (me) who hates clubs just wants to let loose.

The second single off her upcoming album It’s Not That Deep is the electropop banger “Here All Night” and it’s one of the best pop songs released all year. Whether or not it will get the love it deserves at radio and streaming is up to the public, but I can tell you one thing: my ears (like Shakira’s hips) do not lie, and I know a smash when I hear it. During a recent interview with Trisha Paytas (yes, THEEEE Trisha Paytas), Demi talked about her new approach to songwriting and wanting this time around to be less autobiographical and more about the vibes. I don’t blame her, given all the deep trauma she has experienced and shared with fans through her music in the past. Sometimes you just want to dance and she’s doing just that in the music video by making it heavily dance-focused, following the themes of the lyrics which are about dancing through the pain of a heartbreak. Demi premiered the video at a backyard screening event hosted by Trisha where the two snapped photos with fans and screened both Demi and Trisha’s videos, with viral clips of Trisha watching herself at the event making the rounds all weekend long. You may need to be chronically online to understand how iconic this is, so if you’re not you’re just going to have to trust me. Given that Demi chose internet queen Trisha Paytas as the launching ground for the single and music video, it seems she’s finally ready to have a good time as well.

“Nobody but Us” by Mario

Mario has given us countless R&B gems over the years, some of which have become classics like “Let Me Love You” and “How Do I Breathe”, but his music career has had its fair share of setbacks in recent years, like most artists from that era. The difference between Mario and those other artists however is that his instrument (his voice) and his work ethic have only strengthened over the years. You may not have heard his new music on Top 40 radio lately, but he’s very much still working and putting out quality music. After a brief return to the major label system at the end of 2023, he is now releasing music independently and his new single has all the ingredients needed for a 2025 comeback. “Nobody but Us” has all the elements that make a rhythmic radio hit today – a catchy melody, strong vocals, a trap beat, and of course he’s added his own signature “mariooo” tag on that he has sung on his tracks since his debut in 2002. He sings lines like “Last time I hit it, I did not pull out. Now you nine months out” – so it’s safe to assume that the lyrics are about his current girlfriend Esemeralda Rios, whom he recently announced was carrying his first child. Hey, we love an autobiographical king, don’t we? Whether or not he goes the major label route or the independent lane, the one thing that is always guaranteed when it comes to Mario's music is that it will always be up to par with what is expected of an artist of his talent. I’ve always found him to be a little underrated. Sure, he’s got some hits, but his general fan base is relatively niche even after 23+ years in the game. From the sounds of this new music, he’s in love and in a very happy place in his life. I can already hear a Valentine’s Day album coming along, and my bedroom is ready.

“Cry about it!” by Kali Uchis, Ravyn Lenae

One of the best things about music today is that the lines are blurred when it comes to language barriers in commercial songs. Kali Uchis does this beautifully as she has become known for her blending of both Spanish and English lyrics in her music, and this new track with rising star Ravyn Lenae is no different. The song has an old-school R&B vibe with some doo-wop influences, throwing it all the way back to the 60s. There’s nothing like a doo-wop vibe when listening to anything R&B – Bruno Mars has done a great job of incorporating those elements into his music while still maintaining a fresh and current sound. Both Kali and Ravyn have their own distinct tones and energies when they sing, but together they blend seamlessly. The ladies premiered the song during a recent performance on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, helping to bring the song to life from the jump. Both women have softer tones to their voices that echo the Janet Jacksons and Aaliyahs of the world, but together they make for a sensual yet powerful combo that feels destined. We never got the Janet and Aaliyah collaboration that was supposed to happen in 2001, so this feels like the 2025 equivalent. Ravyn has had a manic year with her hit “Love Me Not” becoming a staple on the Billboard Hot 100 top 10 over the summer and an upcoming stint as an opening act for both Renee Rapp and Sabrina Carpenter. Kali Uchis, on the other hand, is in the midst of a sold-out North American arena tour. Let’s hear it for the girls!

MC’s VIRAL PICK

“Milkshake” by Kelis

When discussing music released in the early 2000s, few songs have stood the test of time in terms of sheer relevance more than Kelis’s “Milkshake”. It was a polarizing song at the time and remains one to this day. Back in 2003 when it was first released, it was considered more vulgar but once the girls and the gays took ownership of the song, it became its own juggernaut. One could even argue that asking someone where they first heard the song is telling of which generation they are a part of as it has found a way to maintain relevance for the last 22 years. A millennial might tell you they know it from TRL or the iconic film Mean Girls. Gen Z on the other hand could tell you they heard it from Doja Cat’s “Mooo!”, and finally Gen Alpha (and Gen Z cusp) have a point of reference – KATSEYE and the GAP. A re-recorded version of the song featuring new vocals from Kelis is the soundtrack to the latest GAP jeans campaign starring global girl group KATSEYE and it has caught the internet and world by storm, giving GAP a new level of relevance that they haven’t experienced since the 90s. The choreography in the campaign has taken a life of its own on TikTok with the girls of KATSEYE giving tutorials to the “Milkshake” sample in Doja Cat’s “Mooo!”. Talk about a blending of all the generations. The original version of “Milkshake” is getting a major boost as well as it currently sits at #9 on TikTok’s viral 50 chart and has over 1 million sound uses combined on the platform. Given the recent drama that ensued with the use of the song in a Beyoncé track, it’s nice to see that not only has Kelis come around to letting other artists use her song, but that she also has regained ownership of the songs master by re-recording her vocals. Now that is going to bring the boys to the yard.