Perrie Edwards and the Little Mix girls talk boyfriends, body image and saucy selfies
SPENDING a morning with Little Mix is like being in the eye of a hair extension, bronzer and fake eyelash tornado – with the occasional twerk thrown in for good measure.
It’s the first time the girls have seen each other after getting a rare four weeks off before going back into promo for new single Shout Out To My Ex.
A sleepy Jade Thirlwall, 23, has come straight from a girlie holiday in Ibiza and proudly shows off a new heart ankle tattoo.
“It’s tacky, right?” she grins.
Our chat takes place just days before it emerges that Perrie Edwards, 23, has split from Our Girl star Luke Pasqualino, 26.
There's no sign of the trouble ahead – Perrie is beaming from ear to ear as she describes the man who mended her heart after splitting from fiancé Zayn Malik, 23, 15 months ago as “a gent” and “pretty damn hot.”
Days later, however, the pair unfollow each other on Instagram. Ouch!
Meanwhile, Jesy Nelson, 25, is no longer the least self-assured Little Mixer.
She now confidently throws shapes for the camera, after emerging from make-up with tiny freckles painted across her cheeks.
Then there’s a giggling Leigh-Anne Pinnock, 25, playing an audio message of Perrie and her dad singing Happy Birthday from her recent birthday celebrations.
They’ve come a long way since finding fame on The X Factor in 2011 – achieving four UK No.1 singles, selling over 8 million records and beating the Spice Girls to have the highest-charting debut album by a British girl group in the US.
It’s the fifth time we’ve interviewed the foursome – and they’re sassier than ever before.
Do you want people to read into the lyrics for your new single Shout Out To My Ex?
Jesy We’re not going to shy away from situations that have happened. We’ve all been through heartbreak and love, so we’ve written a song that girls can relate to. It’s kind of an “up yours!”. I love that they will think: “Oh, f**k you,” when they hear it. That’s why I feel so lucky that we can express ourselves through our music.
It’s very feisty…
Leigh-Anne We are not holding back on this album – we’re giving it everything.
Perrie [Puts on an American accent] No more nice Little Mix… No more nice girls!
What would you shout out to an ex?
P I’m all the way up and I’m never coming down.
L-A In my opinion, they always come back and this could be a way of saying: “Do you know what? Too late. I didn’t like you anyway!”
There’s a lyric in SOTME about faking it in bed. Have you ever done that?
P I think every girl has done that.
L-A Sometimes you feel bad and don’t want them to feel awkward, so you just do it.
P You’re so funny!
Jade We’ve all been there.
L-A Or if you’re getting bored of it.
Jade And you want it to be over and you’re just like: “Come on…!”
P It’s what every girl thinks and what every girl’s been through. We’re just saying it in a song.
L-A Also, if your ex has been a bit of an a***hole, then it’s nice to belittle them!
How body-confident are you?
Jesy As we’ve got older, we genuinely don’t give a s**t any more. [The constant scrutiny] is hard to take when you’re young, but now we’re more confident. We’re happy to be how we are, and don’t care if we put on a couple of pounds. I feel like curves are really in at the moment – I love that they’re celebrated.
L-A They should always be in. I went to London Fashion Week in September and some models were really skinny.
Jesy You should celebrate any size. If you can rock your body with confidence, and you’re happy in your own skin, there’s nothing sexier. I feel like we’re all in a really good place with how we feel about ourselves.
Do you ever let online comments about your appearance affect you?
Jesy We never read comments any more. I think if people want to comment about you, what does it say about them? It just shows you they’ve got no life.
P People are always going to be negative. When we started out, it was like when you’re in a playground and the whole school was talking about you: “Oh my god, did you see what Perrie did?” It was that, but on a world scale and it was weird. But now, I couldn’t give a f**k.
Are diets a dirty word?
Jesy We love to eat healthy, but then we’ll have days when what we eat is unforgivable. I had the biggest Domino’s yesterday, but don’t care because it f**king made me happy. Then I’ll eat healthy for the rest of the week and have another cheat day.
P Nothing makes me happier than food.
Jesy We’re all such foodies. It’s not good to eat s**t all the time, but we’re normal and like to eat s**t!
Do you work out?
L-A I love the gym. I had a really good routine, but for the last three months I’ve done nothing.
Jesy [Sarcastically] You can really tell.
L-A It’s insane! I’ve been eating what I want, but I’m really back on it now.
Jesy I have started a new thing called Kobox. It is the best! You go into a dimly lit room with hip-hop and R&B music and you punch bags.
P I don’t like people shouting at us!
Jesy It’s in a good way. The trainer will shout things like: “Imagine this punch bag is your ex.”
P Oh, that’s good then!
What are your favourite and least favourite parts of your body?
P My back fat has to go!
Jesy I think my boobs. I also like my ankles and calves.
P She has got the best boobs ever. And good legs as well!
L-A I’d probably say my bum and waist.
Jade I quite enjoy my back.
Jesy Oh yes, you have a great back and butt.
Jade I don’t like my whole breast area, as it doesn’t really exist, but I’ve embraced them now. My boyfriend likes them!
Jesy Perrie has porn star boobs and a very nice juicy bum.
P Oh, thank you!
Is there a fine line because you have young fans?
Jesy I don’t think we’re going to get our boobs out.
P There’s a fine line, and there’s getting your boobs and bits out. Being in your underwear is exactly the same as wearing a bikini.
