Hits Radio Live review: Pop favourites JADE and Alex Warren bring the party to Birmingham
Hits Radio Live Birmingham took over the bp pulse LIVE arena last week, bringing some of the hottest stars in pop under one roof.
The biggest names in pop descended on Birmingham on Friday (21.11.25) for an unforgettable party.
It might have been cold outside, but that certainly wasn’t the case inside the bp pulse LIVE arena – not least because of the pyrotechnic budget.
In the city for the annual Hits Radio Live Christmas party, seven artists took to a packed stage to perform for a 13,000-strong crowd across three hours.
You’d struggle to find a line-up as genre-diverse as this, and the sold-out audience reflected this.
Producer and DJ Sonny Fodera kicked things off with a set of high-energy house anthems, during which guest vocalists Poppy Baskcomb and Clementine Douglas also showcased their incredible ranges.
Up next, Little Mix star JADE delivered sophisticated synth-pop, flawless vocal runs and a great solo from her saxophonist. The highlight was the whiplash-like gear change during her biggest solo hit Angel of My Dreams.
Joined by a full live band, Cian Ducrot gave one of the best performances of the evening. Stood atop a sparkling piano, the Irish star’s voice was incredible, as was his guitar playing and his talent on the harmonica. Sway-along All For You lit the arena up, while I’ll Be Waiting showcased his ability to bring a huge room to silence.
Similarly compelling was Alex Warren, the final pre-interval act and one of 2025’s breakout artists. Alongside his impeccable vocals and affecting songwriting, he was funny – mostly unintentionally – when conversing with the crowd. “Are we ready to get depressing? This one is about my dead parents,” he said before the poignant Eternity. An emotional ode to his wife, Carry You Home was preceded by Warren thanking the audience for “spending 60 dollars on a hot dog”. While galloping drums gave Bloodline a real country twang, his biggest hit – Ordinary – was paired with pyros and a confetti explosion.
After a trip to the Vinyl Lounge VIP Bar, Calvin Harris kicked off the second half of the show. The Scotsman quickly turned the arena into a club, complete with laser-like strobes, kaleidoscopic visuals and, crucially, pounding beats. Having unleashed techno edits of his throwback pop classics, as well as a guest appearance from Clementine Douglas for Blessings, it was a greatest hits mega mix that will count as an extremely cool first rave for the many youngsters present.
Talking of throwbacks, Jess Glynne thrived on the current appetite for nostalgia by reeling off her biggest tracks from the mid-2010s. I’ll be There peaked with lush gospel-like harmonies while the orchestral strings of Rather Be were instantly recognisable. Hold My Hand, which recently went viral despite the Jet2-soundtracking song being a decade old, came with a synchronised dance routine and mass singalong from the crowd.
All that was left was for country/folk breakout star Myles Smith to headline the night with a succession of upbeat anthems that sounded like they were always made to be played in a venue of this size.
The likes of Stargazing and Nice To Meet You – plus one final confetti explosion – sent everyone home happy: the cherry on top after a night of stellar live music from pop’s frontrunners.
Hits Radio Live continued in Manchester on Saturday evening with Sugababes, Craig David and Tinie Tempah on the line-up.
