BBC Proms: JADE and the Royal Northern Sinfonia at The Glasshouse
The former Little Mix - and always South Shields - star made BBC Proms history in Sage One during a powerful, emotional and one-night-only performance
Singer JADE made a thrilling return to her native North East this weekend, headlining a landmark BBC Proms concert at The Glasshouse in Gateshead.
The performance marked a cultural milestone as the first-ever televised BBC Proms concert outside London, and JADE rose to the occasion with a show that was part celebration, part statement - and all class.
After rising to fame on The X Factor and spending over a decade topping charts and breaking records with girlband powerhouse, Little Mix, South Shields-born JADE is now stepping confidently into her solo chapter.
This Proms concert - staged on her home turf and backed by the world-class Royal Northern Sinfonia (RNS) - confirmed just how ready she is to take that next step.
Conducted by Robert Ames - a conductor and composer known for his bold programming and boundary-pushing collaborations - the RNS transformed JADE’s growing catalogue into orchestral gold.
Tracks like It Girl, F U F N and the smash hit Angel of My Dreams were reimagined with cinematic flair, full of swelling strings, delicate percussion, and thoughtful, textured arrangements that never overshadowed the star at the centre.
There was also a haunting rendition of Madonna’s Frozen and - of course - celebratory salute to her Little Mix days with Sweet Melody.
JADE’s voice - agile, commanding, and distinctively beautiful - cut cleanly through the arrangements with both power and precision… and she also revelled in a nostalgic Clubland medley, dedicated to her in-attendance brother, Karl, whose mixtapes introduced a young Jade Thirlwall to dance music through her bedroom wall.
The evening was a true homecoming - and not just in geography terms. The 32-year-old (anyone else feel very old and underachieving?) spoke about performing at The Glasshouse as a teenager after winning a local competition, reflecting on how far she had come since those early days on that very stage and never missing a chance to put on record (or radio) just how much the region means to her.
JADE also used the occasion to highlight the urgency of continued arts funding for working-class young people.
With Chancellor Rachel Reeves, North East Mayor Kim McGuinness, and Newcastle MP Chi Onwurah all in the building, the message was unmistakable - this kind of talent doesn’t just appear; it needs to be nurtured, supported, and backed by real investment.
A standout moment later in her set came in her stunning cover of Sam Fender’s Remember My Name, beautifully reworked for the orchestra. Layering her distinct style with Fender’s lyrics, JADE left the room hushed, still and blown away.
The encore saw her bring her niece onto stage for a special debut performance of a track from her forthcoming debut solo album, That’s Showbiz, Baby, due for release on September 12. Built around a sample of a Motown classic, it offered even more reasons for fans to get excited about the long player in the offing.
The evening was hosted by BBC Radio 3’s Elizabeth Alker with Radio One DJs, Greg James and Sian Eleri and support came from Middlesbrough singer-songwriter Finn Forster, whose sharp, melodic songwriting and grounded presence made for a perfect warm-up act.
Staging and production was sleek and elegant, letting the music breathe while turning The Glasshouse into a space that felt both grand and deeply personal.
This wasn’t a nostalgic set or a tentative solo step. It was a confident, expressive performance from an artist who knows exactly where she’s come from - and exactly where she’s going.
JADE used the Proms stage not only to showcase her range, but to say something bigger: that regional voices matter, that working-class talent is world-class, and that investment in the arts is not optional - it’s essential.
The standing ovation which applauded her off stage was one with many layers… just like JADE’s style-stamping ballgown.
You can listen to the concert on BBC Sounds here. It will be televised on BBC iPlayer later in the year.
JADE’s headline concert was the centrepiece of a four-day BBC Proms residency in the North East - the fourth time the festival has come to the region, and its most ambitious yet.