20 fascinating facts you never knew about Little Mix 🎶
They've achieved so much!
Following their 'Confetti' tour, Little Mix started their hiatus back in May 2022, however that hasn't stopped fans following the individual members, Perrie Edwards, Jade Thirlwall, Leigh-Anne Pinnock and former member Jesy Nelson.
Whether it's sold-out tours, awards, hit singles or TV shows, the Little Mix girls have had an incredible career. And now that Jade has confirmed they will have a Little Mix reunion, at some point, we've decided to find some facts about the band that may just surprise you!
1) Kelly Rowland put the group together on The X Factor
Jesy, Jade, Perrie and Leigh-Anne all auditioned for The X Factor as soloists, but did not progress past the Boot Camp stage. However, they were then put into groups, with Perrie and Jesy forming in four-piece Faux Pas and Jade and Leigh-Anne in the trio Orion.
Although they again failed to progress in these set-ups, the Destiny's Child legend suggested putting the quartet together, and could be heard saying in a clip on The X Factor at the time: "Taking two out of this group, and one of out here, and putting these two together," with Tulisa adding: "I think it's a brilliant idea, we haven't got that new young fresh girl group, and you need that."
When the four girls were called to the stage, Kelly commented to the judges: "I like them together, they look fricking great together," before telling the girls: "You're probably wondering what you're doing up here, huh?
"We truly feel like the four of you could bring something very special to this competition. Do you think you guys could work together?"
2) The band weren't originally called Little Mix
That's right! When the girls first formed on The X Factor in 2011, the band was originally called Rhythmix. However, the girls were forced to change their name due to a children's charity being called the same, and Little Mix were born.
Jesy revealed in an interview with Buzzfeed in May 2020 that she wasn't a fan of the name to begin with, but that she'd learned to love it. She said: "I really did not like the name for such a long time.
"I wouldn't say that I'm still, like, the biggest fan of Little Mix, but I feel like with every group name it just becomes...you don't even think about it anymore, it's just our name. I'm quite grateful for it now."
Leigh-Anne added that if they were to change it, she'd like them to simply shorten it to LMX.
3) Little Mix made history on The X Factor
Not only did they make history by becoming the first girl group to make it past week seven in the live shows, the girls went one step further and become the first band to ever win The X Factor!
4) Jade Thirlwall and Perrie Edwards used to live in the same town
Although the girls never met before The X Factor, Perrie and Jade lived in the same town of South Shields, five minutes away from each other. They knew all the same people but they never met!
5) Jade auditioned for The X Factor twice before making it with Little Mix
Before being put into a band alongside Jesy, Perrie and Leigh-Anne during the 2011 series, Jade previously auditioned as a solo artist twice before. However, neither of these were aired on ITV.
6) Perrie and Leigh-Anne had babies just a few weeks apart!
Mixers all over the world were STUNNED when Leigh-Anne announced her pregnancy in May 2021, but nothing could prepare us for Perrie announcing she was also expecting just a week later! Here's everything we know about the Little Mix babies. 😍
7) Little Mix made history at the BRIT Awards 2021
That's right - Little Mix became the first female group to win British Group at The BRIT Awards 2021, giving a powerful speech that recognised the women who had come before them like Girls Aloud, All Saints, Sugababes and, of course, the Spice Girls.
8) Jade Thirlwall is obsessed with Disney
Just like the majority of us, Jade is totally obsessed with all things Disney! She often takes trips to Disney World with her family and rumour has it she even auditioned for the role of Princess Jasmine in the live-action remake of Aladdin.
9) Perrie Edwards has no sense of smell
Geordie girl Perrie suffers from a rare condition called Anosmia, which means she has absolutely no sense of smell!
10) 'Salute' reached over 1 million views on YouTube in 24 hours
When it was released back in 2013, Little Mix's track 'Salute' received over 1 million views in just 24 hours, and it now has over 199 million views on YouTube.
11) Little Mix have their own makeup collection
After launching in 2013, Little Mix have a wide range of makeup products under the name LMX. Products available include things like eye lashes, lip gloss and eye shadow.
12) Little Mix's 'Get Weird' tour broke records
Little Mix's 'Get Weird' tour, which was their third tour, became the eighth-highest grossing girl group tour in history, with the girls performing 60 dates in Europe, Oceania and Asia.
13) Little Mix had their very own clothing collection with PrettyLittleThing
In 2019, the Little Mix girls announced a clothing collaboration with online fashion brand PrettyLittleThing. The collection included dresses, bags, shoes and amazing two-pieces.
