Jade Thirlwall makes history at BBC Proms as she pays tearful tribute to North East icon
Jade Thirlwall made an emotional return to her native North East with a powerful and intimate performance for BBC Proms. The former Little Mix star, 32, admitted she had gone "full circle" as she took to the stage at Gateshead's exquisite venue, The Glasshouse International Centre for Music, on Friday night.
It marked the South Shields star's first welcome home as a solo artist over a decade after catapulting to fame after her X Factor success. And the show she put on for her adoring fans was nothing short of spectacular.
After being introduced to the stage by Radio 1's Greg James, Jade gave the crowd a show to remember on the history-making occasion. Accompanied throughout by the immensely talented Royal Northern Sonfonia, who were superbly orchestrated by Robert Ames, Jade's tunes had an added twist to them.
She mixed things up with an entertaining blend of her own songs, beautiful covers and medleys to boot. Oh, and of course one of her favourite Little Mix numbers, too, which was made all the more special to her thanks to the orchestra.
The venue on the banks of the River Tyne provided the perfect backdrop for Jade's powerful vocals to reverberate. AS well as her own huge tracks such as Plastic Box, FUFN, and Angel of My Dreams, the talented vocalist impressed with covered songs that meant a lot to her.
After starting with Madonna's Frozen, she then treated the crowd one of her top three Little Mix numbers. Expressing how she had "waited years for this moment" she belted out Sweet Melody with the backing help of the sinfonia.
Perhaps the performance of the night soon followed, though, before she dedicated a Clubland medley to her brother Karl, who was in attendance. Paying tribute to the "King of the North," Jade produced a flawless and spine tingling performance of Sam Fender's Remember My Name.
The emotional number had fans in tears before Jade teared up while explaining the sentimental meaning behind her choice. With her voice breaking, she revealed the song had been played at a friend's funeral just weeks ago.
The candid confession was met with huge support from the crowd, some of who shouted out to gush over their "Angel of the North".
In between the tunes, Jade continued to shower praise on her north east roots at every given opportunity - including her love of homemade mince and dumplings. And the down to earth interactions saw her happily respond to outbursts of adoration from the crowd as she sipped on her tea.
And she also had time for one last surprise at the end of the night - but insisted phones were put away to treasure the moment and keep the surprise in tact. Let's just say fans are in for a real treat!
While the concert was being broadcast live on BBC Radio 3 on the night and will go out again on BBC Radio 1 on Sunday, it marked the first time the Proms had been filmed for television outside of London.
The occasion on the night began with those in the bar area treated to an upbeat DJ set by DJ Becky Woodcock, before Middlesbrough's Finn Forster impressed with a warm-up performance on stage. Showcasing his vocal talents, Finn wouldn't have looked out of place headlining his own show on the night, with his dulcet tones and clever songwriting gripping the audience with his stripped back acoustic performance.
But it was far from the only occasion on offer for the Proms in the region. The night marked four days of live music across the North East for the BBC Proms. Special performances, including Jade's, reflect on a region on the rise musically and culturally at the Glasshouse in Gateshead. And there was also a first as newly crowned Music City Sunderland also held its very first BBC Proms gig at The Fire Station on Thursday.
