Leigh-Anne Pinnock Reveals She Felt 'Overlooked' By The 'Very White' Pop Industry While In Little Mix

Leigh-Anne Pinnock, one-fourth of the groundbreaking girl group Little Mix, has recently opened up about her experiences of feeling undervalued and overlooked within the pop industry. In a candid interview, she expressed her frustration, sadness, and anger at being marginalized in an entertainment world she describes as "very white."

The English singer-songwriter is now set to go solo in her career with her soon-to-be-released debut single, "Don't Say Love," which illustrates her trying to "escape the feeling of being overlooked and undervalued."

Read on for more details.

Since its formation on the reality TV show "The X Factor" in 2011, Little Mix has become a global sensation, captivating audiences with their empowering anthems and strong female camaraderie. The group, initially consisting of Leigh-Anne Pinnock, Perrie Edwards, Jesy Nelson, and Jade Thirlwall, went on to achieve immense success in the music industry after winning the reality show.

Pinnock's contributions to Little Mix's success have been undeniable. From her powerful vocals to her dynamic stage presence, she left an indelible mark on the group's identity. However, she recently revealed her feelings of being "overlooked" within Little Mix and the wider music industry.

In a heartfelt interview with British Vogue, Pinnock expressed her frustrations about being underrepresented as a black woman among her bandmates and the industry at large. She admitted feeling "frustrated, sad, and angry" due to the lack of recognition she received compared to her white bandmates.

"The pop industry is very white, we did have a predominately white fan base," she shared. "It took me so long to understand why I was feeling so undervalued. I just blamed myself."

She added, "My family would be like, 'Oh, Leigh, you're getting the same money. It's fine.' I just couldn't accept that."

Following her candid revelations about the challenges she faced as a black woman in the music industry and the Little Mix girl group, the mother of two has taken a significant step in her career by announcing her solo endeavor. The singer is set to release her debut single, "Don't Say Love," on Friday, which aims to provide a deeper understanding of the frustrations she had experienced in the group.

"Don't Say Love is about wanting to be loved wholeheartedly, [like] the love that I have for myself," she explained. "If it's not that, then I don't want it. That's a journey, getting there."

She continued, "Within the group and in my career, I really felt like a lot of the time I was overlooked and undervalued. I really wanted to get that emotion across in the video: frustration, sadness, anger."

"I wanted to get that across in my first single, so I could just leave that girl and that feeling in the past."

Despite expressing frustrations and challenges faced in the music industry, Pinnock made it clear that being cast in Little Mix was "the best thing that ever happened" to her. While speaking out about the biases and inequalities she encountered, she emphasized that being a part of the group brought immense joy, personal growth, and unforgettable experiences as it also allowed them to create a "long-lasting legacy."

"I feel like everything had to happen the way it did," she explained. "I got to meet my sisters and be in the biggest girl band in the world and make music that touched people. We've created a long-lasting legacy."

Pinnock continued, "I would not have been ready five years ago to do this. I remember when they said, I could see you in a girl band – I would have taken anything, I didn't care, put me in any mixed group, whatever!"

Elsewhere, in her chat with British Vogue, the singer seemingly made it clear that she wanted more for herself, hence, the need for her to break the limiting shackles and go all out on her own.

"There is this fire that I've had in me since I was younger, and this is so important for me to show that younger self," she noted. "Because when I was put into the group, it was like, 'Oh, is this what it is? Is it this feeling supposed to come with it – not really feeling valued?'"

"As much as I had the best time of my life, that pain is very much there. I owe it to my younger self to step out and do this on my own," the singer added.

When asked why the Little Mix disbanded, Pinnock noted that the group felt the end of their time together had come, and it was time to "spread our wings."