Little Mix

Little Mix, a vivacious British female pop and R&B ensemble, rose to immediate prominence by claiming victory in the eighth series of the U.K. edition of The X Factor during 2011. The lineup, built around the vocal talents of Jade Thirlwall, Perrie Edwards, Leigh-Anne Pinnock, and Jesy Nelson, won over fans with its richly layered harmonies and magnetic stage energy, attributes that carried the outfit’s debut single “Cannonball” to the summit of the British charts. Their first full-length release, the 2012 album DNA, mirrored that success by reaching the Top Five on both sides of the Atlantic while generating the U.K. number-one single “Wings.” Later projects such as the 2013 set Salute, 2016’s Glory Days, and 2018’s LM5 sustained strong chart placements even as they highlighted the group’s expanding artistic confidence and assertive public image. In 2021 the members assembled their greatest-hits collection Between Us, which included the MNEK-produced track “Love (Sweet Love).”

The quartet became the first act to win the British X Factor as a group, outpacing the earlier accomplishments of One Direction and JLS. Jade Thirlwall, who had already auditioned in two prior series, joined fellow South Shields native Perrie Edwards along with Jesy Nelson from Romford, East London, and Leigh-Anne Pinnock from High Wycombe; each had originally entered as solo contestants but, like Nu Vibe and the Risk, were assembled into a single unit during boot camp. After earning approval from Jessie J and mentor Tulisa Contostavlos of N-Dubz at Judges’ House, the four advanced to the live shows, where their approachable personas, girl-next-door appeal, and fresh song selections allowed them to shed their early underdog status.

Originally named Rhythmix, the members had to adopt a new title in week four once a Brighton children’s charity was discovered to already hold the same name. Nevertheless, memorable renditions of En Vogue’s “Don’t Let Go,” Katy Perry’s “E.T.,” and Rihanna’s “Don’t Stop the Music” enabled them to surpass the records set by the Conway Sisters and Hope, becoming the first girl group in the program’s history to reach week eight. Following a prominent role in the M&S television advertising campaign and the finalists’ charity single covering Rose Royce’s “Wishing on a Star,” the group ultimately defeated Marcus Collins in the final showdown. Their 2011 debut release, a version of Damien Rice’s “Cannonball,” topped the charts yet posted the smallest opening-week sales for any X Factor winner since Steve Brookstein’s “Against All Odds” in 2004, and it ultimately yielded the Christmas number-one spot to the Military Wives Choir. DNA, which featured both “Cannonball” and the U.K. chart-topping “Wings,” arrived late in 2012 and went on to register as the highest-charting debut album by any British female group in U.K. history.

Little Mix returned in 2013 with the sophomore album Salute. Crafted with contributions from Future Cut, TMS, and Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, the project explored a more seasoned, R&B-leaning sound. Early 2014 brought a series of U.S. dates supporting Demi Lovato, while the summer delivered the quartet’s most extensive British headline tour to that point. “Black Magic,” the lead single from the third album Get Weird, delivered the group’s third U.K. number one in 2015. Around the same period Britney Spears issued “Pretty Girls,” a track co-written by the members that climbed to number 16 on the British charts. Get Weird itself appeared later that year, reaching number two in the U.K. and number 13 on the Billboard 200.

The fourth studio album, Glory Days, produced by Electric, surfaced in November 2016. It ascended to the top of the U.K. albums chart and settled at number 25 on the Billboard 200, housing the single “Shout Out to My Ex” together with the Charlie Puth collaboration “Oops.” An expanded edition followed one year later. The group continued promoting the record into 2017, opening for Ariana Grande and mounting its own arena tour. After wrapping a 2018 worldwide summer trek, the members delivered their fifth album, LM5. Its opening single, “Woman Like Me,” featured rapper Nicki Minaj and propelled the project to number three in the U.K. and number 40 on the Billboard 200.

Early in 2020 the quartet issued “Break Up Song,” followed by “Holiday” in July. Both tracks appeared on the sixth album Confetti, released that November and peaking at number two in the U.K. while reaching number 85 on the Billboard 200. One month after the album’s arrival, founding member Jesy Nelson departed to pursue solo work. That September the group launched its own BBC One series, Little Mix: The Search, which offered competing acts the opportunity to secure a slot on the Confetti tour. Also in 2021 the members released the MNEK-produced single “Love (Sweet Love)” as part of their greatest-hits compilation Between Us.