Jade Thirlwall forfeits royalties to sample The Supremes on solo album
Jade Thirlwall waived royalties to use a Supremes sample on her solo debut, That’s Showbiz Baby!
Jade Thirlwall reveals she waived royalties to use The Supremes sample.
The former Little Mix star’s solo track Before You Break My Heart samples the 1965 Supremes hit Stop! In The Name Of Love.
The track is part of her debut album That’s Showbiz Baby!, which dropped last week and includes fan favourites like FUFN and Angel Of My Dreams.
Despite the track’s growing popularity online, Thirlwall said giving up royalties was the cost of using the iconic Motown sample.
Speaking to The Sun, she said: “It’s so funny you say you like it, I didn’t think it would be a favourite. But it’s the one that’s getting the most traction online.”
Stop! In The Name Of Love was released in 1965 by The Supremes, featuring Diana Ross as the lead singer. It remains one of Motown’s most successful and enduring songs.
Sampling such a legendary track usually requires strict clearance and often comes with substantial royalty obligations.
When asked how she secured permission to use the Motown classic, Thirlwall said: “I am getting no royalties for that track, that’s how I got it.”
In a separate interview with NME, Thirlwall revealed the chorus of ‘Before You Break My Heart’ features a childhood recording of herself singing the original Supremes song. She said: “What’s really special about that is the chorus vocal is actually me as a child singing [that song]. It’s about me not forgetting my younger self and losing sight of that in this showbiz world.”
Thirlwall also shared her admiration for Diana Ross, she added: “It is such an iconic song, and I think because of that, I didn’t want to make [my version] too experimental. Like, it is what it is. It’s very obvious that that’s the sample, and we run with it throughout the whole song as an homage to Diana Ross, because she’s my favourite artist of all time.”
Currently, That’s Showbiz Baby! sits at number three on the UK midweek album chart, trailing behind heavyweights like Ed Sheeran.
Thirlwall acknowledged the tough competition, predicting Ed Sheeran will claim the number one spot.
The album marks Thirlwall’s debut as a solo artist following her departure from Little Mix in 2020.
The group originally formed on The X Factor UK in 2011 under the guidance of then-judge and executive Simon Cowell, who brought Jade Thirlwall, Perrie Edwards, Leigh-Anne Pinnock and Jess Nelson as a four-piece.
That’s Showbiz Baby! blends pop and R&B with personal themes, and notably, the track FUFN takes a pointed swipe at Cowell.
She is set to promote the record with upcoming live performances, aiming to establish a solo fanbase separate from her group legacy.