Jade It’s about balance and we still do kooky videos, so we can relate to everyone.
When do you feel at your sexiest?
P Body-wise, definitely when I’ve just woken up, because I haven’t eaten and have a flat stomach. Morning tummies are the best.
L-A [Pauses and laughs] I was just going to say something else.
P You’re being really naughty today! I know what you were going to say.
L-A I know you do.
Jesy l’d love to say being natural, but I enjoy having my make-up and hair done. That makes me feel sexy.
L-A When you haven’t worn make-up for ages and you put it on and you go: “Ooh, that’s what I look like!”
Jade That happened today and I thought: “Who is this?”
What’s your definition of sexy?
All Confidence.
L-A One hundred per cent. You can be sexy however you look, as long as you have the confidence to rock it.
Jesy There was a girl on Big Brother earlier this year [Lateysha Grace] who was really curvy. She was so confident in her body and just so sexy. When you are confident in yourself there’s nothing sexier – especially to a guy
You’ve been setting Instagram on fire with your sexy pics recently…
Jade I really feel like we’re women now. Before this album, I still felt a bit like a little girl. Now we’re women and we want to show off our bodies and our assets!
L-A I think the progression we’ve made has been very natural.
Do you do a Kim K and take 100 shots, then choose the best?
Jesy Oh yeah, we always take loads and find the best light. Me and Perrie love a bit of natural daylight.
P I think on days where you’re feeling good, you do a cheeky selfie. If you’re sitting in your PJs feeling s**t, then you’re not going to take a picture, are you? You control it and it’s like: “This is how I’m feeling today.”
Well, you’re obviously feeling good because there have been a lot of bikini snaps of you all!
P Has there? Well, I mean I did travel around Canada [last month].
L-A That one where you’re sitting down in your Calvin Kleins was seriously hot.
P Oh my god, thanks guys!
Jesy I haven’t done anything in my underwear yet. Jade you did that sexy one with stars over your nipples.
Jade I was in Ibiza and now have a star tan on my nipples. I feel like, because I have got little boobies, I can get away with wearing more provocative outfits.
Jade, you’ve been dating The Struts’ Jed Elliott, 25, since January. Have you said the L word yet?
Jade Oh, yeah, we said that even before we were together properly! We went in quite quick, but when you know, you know. It’s brutal, as I’ve seen him about six times this year, but every time I do it’s very good. I was recently in America on his tour bus and it’s not that sexy when you’re trying to get it on! But you make it work.
Leigh-Anne, it’s been rumoured you’re dating Burnley FC player Andre Gray, 25…
L-A I’m seeing someone and it’s going very well. It’s early days. We’re trying to keep things private.
P When it’s new you don’t really know what’s going on yet, so you don’t want everyone else having an opinion.
L-A I’m going to try to keep it under wraps.
Jesy, you got engaged to Rixton frontman Jake Roche, 24, last July. Have you started planning the wedding?
Jesy It’s not going to be for a good few years. We were never doing it to get married straight away. When he called me his girlfriend it didn’t feel enough to him, so he proposed. We will do it when we want to do it. We’re moving in soon, to a place we’ve bought together. Everything’s going really well.
Do you find it hard to date?
L-A I think when you have an instant connection, that tells you everything. It’s quite scary [dating when you’re in Little Mix] I suppose.
Jade You do meet a lot of frogs along the way.
P A lot of things go through your head as a girl when meeting up with a guy in a normal situation, and you process everything. I think women overthink and look into everything. Especially me – I’m a worrier! In our position, it’s hard because people want to know who we’re dating and the ins and outs of things. But what is good is that we’re so career-driven and have other things we’re focused on. Dating is hard, man!
Is it easier to date someone in the industry?
Jesy I think so.
L-A My ex [footballer Jordan Kiffin] wasn’t in the industry, and it was the easiest relationship I’ve ever had because he had so much time to see me. Being in this industry is so intense. I don’t know how Jade does it.
Jade I won’t see Jed until Christmas. It means I still feel like I’m on first dates and get nervous around him.
P I think there’s a better understanding if they’re in the same industry. I feel like they get it a bit more. But it’s harder for you both because you have to make time.
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Do you prioritise your career or relationship first?
All Career.
Jade I would never want Jed to put our relationship over his career. We have all worked so hard to be here.
L-A I think that when you have marriage and kids it’s a different story.
P You have to find a balance. You need to find someone who won’t make you choose. You should never be with someone who is like: “It’s your career or me!” because they aren’t good enough, obviously.
What have you learned most about love?
P To be a strong, independent woman.
Jade To respect yourself. I think we’ve all been in relationships where it’s a sickly love, which isn’t healthy.
L-A I vow never to lose the honeymoon period. It’s the most incredible feeling. Why do people lose it?
P When you’re together all the time it does get samey. But – especially when you’re travelling constantly – absence makes the heart grow fonder. You then get excited every time you get on the plane knowing you are gonna see them.
How do you keep your identity in a relationship?
P Never let a man walk all over you or be in control of your happiness. I think that’s what sucks. When you start falling in love with someone, they become in control of your emotions. As a woman you have to keep your wits about you and to make sure you’re in control. So if he p**ses you off one day, let it go. Life goes on!
Little Mix’s album Glory Days is out on Friday. Their book Our World (£16.99, Penguin) is out now.