Leigh-Anne Pinnock reveals benefits of releasing solo music without Little Mix

By Naomi Clarke, PA Entertainment Reporter

Leigh-Anne Pinnock has said her new music will allow her to get things “off her chest” which she was not able to do while in Little Mix, as she releases her debut solo single.

The singer, 31, rose to fame as part of the girl band alongside Jade Thirlwall, Perrie Edwards and Jesy Nelson and spent 11 years in the group before they went on hiatus last year.

On Friday, Pinnock released her first song on her own, titled Don’t Say Love, with an album expected to follow.

Appearing on Hits Radio Breakfast Show on Friday, she said: “I think for me, I always said the album had to feel like an open letter. Everything that I couldn’t really get off my chest in the group, it is now my time to do that.

“Whether it’s like my relationship, things that I experienced in the group, everything I guess.”

The singer admitted that she did feel pressure due to the expectations on the group after they had a great deal of success together.

“I’m just on a cloud. There’s just so much going on and it’s all good stuff and the reception has been amazing. I was just so petrified as well”, she said.

“There’s so many expectations for all of us coming out of something for so long, like on our own, but I’m just so proud of it. I love it and I’m excited.”

The girl band were formed on The X Factor in 2011 and became the first group to win the competition.

Pinnock released six studio albums with the band and a compilation album, titled Between Us, in 2021 to mark the 10-year anniversary of the group’s formation – which included hit tracks from their decade together and five new unreleased songs.

The singer said having her own release day is the moment she had always dreamed of but added that she is grateful for her time in the group.

“We obviously all auditioned as solo artists and the best thing they could have done was put us in a group because now I have all of this experience under my belt”, she said.

“Eleven years of being on stage, writing and just everything that I’ve learned I can now use now and it finally feels like the right time.”

She added that by the time the group split they felt like it was “time for us to just to spread our wings and go our separate ways for a little bit”.

It has been a busy year for Pinnock, who also recently got married to footballer Andre Gray in Jamaica where some of her family are from.

Reflecting on the day, she said: “It was beautiful. Do you remember Jahmene (Douglas) from The X Factor? He sang as I walked down the aisle and I had a gospel choir as well, it was just absolutely stunning…

“All my friends and family, because it was in Jamaica, so everyone was there. It was a bit of a dream to be honest.”

She added that due to it being in Jamaica it was “a bit laid-back” and ran an hour late but she felt it was a “perfect” day.

The Woman Like Me singer also opened up about the challenges of making a long-distance relationship work with Gray, who she has twins with, after he signed to play for Greek Super League club Aris.

“It’s a bit of a nightmare to be honest. It’s hard, really hard and especially with the babies but you’ve just got to do what you’ve got to do.

“He’s working hard to provide and I’m working hard and we just have to get on with it and realise we’re doing it for them [the children].”

Earlier this year, Pinnock’s former bandmate Nelson also released her second single after leaving the band in 2020 after nine years, blaming the toll being in the group had taken on her mental health.