I was never much of a Little Mix fan, but South Shields’ own JADE immediately caught my attention with her solo music. Debuts from former girl group members can often be a little safe, but JADE has swerved right past this and fully committed to maximalist pop that is packed with personality. Considering she was ¼ of one of the biggest mainstream pop groups of the past decade, I was pleasantly surprised by how creative her songwriting approach is; she’s playful with structure, draws from a rich pool of influences and is unflinching in her lyrics about the realities of fame. This album is the definition of breaking the mould. LT

Out now on 

RCA