Tonight, however, reinforced Jade's hugely powerful vocal range as she dominated the solo performance and had those watching in the palm of her hands. A fiercely passionate display that peeled back the layers to show an artist proudly returning to her roots. And she also found the time to urge the powers that be to ensure funding is available for the arts on a stage she first graced as a novice aged 15.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scottish Sun
an hour ago
- Scottish Sun
Simon Cowell wanted to join Channel 4 reality show but backed out over health warning, says pal
Singer who has grown close to Simon warned him off the idea SI'S HUSTLE Simon Cowell wanted to join Channel 4 reality show but backed out over health warning, says pal Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) DON'T let the high-waisted jeans, tinted specs or luxury lifestyle fool you – Simon Cowell reckons he's a real tough guy at heart. In fact, the music mogul even considered signing up for Channel 4's extreme challenge show, SAS: Who Dares Wins, according to his pal Lucy Spraggan. Sign up for the Entertainment newsletter Sign up 7 Lucy Spraggan has signed up to SAS: Who Dares Wins Credit: Pete Dadds / Channel 4 7 Show line-up from left to right: Bimini, Chloe Burrows, Adam Collard, Lady Leshurr, Conor Benn, Hannah Spearitt, Troy Deeney, Tasha Ghouri, Harry Clark, Rebecca Loos, Louie Spence, Michaella McCollum, Adebayo Akinfenwa and Lucy Spraggan Credit: Pete Dadds / Channel 4 Singer Lucy, who has grown close to Simon since starring on The X Factor in 2012, warned him off the idea — then joined the line-up herself. She said: 'He thought it was a great idea, me doing the show. 'He knows I love being outdoors. We do a lot of shooting air rifles and stuff together, so he knows this is my thing, testing my mental resilience. 'It was just funny because he had said, 'Oh, maybe I'll try and have a go at it'. 'I was like, 'Simon, you would literally die!'. It was funny because it really contextualised how hard it was that I just straight away said to him, 'You would have no chance'. 'But Lauren [Silverman, Cowell's wife], I said to her at dinner the other day, 'You should have a go'. She could do it, it would be funny.' Simon, right, and Lucy have become such good pals, he walked her down the aisle at her wedding to Emilia Smith last summer. The new series of SAS: Who Dares Wins, which begins next Sunday at 9pm, sees Simon dial in to give Lucy a pep talk — but it doesn't end well. She said: 'The DS [directing staff] hung up on him and he was like, 'I've never been so angry'.' Lucy's not the only celebrity recruit with reality TV experience. Simon Cowell set to launch ANOTHER TV talent contest amid 'huge excitement' around his Netflix boyband search show But ex-military man and winner of The Traitors, Harry Clark, seems to have his shows mixed up, as he is rumbled cheating in physical tasks. Lead instructor Billy Billingham rages: 'His integrity and honesty stinks, he's playing us.' Harry said: 'That's when I was the most scared. I was like, 'I've let the Army down. I've definitely let every-one at home down, and I've let myself down'. 'But I was in so much pain with my body and my feet. I remember my big toe, it was infected.' Apart from the shame, Harry wasn't phased being bawled at by instructors. He said: 'That didn't really bother me. I was in the Army since I was 16, so it wasn't really any different.' Perhaps Simon thought the same after all those X Factor bootcamps. 7 Simon Cowell considered signing up for Channel 4's extreme challenge show Credit: Rex LOUIE IN PORNO FANTASY 7 Louie Spence reveals why he couldn't take the former special forces soldiers seriously Credit: Pete Dadds / Channel 4 LOUIE SPENCE lasted less than 24 hours on the course – but it wasn't the hard graft that put him off. The former dancer reveals he couldn't take the former special forces soldiers seriously because he felt like he was in a gay porn movie. Louie, who battled to keep a straight face, said: 'I'm sorry, I couldn't get it out of my mind – as soon as I had to put this hood on and could see these black boots walking along, before they pull that hood off and say: 'What's your name?' 'I was thinking, God, this is like a gay fantasy porno. It's like you're in the Army now, you've been a naughty boy. 'I couldn't get it out of my mind, just expecting the DS to strip. I thought, 'This isn't good'.' ALL GO, CHLOE 7 Former Love Island bombshell Chloe Burrows Credit: Pete Dadds / Channel 4 SHE'S taken on her fair share of reality shows, but nothing could have prepared Chloe Burrows for her SAS stint. The former Love Island bombshell thought she'd get a break from the gruelling regime during filming so was stunned to discover it's so full-on, they have medics on stand-by. Chloe said: 'We had the meeting before and it was like, 'Yeah, there's going to be an ambulance crew within a kilometre, they've dealt with saving lives'. And I was thinking, 'Oh, my God . . . '. I did go in a bit naive. 'It was a complete culture shock. I've worked on other shows before . . . you do get a bit of respite. 'Even when I've done Scared Of The Dark, and Inside, where you are filmed 24/7, you do get a little bit of relaxing time – you know, a bit of a moment to yourself. 