20/05/2026 Pop, Eurodance, Dance Pop, Rap, 90s'/00s' Influences, Latin Pop Five Pesky Kidsβ
The Show Must Go Onβ is the second studio album by
The Jollies, arriving nearly six years after their debut in 2020. The album is released on May 20th through
Five Pesky Kids, the label run by
Weekend, marking a new chapter for the group as both artists and collaborators.
It represents a defining moment for The Jollies β not just as a group, but as individuals learning how to exist both on and off the stage. Following the success of their debut album "
Squad Goals" during pandemic and a more quiet period of hiatus, the album was born out of a need to process what it really means to keep going when the spotlight doesnβt dim.
At its core, the record explores duality: performance versus reality, public image versus private identity. It leans into the idea that even when things feel uncertain, messy, or overwhelming, the show β in every sense of the word β must go on. But instead of framing that as something purely heroic, The Jollies approach it with honesty, irony, and moments of vulnerability.
A major influence behind the album comes from their shared experience of growing up in the late β90s and early 2000s as millennials. That nostalgia subtly weaves through the project β from references to things like Pokémon to arcade culture β not just as aesthetic choices, but as emotional anchors. Those years shaped their way of connecting, escaping, and dreaming, and that energy carries into the albumβs themes of identity and belonging.
More than anything, The Show Must Go On is an album about friendship. About staying together through highs and lows, about learning how to support each other when things arenβt as effortless as they once seemed. It captures the dynamic of a group that doesnβt just perform together, but grows together β navigating pressure, change, and expectations as a team.
Because in the end, the show doesnβt go on because everything is perfect β it goes on because they choose to face it together.
BACKGROUNDIn Spring 2025, following a series of low-key reunions, the group began meeting in secret to discuss new plans β not just occasional collaborations, but a genuine return to working as a group rather than as separate individuals.
Over the years, each member had taken a different path. David immersed himself in the nerd and digital space, working across voice acting and online content tied to worlds like Dungeons & Dragons, gaming, and card games. Rose entered a new chapter of her life, becoming a mother. Zafari relocated to the United States, focusing on his career in radio. Fabriano remained deeply rooted in the fashion industry, while Natasha stepped away from the spotlight to take time for herself.
Despite the distance and diverging paths, their friendship never truly disappeared β though, like any long-standing bond, it experienced its share of highs and lows over time.
David and Natasha remained the most consistent point of contact, often reconnecting with Fabriano and Rose as well. Zafari, having moved away from the UK, had fewer opportunities to be physically present, maintaining a quieter but steady connection, particularly with Fabriano.
The real turning point came unexpectedly. The group found themselves reunited at the wedding of Davidβs brother Luke β someone who shared a close relationship with both Zafari and Fabriano. What began as a simple occasion quickly reignited something deeper: a sense of familiarity, spontaneity, and chemistry that had never fully faded. From that moment on, they started reconnecting more regularly, rediscovering a friendship that had been dormant, but never lost.
Meeting after meeting, what started almost as a joke gradually turned into something more tangible. Early song ideas began to surface, followed by the first informal recording sessions. There was still a degree of skepticism β their lives had taken such different directions that a full return felt uncertain.
Yet the drive to create came naturally. It was fueled by nostalgia for the period they had shared during the pandemic, by a new awareness of how much they had grown, and by a renewed ability to enjoy the process without the same pressures as before. On a more practical level, it also made sense β allowing them to balance group work alongside their individual projects in a more sustainable way.
Ultimately, what made it work was something simpler: their chemistry, and the authenticity of their connection.
The group chose to move forward without revisiting the exact reasons behind their initial breakup. Rather than reopening old chapters, they focused on what was ahead. In Summer 2025, The Jollies quietly returned to the music scene, embracing once again the light, playful pop identity that had first captured their audience between 2019 and 2021 β this time with a deeper sense of awareness and intent.
