Since then, Jade has followed up the song with even more infectious singles, like the club-worthy “FUFN (Fuck You For Now)” and “Fantasy,” a disco-heavy hit that makes you want to beeline for Studio 54 (with a glamorous video directed by David LaChapelle, no less). Amid a sea of rising pop girls (Sabrina! Chappell!) and enduring pop divas (Gaga! Beyoncé!), Jade exists somewhere beautifully in between—and has used that space to home in on her voice.

So, how would Jade describe her sound now? “It’s chaotic, Frankenstein pop. It’s theatrical, it’s big and noisy—and it’s me.”

Here, Jade discusses turning sadness and stress into bops, escaping the grasps of girl-group style, and finally feeling reborn.

Vogue: When did you begin ideating for this album?

Jade: When I first started this album, I was fresh out of Little Mix, so I had to take a minute to be like, woah. In the words of Lorde, “What was that?” I had to fathom what the last decade of my life was, and learn how to exist outside of the group. It took me a minute—a bit of therapy, traveling, and seeing friends and family. But then I started going back and forth to LA, and writing with different writers and producers, like MNEK. It was all about experimenting and trying to establish my own sound. Once I started to do that, I got really excited. It took about three years, and I’m so glad I waited, because I’ve made better music.

Do you remember what some of the first songs you created were?

One of the first songs I wrote was “Self Saboteur,” and it was very different to what it sounds like now. It was more demure, with very minimal production. I wrote that when I first met my partner, Jordan [Stephens]. Around that time, I was just starting to write more personal songs. I have a history of running away when things get good, or being a bit scared of love. I thought it was quite a relatable concept, having that battle with our inner saboteurs.