British all-girl group Little Mix making big waves
The all-girl group, who will play in Singapore for the first time in May, is now one of British pop's brightest acts
Contrary to their moniker, Little Mix are getting bigger than ever.
And it was only last year that the girl group, comprising Perrie Edwards, Jesy Nelson, Leigh-Anne Pinnock and Jade Thirlwall, officially broke out and established themselves as one of British pop's brightest acts.
Since winning reality TV singing series The X Factor UK in 2011, Little Mix have sold over seven million records, scored two UK No. 1 singles and two platinum albums, DNA (2012) and Salute (2013).
But it's with their third album, Get Weird, released last November, that the girls really hit the jackpot.
It peaked at No. 2 on the UK Albums Chart with sales of 60,053 in its first week.
The lead single from the album, Black Magic, topped the UK Singles Chart - their second No. 1 since 2012's Wings - and remained there for three weeks, becoming the first single by a girl group to do so since Sugababes' About You Now in 2007.
Pinnock, 24, told M over the phone last week from London: "We've all improved vocally. With the first album, we didn't really know what route we wanted to go down - we almost did anything we were told but it was a little bit younger.
"The second album was a little more grown-up and with (Get Weird), we hit the nail on the head. It's the perfect album for us to show who Little Mix are.
"We had such a great year. Black Magic has done really well, our album is still doing amazing and we just couldn't have wished for it to have been any better. I think it will get even better."
Pinnock may be on to something.
According to reports, Little Mix sold more albums in the UK last year than UK boy band One Direction.
1D's Made In The AM holds the 14th spot on the list of best-selling pop albums in 2015 while Get Weird surpassed it at No. 11.
Pinnock said: "That's crazy, we definitely didn't expect that. We just cannot thank everyone enough for going out and buying the album. I think everyone's just loving our new music and we absolutely love 1D, their (popularity) is absolutely insane so we can't believe it."
Singapore can finally experience what the fuss is all about when Little Mix come to town in May to perform for the first time as part of The Get Weird Tour.
The tour kicks off in March in Cardiff, Wales, and ends in Singapore, the final stop of the Asian leg.
"I heard you guys have great food and I love food. It would be nice to try some authentic local food. I need to research what to do in Singapore and I can't wait to experience it," said Pinnock.
"Touring is our favourite thing to do in the world... It's going to be the biggest and best tour we've ever done.
MAGICAL
"Our fans can expect something completely magical, something that blows their socks off. You're gonna watch it and think, 'What did I just see?' It's going to be an extravaganza."
While on tour, Pinnock said she has seen some weird fan behaviour.
"There was one time we were in our tour bus and a girl was running after us and she fell into a bin. Bless her. That was quite funny but we hope she's all right.
"And I remember one fan licked the window of our tour bus. That was quite strange," she said.
It's all going swimmingly in the love department too, at least for Pinnock and Nelson, 24, who are both in happy, stable relationships.
Nelson is engaged to Jake Roche, lead singer of English pop rock band Rixton, and Pinnock has been dating soccer player Jordan Kiffin of English club Ashford Town for two years.
Meanwhile, Edwards, 22, and Thirlwall, 23, are single and ready to mingle.
Edwards was famously engaged for two years to former 1D member Zayn Malik. They broke up last August. He has since been linked to US model Gigi Hadid.
Pinnock declined to comment on the new couple's budding romance, saying: "Let's not waste this interview talking about him."
For now, 2016 will be keeping the quartet busy, mainly due to The Get Weird Tour.
"We're getting ready to release another single and we will also be starting to write the next album, which is mad," she said.
I heard you guys have great food and I love food. It would be nice to try some local authentic food.
- Leigh-Anne Pinnock, on Little Mix's upcoming visit to Singapore
FYI
WHAT
The Get Weird Tour 2016
WHO
Little Mix
WHERE
The Star Theatre
WHEN
May 23, 8pm
TICKETS
$78 to $108 from Sistic (6348-5555 or www.sistic.com.sg)
Get The New Paper on your phone with the free TNP app. Download from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store now