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.
05:50Like I'm doing everything myself.
05:51So it is very different.
05:53But it's right.
05:55It has to be this way.
05:56So yeah.
05:57I can't wait to hear the new album.
05:58Thank you for taking the time.
05:59Thank you so much.
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