Check out the full PrettyLittleThing x Little Mix collection right here.
14) Leigh-Anne Pinnock is also a businesswoman and actress
In 2019, Leigh-Anne decided to launch her very own swimwear range with her close friend Gabrielle Urquhart. The range accommodates for all body types and is called In'A'SeaShell.
She also announced in November 2020 that she was launching an acting career, starring in a film called Boxing Day!
15) Jade Thirlwall and Leigh-Anne Pinnock climbed Mount Kilimanjaro
All in aid of Comic Relief, in 2019 Jade and Leigh-Anne put on their hiking boots to climb the 19,340ft mountain in Africa!
The girls reached the summit along with other celebs like Dani Dyer, Dan Walker, Ed Balls, Alexander Armstrong, Anita Rani, Osi Umenyiora, and Shirley Ballas.
16) Jesy Nelson broke records with her anti-bullying documentary Odd One Out
After receiving some shocking online abuse since she rose to fame with Little Mix, Jesy bravely made an anti-bullying documentary with the BBC called Odd One Out. As well as making fans cry by admitting she's previously tried to take her own life, Jesy met other victims of online abuse and helped fans who have been bullied.
Odd One Out broke a viewing record for BBC Three, drawing in a massive 3.3 million viewers in just seven days. Jesy's documentary was also the most requested on BBC iPlayer, with 1.87 million requests mostly coming from 16-34 year-olds.
Jesy also picked up a National Television Award for the documentary in October 2019, winning the award for 'Best Factual Entertainment Show'.
17) Little Mix launched their very own TV show
After launching their own careers on a TV talent show, Little Mix teamed up with the BBC for their very own show called Little Mix: The Search, which aired in September and October 2020.
Speaking about The Search, Little Mix said: "We want to create lots of incredible groups who really gel. As we have been there and done it ourselves, we know what it takes to make a group successful, and will be there to mentor them every step of the way."
18) Perrie Edwards and Leigh-Anne Pinnock are both dating footballers
Perrie has been dating Liverpool footballer Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain since early 2017, with Leigh-Anne dating Watford player Andre Gray since 2016. Leigh-Anne and Andre became engaged on their fourth anniversary in May 2020, the couple then married in June 2023. Both Leigh-Anne and Perrie announced their pregnancies in May 2021!
In August 2021, Leigh-Anne announced she had given birth to twins and Perrie welcomed baby boy Axel!
19) Little Mix have had five Number 1 singles to date
As well as a number of major hits that didn't make the Number 1 spot, Little Mix singles 'Cannonball', 'Wings', 'Black Magic', 'Shout Out To My Ex' and 'Sweet Melody' all reached the Number 1 spot in the UK Charts.
20) Little Mix have had some MAJOR collaborations
Stormzy, Nicki Minaj and Jason Derulo to name a few! Read up on Little Mix's biggest collaborations.
Check out how Little Mix have changed through the years:
2011 - The X Factor auditions
Jade Thirlwall, Perrie Edwards, Jesy Nelson and Leigh-Anne Pinnock all auditioned for The X Factor in 2011 as solo artists. Although they were then eliminated at the Boot Camp stage, each of them was brought back along with other contestants to form groups. Jesy and Perrie formed Faux Pas, and Jade and Leigh-Anne made up two-thirds of a group called Orion.
2011 - Little Mix win The X Factor
Both groups were then eliminated, but Jade, Perrie, Jesy and Leigh-Anne were put into a group by Kelly Rowland, calling themselves Rhythmix before changing their name to Little Mix for legal reasons. Little Mix were mentored by Tulisa and got all the way to the final, where they beat Marcus Collins with 48.3% of the vote, becoming the first group to ever win the show. Judge Louis Walsh at the time predicted the girls would be the biggest girl group in the UK - and he was right! Their winning single was a cover of Damien Rice's 'Cannonball', which topped the UK Singles Chart.
2012 - Little Mix release autobiography Ready To Fly
In August 2012, Little Mix released their autobiography, Ready To Fly. The book saw the girls tell the story of their rise to fame.
2012 - Debut album 'DNA' released
In November 2012, they released their debut album 'DNA' through Simon Cowell's label, Syco. 'DNA' peaked in the Top 10 in 10 countries. This made Little Mix the first girl group since the Pussycat Dolls to reach the US Top 5 with their debut album. 'DNA' was also certified Gold in both Australia and Ireland, and Platinum in the UK.
2012 - X Factor performance
One year on from their historic win on The X Factor, Little Mix returned to the show to perform their new single, 'Wings'.