'But there was no break. Like, honestly, you were on, on, on all day. It was a lot, to be honest.' WHAT A GAS, MIC 7 Michaella McCollum took on the dreaded gas chamber challenge Credit: Pete Dadds / Channel 4 AFTER taking on the dreaded gas chamber challenge, Michaella McCollum reckons she would be up for more of the same. The single mum who got jailed in Peru for smuggling cocaine, was meant to rescue a hostage trapped inside, and saved herself instead. But she said: 'You know what, I would probably do that one again even though I messed it up. 'I got the hostage to the window and then I jumped out the window. [DS] Foxy was like, 'What the f*** are you doing? Your job is to save the hostage and then yourself.' 'The gas was awful. You cannot breathe. Your eyes are exploding. "There's just snot coming from your nose, your eyes, everything. You feel like you're dying. It's horrific. 'But if we had to do that challenge again, I'd have done it and saved the hostage.' BOXER Conor Benn and ex-footballer Troy Deeney were left battered and bruised – to the horror of their wives. The pair, above, had to fight each other during the course and were roughed up from other challenges, too. 7 Boxer Conor Benn and ex-footballer Troy Deeney Credit: Pete Dadds / Channel 4 For one test, Conor had to jump backward off a viaduct in the Welsh hills but his harness was so tight he was left squirming. 'I lost my left testicle,' he joked. 'I'm still looking for it, which is not very good seeing as my missus wants more kids. ' I don't know how much luck we'll have with that now. 'That was more painful than being punched in the head for a living.' Meanwhile Troy sported his injuries as he wed partner Alisha after returning from filming. He said: 'She wasn't too happy I turned up with a black eye.' HARDMAN Chief Instructor Billy Billingham reckons the show will be a wake-up for the celebrities. He said: 'With the world being as unstable as it is, we may all be called to the battlefield, to defend. "These celebrities are going to get an understanding of what that feels like.' COMPLETING the line-up are former footballer Adebayo Akinfenwa, Love Islanders Tasha Ghouri and Adam Collard, S Club 7's Hannah Spearritt, glamour girl Rebecca Loos, drag queen Bimini and musician Lady Leshurr.
The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
Simon Cowell wanted to join Channel 4 reality show but backed out over health warning, says pal
DON'T let the high-waisted jeans, tinted specs or luxury lifestyle fool you – Simon Cowell reckons he's a real tough guy at heart. In fact, the music mogul even considered signing up for Channel 4's extreme challenge show, SAS: Who Dares Wins, according to his pal Lucy Spraggan. 7 7 Singer Lucy, who has grown close to Simon since starring on The X Factor in 2012, warned him off the idea — then joined the line-up herself. She said: 'He thought it was a great idea, me doing the show. 'He knows I love being outdoors. We do a lot of shooting air rifles and stuff together, so he knows this is my thing, testing my mental resilience. 'It was just funny because he had said, 'Oh, maybe I'll try and have a go at it'. 'I was like, ' Simon, you would literally die!'. It was funny because it really contextualised how hard it was that I just straight away said to him, 'You would have no chance'. 'But Lauren [Silverman, Cowell's wife], I said to her at dinner the other day, 'You should have a go'. She could do it, it would be funny.' Simon, right, and Lucy have become such good pals, he walked her down the aisle at her wedding to Emilia Smith last summer. The new series of SAS: Who Dares Wins, which begins next Sunday at 9pm, sees Simon dial in to give Lucy a pep talk — but it doesn't end well. She said: 'The DS [directing staff] hung up on him and he was like, 'I've never been so angry'.' Lucy's not the only celebrity recruit with reality TV experience. But ex-military man and winner of The Traitors, Harry Clark, seems to have his shows mixed up, as he is rumbled cheating in physical tasks. Lead instructor Billy Billingham rages: 'His integrity and honesty stinks, he's playing us.' Harry said: 'That's when I was the most scared. I was like, 'I've let the Army down. I've definitely let every-one at home down, and I've let myself down'. 'But I was in so much pain with my body and my feet. I remember my big toe, it was infected.' Apart from the shame, Harry wasn't phased being bawled at by instructors. He said: 'That didn't really bother me. I was in the Army since I was 16, so it wasn't really any different.' Perhaps Simon thought the same after all those X Factor bootcamps. 7 LOUIE IN PORNO FANTASY LOUIE SPENCE lasted less than 24 hours on the course – but it wasn't the hard graft that put him off. The former dancer reveals he couldn't take the former special forces soldiers seriously because he felt like he was in a gay porn movie. Louie, who battled to keep a straight face, said: 'I'm sorry, I couldn't get it out of my mind – as soon as I had to put this hood on and could see these black boots walking along, before they pull that hood off and say: 'What's your name?' 'I was thinking, God, this is like a gay fantasy porno. It's like you're in the Army now, you've been a naughty boy. 