Little Mix's Leigh-Anne talks about her first solo single 'Don't Say Love', what fans can expect from her solo music, balancing her family and career, what's next for Little Mix and more.
Category
🎵
MusicTranscript
00:00 We're literally having an R&B jam.
00:02 - I wish I was there for that.
00:03 (laughing)
00:05 - Hi, it's Leigh-Anne and this is Billboard News.
00:09 - It's Tetris with Billboard News
00:15 and we're feeling all pink and pretty today with Leigh-Anne.
00:18 How you doing?
00:19 - Hi, I'm good, how are you?
00:20 - I'm amazing, so happy you came all the way
00:22 over the pond to hang out with us.
00:23 - Always.
00:24 ♪ Don't say love if that's not what you're chasing ♪
00:27 ♪ Empty lies, empty words, entertainment ♪
00:31 - Don't Say Love is a certified bop, love it.
00:34 So tell me why you decided this was gonna be
00:36 your introduction to the public as a solo artist.
00:39 - So, yeah, Don't Say Love came in
00:41 like the beginning of the process.
00:43 Always knew it was a banger.
00:45 It kind of became obvious quite quickly
00:47 that it needed to be the first single
00:49 and especially with the meaning of it,
00:51 the idea of wanting to be loved wholeheartedly
00:54 and like at 100% I think it was very relatable to me
00:59 and I just thought, you know what,
01:01 yeah, this needs to be the first one.
01:03 - And that's such a relatable subject in general,
01:05 I think that touches people,
01:06 so how's your fan reaction been to the single?
01:08 - It's been incredible.
01:10 It's been better than I could have imagined.
01:12 Just seeing people doing their videos and singing to it,
01:17 seeing how happy it's making people,
01:19 that's what it's all about, so yeah, it's been really good.
01:22 (upbeat music)
01:24 - And now you gotta, I'm sure,
01:27 move on into a full-length project,
01:29 so let's talk about that.
01:30 I've heard you were talking about fusing
01:32 some genres together.
01:33 So what genres do you wanna mix
01:34 and what do you want your sound to be?
01:36 - So I'm an R&B girl,
01:37 like everybody knows I love my old school R&B.
01:40 ♪ So like a death can't beat myself ♪
01:43 ♪ Can you be strong ♪
01:44 At the same time though,
01:45 I really do wanna incorporate
01:47 all the other genres that I love,
01:48 so yeah, we've got some reggae stuff on there
01:50 and then I think I am a pop girl at heart too,
01:53 so I just feel like that stamp
01:55 is always gonna be in the mix, you know?
01:57 Yeah.
01:58 ♪ It's a shame it had to end up this way ♪
02:01 - And you did say old school R&B,
02:02 so now that popped into my head,
02:03 I wanna know, who's your favorite old school R&B artist,
02:06 but also new R&B?
02:08 I wanna see both spectrums.
02:09 - Well, I love a boy band,
02:11 so I have all the stuff, Jagged Edge,
02:13 Drew, just since Drew Hill,
02:16 Immature, Joe, I love.
02:21 Genuine, the list goes on.
02:23 - You did name a lot of groups there,
02:24 so tell me how it is to be an artist now
02:26 that you're stepping into your solo game,
02:28 like how you approach that versus being in a group?
02:31 - It's definitely different,
02:33 like I don't have my sisters to fall back on.
02:37 ♪ I swear that we won't lose this thing we found ♪
02:42 So I definitely miss the sisterhood,
02:44 but at the same time,
02:46 it just feels so freeing
02:48 and just like, I don't know,
02:50 like that sense of empowerment just to stand on my own
02:53 and know that I'm just doing this for me
02:55 and yeah, it just feels like the right time.
03:00 It just feels so right to me.
03:02 - And then also, I wanna talk to you about Kelly Rowland,
03:04 because I think that's amazing that you said
03:06 she was the one that put you guys together.
03:09 - Yeah.
03:10 - That is strong, vocally.
03:11 - Really?
03:12 - Absolutely, it's about being the next generation
03:15 and discovering something new.
03:16 - Oh yeah, of course.
03:17 - Have you talked to her since then?
03:18 - Yeah, so I actually saw her at Rock Nation brunch
03:22 and we had a little moment and she's just so sweet
03:26 and she was just being so lovely.
03:28 She's just, I don't know,
03:31 she's like the older sis, you know?
03:34 Just kind of, you know that she's always got your back,
03:36 like that's what it feels like.
03:38 She's just, yeah, she's amazing.
03:39 - I mean, the knowledge from her Destiny's Child knowledge,
03:41 obviously I'm sure can help you in a lot of ways.
03:44 I feel like you guys need to collab, would you do that?
03:45 - Oh my God, yeah, can you imagine?
03:47 I'd love that.
03:48 - And I mean, you have a whole new stage of your life
03:53 that you're in now, so mom, twins.
03:56 So, okay, walk me through juggling launching a solo career
04:01 but also being a mom.
04:02 - I don't really know how I'm doing it, to be honest.
04:06 - Sounds wild to me.
04:08 - I don't know, I just feel like I'm taking it day by day
04:11 because it's the hardest thing I've ever done.
04:13 Like, I hate leaving them, I hate it.
04:16 But at the same time, I love this, I love what I do.
04:20 And there's no reason why I can't have a successful career
04:23 and be an amazing mom.
04:24 I mean, I'm freaking proud of myself though
04:27 for how I'm doing it.
04:28 And well, they actually love music
04:30 and they're always dancing.
04:31 My second single, they sing along to is like, "Yay."
04:34 - Oh my God.
04:36 You need to have them tease it.
04:38 That needs to be, that is the plan.
04:40 - I see, wow, okay.
04:42 - You should do that.
04:43 - So you also have Perry that's a parent.
04:45 So how is it to kind of go through
04:46 this phase of your lives together?
04:48 Has that changed your sisterhood?
04:49 - Oh my gosh, it brought us even closer, I think.
04:53 The fact that, yeah, we had each other to lean on.
04:56 - We can't wait to see where your solo career goes,
04:58 but you know, I have to ask for the fans.
05:00 Where do you see the next level of Little Mix?
05:03 When can we maybe see you guys back together?
05:05 ♪ Little love you asked from time ago ♪
05:07 ♪ Could get a love me then but now I do ♪
05:09 - I definitely think we'll have a reunion.
05:11 I mean, how can we not?
05:13 You know, like look what we've created.
05:15 Like we've created a legacy.
05:17 So I just think, yeah, like we don't really have a choice.
05:20 Like Little Mix, we'll always be Little Mix, you know?
05:24 ♪ I want everybody else ♪
05:27 ♪ It's time I did it for me ♪
05:29 - Somebody watching this interview right now
05:31 and they're like, "Who is Leigh-Anne?
05:32 "What would you want to leave with?"
05:35 - I think one thing that Leigh-Anne doesn't want to be
05:37 is boxed into anything.
05:39 I want to be a global superstar.
05:41 I want to be, I want everybody to feel like
05:46 they can listen to Leigh-Anne.
05:48 I want to make music to empower.
05:50 I have a lot to say.
05:51 I want to keep inspiring people
05:53 and I want to be true to myself.
05:55 - Love that.
05:56 Well, ladies and gentlemen,
05:57 I introduce you to global superstar Leigh-Anne.
06:00 (Leigh-Anne laughs)
06:01 Thanks so much for hanging out with us today.
06:02 - Thank you.
06:03 (door slams)
06:06 [BLANK_AUDIO]