Backstage at Reading 2025, Leigh-Anne caught up with NME about her latest solo material, the pros and cons of becoming an independent artist, and if her new musical direction could shape the sound of Little Mix when they make their comeback
00:00Hi, I'm Libsie from NME and I'm here at Reading 2025 with Leigh-Anne.
00:10What's it like to be here?
00:11It's so good.
00:12So I've just come off stage and I'm just buzzing.
00:15It feels so good.
00:15It was amazing.
00:16It was your last festival show of the summer.
00:18I feel like they've all flown by.
00:20How was it being on the stage for this time?
00:23Just unbelievable.
00:24And the crowd were just so incredible.
00:26And I think it's always one of those things where like you being in attendance,
00:29where you don't know if it's going to fill up.
00:30You don't know what to expect.
00:31And it was just completely full.
00:33There was a mosh pit happening.
00:34It was just crazy.
00:35I loved it.
00:37Because I was there for your show.
00:39Like you had the crowd going.
00:40I think the choreography was like next level.
00:43What was it like for you performing as a solo artist versus in the group?
00:48I think, I mean, of course it's different, you know,
00:51just being in a group in general, it's being solo.
00:53But I feel like performing is like in my blood.
00:56Like I just love it.
00:57So, yeah, I feel like I'm the happiest when I'm on stage.
01:02And I feel like my dancers are kind of acting as my little mix sisters, I guess.
01:06Like I've still got like a pack on the stage.
01:08So I feel supported and good.
01:10We've recently seen you release two lovely new singles.
01:13And they're getting a massive response from fans.
01:16Tell me, why was now the right time for you to introduce these songs?
01:19It feels like maybe the start of a new era.
01:21Oh, it's 100% the start of a new era.
01:23Yeah, I think I had to take a bit of time, step back.
01:28Obviously, I'm newly independent now as well.
01:31So I was going through that process.
01:32I think I needed to find my tribe.
01:35You know when people say like, have your tribe around you that see your vision.
01:39Otherwise, like how can you really get to where you want to go, you know?
01:41So I finally got that and I am trusting myself and leading everything myself.
01:47And yeah, I feel great.
01:48We've really seen you grow as an artist.
01:50So of course, starting out in Little Mix and then you've been solo for a little while now.
01:54How would you say that your sound has evolved?
01:56And what is it about now being solo that I think can help you express yourself a bit more?
02:01Yeah, well, I think at the beginning of my solo career, it's like I felt like I knew what I wanted or maybe I did know what I wanted.
02:10But I think there was too much noise around it.
02:13There was too many, too much politics.
02:14Like you have to, it has to sound a bit more like this or a bit more like this and couldn't have the real creative control to just do what I want.
02:20So I think it's evolved by literally just taking the reins myself and saying, no, I'm doing it my way and taking the jump to go independent.
02:30And yeah, now I can finally say like it's everything that I want it to be.
02:34And there's so much to come as well.
02:36And obviously my album, like I'm just, I just can't wait.
02:39Is there anything that you've taken from your time starting out in the girl group that you're still implementing now?
02:45Or is it two separate worlds for you?
02:47That's a good question.
02:47I definitely feel like that.
02:49I mean, I learn everything in Little Mix.
02:50You know, that's everything that I do now is from what I've learned.
02:53So I think the fact that I would always want to put on a show, like Little Mix, we just turned it out like every time.
03:00So I think I've got that in me, like always wanting to give everything to have the best show possible.
03:06Yeah, I think that's probably the main thing, to be honest, like just that performance level and always trying to strive to be even better.
03:13You recently said that this isn't the end for Little Mix.
03:16It's just a bit of a hiatus.
03:18Do you think all of your respective solo projects and your own individual sounds could shape the way that we see Little Mix when they come back?
03:27Do you know what?
03:27That is such a good question.
03:28And I think about this because I'm like, we've all obviously gone off and done our own thing and our own sounds.
03:32Like we are in completely different lanes, which is amazing.
03:36So I'm like, yeah, when we eventually come back, like where does that, what does that sound like?
03:40And I think that's going to be the exciting thing as well.
03:43But at the same time, Little Mix is Little Mix.
03:45And I guess there'll be a part of just wanting to do what people love that we do.
03:50But yeah, who knows?
03:51We'll have to wait and see.
03:52Maybe like a new evolution.
03:54The next era of Little Mix.
03:55To be honest, it probably has to be that.
03:57Yeah, I think we're going to have to surprise people.
03:59So we'll see.
04:01Okay.
04:01And tell me a little bit about your upcoming solo album.
04:03What can you say so far?
04:05How's it coming along?
04:05I mean, it's nearly done.
04:09Literally, it's so, so close.
04:12And yeah, I think that I'm just so happy that I can actually say that now.
04:16Like my album is coming so soon.
04:18But yeah, it's literally everything that I wanted it to be.
04:21All the mix of the sounds that I love with my Leanne pop stamp.
04:26And that's something that I've always wanted to get, like the balance of Leanne, the pop star.
04:30But then all those musical genres that I love, like whether it be reggae, R&B, like it's about sort of merging that and putting that Leanne stamp on it.
04:41Because it is quite a blend of genres.
04:43Like you said on stage as well about how something that your dad said really resonated with you.
04:49Would you say that all the influences of music you listened to growing up has shaped this?
04:54And it's maybe the best representation of you as a solo artist?
04:58Yeah, 100%. All the stuff that I listened to growing up.
05:01And having two older sisters as well, like one of them being into R&B, the other one being into Jungle.
05:07But then my mom listened to Alanis Morissette.
05:09Like it was very eclectic.
05:11So I think I've taken all of that.
05:13And I mean, I think everybody's really influenced on what they had growing up, right?
05:18So yeah, all of those influences taken and with what I love now and mixed all of that up.
05:23And it's my album.
05:25Does it feel like a new sense of freedom being independent?
05:29100%, yeah.
05:30I almost feel like I probably should have started off my solo career like this.
05:34But then I would never have known.
05:35You know, I've been in a major label my whole career.
05:39So I wouldn't have known any different.
05:41It is different though.
05:43And it's also daunting.
05:45You don't have that massive system pumping in money to what you're doing as well.
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