'I couldn't get it out of my mind, just expecting the DS to strip. I thought, 'This isn't good'.' ALL GO, CHLOE SHE'S taken on her fair share of reality shows, but nothing could have prepared Chloe Burrows for her SAS stint. The former Love Island bombshell thought she'd get a break from the gruelling regime during filming so was stunned to discover it's so full-on, they have medics on stand-by. Chloe said: 'We had the meeting before and it was like, 'Yeah, there's going to be an ambulance crew within a kilometre, they've dealt with saving lives'. And I was thinking, 'Oh, my God . . . '. I did go in a bit naive. 'It was a complete culture shock. I've worked on other shows before . . . you do get a bit of respite. 'Even when I've done Scared Of The Dark, and Inside, where you are filmed 24/7, you do get a little bit of relaxing time – you know, a bit of a moment to yourself. 'But there was no break. Like, honestly, you were on, on, on all day. It was a lot, to be honest.' WHAT A GAS, MIC AFTER taking on the dreaded gas chamber challenge, Michaella McCollum reckons she would be up for more of the same. The single mum who got jailed in Peru for smuggling cocaine, was meant to rescue a hostage trapped inside, and saved herself instead. But she said: 'You know what, I would probably do that one again even though I messed it up. 'I got the hostage to the window and then I jumped out the window. [DS] Foxy was like, 'What the f*** are you doing? Your job is to save the hostage and then yourself.' 'The gas was awful. You cannot breathe. Your eyes are exploding. "There's just snot coming from your nose, your eyes, everything. You feel like you're dying. It's horrific. 'But if we had to do that challenge again, I'd have done it and saved the hostage.' BOXER Conor Benn and ex-footballer Troy Deeney were left battered and bruised – to the horror of their wives. The pair, above, had to fight each other during the course and were roughed up from other challenges, too. 7 For one test, Conor had to jump backward off a viaduct in the Welsh hills but his harness was so tight he was left squirming. 'I lost my left testicle,' he joked. 'I'm still looking for it, which is not very good seeing as my missus wants more kids. ' I don't know how much luck we'll have with that now. 'That was more painful than being punched in the head for a living.' Meanwhile Troy sported his injuries as he wed partner Alisha after returning from filming. He said: 'She wasn't too happy I turned up with a black eye.' HARDMAN Chief Instructor Billy Billingham reckons the show will be a wake-up for the celebrities. He said: 'With the world being as unstable as it is, we may all be called to the battlefield, to defend. "These celebrities are going to get an understanding of what that feels like.' Tasha Ghouri and Adam Collard, S Club 7's Hannah Spearritt, glamour girl Rebecca Loos, drag queen Bimini and musician Lady Leshurr.
Scottish Sun
3 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Tulisa reveals heartbreak over devastating family loss and says ‘I'm so grateful for the years we had'
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) TULISA has revealed her heartbreak over her devastating family loss. The N-Dubz hitmaker took to social media with an emotional message to pay tribute to her kin. Sign up for the Entertainment newsletter Sign up 6 Tulisa took to social media to pay tribute to a huge member of her family Credit: Instagram 6 Her dog Narla passed away leaving her heartbroken Credit: Instagram 6 The former X Factor star was told by vets that her canine companion only had six weeks left to live Credit: Instagram She rose to fame in the North London group alongside her cousin Dappy and her childhood friend Frazer. The star then undertook a high-profile stint as a judge on The X Factor for two years from 2011. All the way through the highs and lows of her career, Tulisa, 37, has always turned to her canine companion called Narla. However, in 2023, a vet told the Live It Up popstar that her dog only had six weeks left to live after being diagnosed with a mystery condition. However, Tulisa admitted that she had an extra year and a half with her pet as she bravely fought her condition. After her passing, the Female Boss singer took to Instagram with a video montage, showing some of her best memories with her canine companion. This was accompanied with an emotional caption which read: "Rest in peace mummies little angel. "A year & a half ago I was told you had 6 weeks, but you soldiered on like the little trooper you are. "You were the bestest friend a girl could have. So grateful for the 13 years I got with my little soul mate." She added" "Nothing & no one will ever take your place. Love you my NARLA." Tulisa's Heartbreak: Remembering Her Father Plato Contostavlos Her words were also accompanied by a white dove peace emoji and the two pink love hearts. This comes just weeks after her father Plato Contostavlos passed away. The keyboard player, who was known as Steve, was well loved within the music scene as part of the blues band Mungo Jerry during the 1970s. Tulisa took to her Instagram page to post an emotional tribute where she shared a childhood image showing her snuggling with her dad. 6 However, she praised her dog's strength as she fought a mystery condition for over a year and a half Credit: Instagram 6 Tulisa is best known for her stints in N-Dubz and her time as a judge on The X Factor Credit: Instagram
