YOUR FAVOURITE MTV SHOWS ARE NOW AVAILABLE ON PARAMOUNT+

Little Mix’s Leigh Anne-Pinnock Opens Up About Racism In The Music Industry

Admitting she felt ‘invisible’ as the only black member of the band.

Little Mix’s Leigh Anne-Pinnock is an official queen, as she's bravely opened up about the racism she’s had to overcome in order to be successful in the music industry.

The babe has bravely spoken out about how she felt ‘invisible’ during the early years of the band and was told that she’d have to work ‘twice as hard’ as the other girls simply because of her skin colour.

Jade Thirlwall, Jesy Nelson, Perrie Edwards and Leigh-Anne Pinnock of Little Mix visit Kiss FM Studio's.

Getty

Jade Thirlwall, Jesy Nelson, Perrie Edwards and Leigh-Anne Pinnock of Little Mix visit Kiss FM Studio's.

Talking to ASOS magazine, Leigh got emotional as she recalled crying to her manager because she was struggling to find her place in Little Mix.

“During the first couple of years of being in the band, I did feel invisible. I remember crying to my manager regularly, I just couldn't seem to find my place and didn't know why,” she said.

“I didn't feel like I had as many fans as the other girls. It was a strange feeling,” Leigh added. “I never thought that it was because I was the darkest member of the band. I felt overlooked. So I did everything to make myself more noticed, convinced I wasn't good enough.”

Jade Thirlwall, Jesy Nelson, Perrie Edwards and Leigh-Anne Pinnock of Little Mix visit Kiss FM Studio's.

Getty

Jade Thirlwall, Jesy Nelson, Perrie Edwards and Leigh-Anne Pinnock of Little Mix visit Kiss FM Studio's.

The vocalist was also told by Beyoncé’s creative director, Frank Gatson, that as ‘the black girl, you have to work twice as hard’, and she said that it was through other women sharing their personal experiences that she began to understand her own feelings.

“Now I don't feel alone because I've seen lots of women speak out about this,” she explained. "I know there are girls of colour out there who have felt the same as me.”

Jade Thirlwall, Jesy Nelson, Perrie Edwards and Leigh-Anne Pinnock of Little Mix visit Kiss FM Studio's.

Getty

Jade Thirlwall, Jesy Nelson, Perrie Edwards and Leigh-Anne Pinnock of Little Mix visit Kiss FM Studio's.

“We have a massive problem with racism which is built into our society. It's scary. But the more people that speak out, the more change we can start to make,” she added.

Speaking up on the issue will help a lot of other women too, so Leigh should be super proud of herself for being so open.

It’s a conversation that needs to be had.

Latest News