Jade Thirlwall's candid interview remarks resurface after reports she and Jordan Stephens split
23 July 2026, 14:28
The singer admitted she was channelling her private life into new music weeks before reports claimed she and the Rizzle Kicks star had ended their six-year romance.
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Jade Thirlwall appears to have offered an early glimpse into a difficult period in her personal life weeks before reports emerged that she and long-term partner Jordan Stephens had gone their separate ways.
The former Little Mix singer, 33, is said to have ended her six-year relationship with the Rizzle Kicks star, 34, after the pair reportedly decided to separate earlier this year.
Although neither has publicly commented on the claims, those close to the couple insist the split remains amicable despite being emotionally challenging.
According to The Sun, the former couple reached the decision after "frank discussions" about their future together.
A source told the publication: "Jade and Jordan had a very serious and loving relationship, but recently they have had some frank discussions about their future and have decided to separate."
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The insider added: "It's not been an easy time, but they've both been throwing themselves into work. Their friends adore them as a couple and are really hoping they get back together, but it's still very raw at the moment."
While the reported split has yet to be addressed by either star, Jade's recent comments about her songwriting have taken on fresh significance.
Speaking to The Fader last month about the direction of her next album, the singer suggested she was drawing inspiration from events unfolding in her private life.
"Right now, I don't even know where it's heading. I'm just writing stuff," she said. "Whatever I'm going through at the minute, like privately, I'm sort of putting pen to paper."
She continued: "I think this is the exciting phase or the experimental phase, where you don't know what it's going to be yet. For me, that's sometimes the most magical part as an artist when you're writing music. Come and ask me in a few months' time and we'll see where we're at."
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The pair first connected in 2020 after Jordan reportedly messaged Jade on social media during the Covid-19 lockdowns.
Their romance began with video calls and socially distanced walks before developing into a long-term relationship, with the couple later splitting their time between homes in London and Margate.
Over the following years, both enjoyed major professional successes: Jade embarked on a solo music career in 2024 following Little Mix's hiatus, while Jordan reunited with Rizzle Kicks alongside bandmate Harley Alexander-Sulé.
More recently, he also stepped into a new presenting role, replacing Lily Allen as co-host of the Miss Me? podcast alongside Miquita Oliver.
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Although the couple had largely kept their relationship private, recent public appearances had prompted speculation among fans.
Their last joint outing came at February's BRIT Awards, while the same month they appeared together on Michael McIntyre's Big Show, joking about weddings.
Since then, however, Jade attended bandmate Perrie Edwards' wedding alone, and observant followers also noticed the couple did not publicly celebrate their sixth anniversary on social media, despite marking the occasion the previous year.
Neither Jade nor Jordan has publicly confirmed the reported split, and representatives for both stars have yet to comment.