2013 - 'DNA' Tour
In January 2013, Little Mix embarked on the 'DNA' tour, which started in Rhyl. The tour was the band's first and concluded in Belfast in February 2013.
2013 - Little Mix release second album
Little Mix released their second studio album 'Salute' in November 2013. The album included the singles 'Move', 'Little Me' and 'Salute', reaching Number 4 on the UK Albums Chart.
2014 - Little Mix support Demi Lovato on tour
In February and March 2014, Little Mix supported Demi Lovato on the North American leg of her 'Neon Lights' tour.
2014 - 'Salute' Tour
In 2014, Little Mix embarked on the sell-out 'Salute' tour, which consisted of 20 dates. The tour started in May 2014 in Birmingham, before concluding in Scarborough in July 2014.
2015 - 'Black Magic' reaches Number 1
In May 2015, Little Mix released their huge single 'Black Magic', which topped the UK Singles Chart - remaining at Number 1 for three weeks. 'Black Magic' went on to be certified 3x Platinum in the UK.
2015 - Co-writing for Britney Spears and Iggy Azalea
Little Mix were co-writers on Britney Spears and Iggy Azalea's song 'Pretty Girls', which was released in May 2015. The song reached Number 16 on the UK Singles Chart.
2015 - Little Mix perform with Taylor Swift
In August 2015, Little Mix joined Taylor Swift on-stage at her '1989' tour in Santa Clara, California. Fans were delighted as Taylor and Little Mix performed 'Black Magic' together.
2015 - Little Mix release their third album 'Get Weird'
Little Mix released their third studio album 'Get Weird' in November 2015. The album included the singles 'Black Magic', 'Love Me Like You', 'Secret Love Song' and 'Hair'. 'Get Weird' reached Number 2 on the UK Albums Chart and is certified 3x Platinum.
2016 - 'Get Weird' tour
In 2016, Little Mix embarked on the 'Get Weird' tour, which was in support of their third studio album of the same name. The tour started in Cardiff in March 2016, visiting cities in the UK, Europe, Oceania and Asia before concluding at Newmarket Racecourse in August 2016.
2016 - Little Mix release 'Hair' with Sean Paul
Originally released in August 2015, a remix of 'Hair' featuring Sean Paul was released in April 2016. The collaboration reached Number 11 on the UK Singles Chart.
2016 - 'Shout Out To My Ex' reaches Number 1
Released in October 2016, 'Shout Out To My Ex' was a huge hit for Little Mix. The song topped the UK Singles Chart, where it spent three consecutive weeks. The single is certified 4x Platinum in the UK.
2016 - Little Mix release their fourth album 'Glory Days'
Little Mix released their fourth studio album 'Glory Days' in November 2016, including the singles 'Shout Out To My Ex', 'Touch', 'No More Sad Songs' and 'Power', with 'Reggaetón Lento' also featuring on the reissued version of the album.
'Glory Days' reached Number 1 on the UK Albums Chart and is certified 4x Platinum.
2017 - Little Mix win their first BRIT Award
Little Mix won their first BRIT Award in 2017, with 'Shout Out To My Ex' winning British Single of the Year.
2017 - Little Mix support Ariana Grande
Little Mix supported Ariana Grande on the North American leg of her 'Dangerous Woman' tour from February to April 2017.
2017/18 - 'The Glory Days' tour
In May 2017, Little Mix embarked on 'The Glory Days' tour, starting in Prenton Park in Birkenhead and visiting cities across the UK, Europe, Oceania, and Asia before concluding in Kobe, Japan in March 2018.
2018 - 'Summer Hits' tour
2018 also saw Little Mix head on the 'Summer Hits' tour, which was their first stadium tour. Taking place in July 2018, the tour began in Hove and concluded in Inverness.
2018 - Fifth album 'LM5'
Little Mix released their fifth studio album 'LM5' in November 2018. The album included the singles 'Woman Like Me' and 'Think About Us'. 'LM5' reached Number 3 on the UK Albums Chart and is certified Platinum.
2018 - Little Mix leave Syco and are signed to RCA
In November 2018, Little Mix left Syco - Simon Cowell's record label - and signed a deal with RCA.
2018 - Performance with Nicki Minaj
In November 2018, fans were thrilled when the girls teamed up with Nicki Minaj for an amazing performance of their collab 'Woman Like Me' at the MTV EMAs.
2019 - BRIT Awards win
Little Mix won the British Artist Video of the Year award at the 2019 BRIT Awards for their track 'Woman Like Me' featuring Nicki Minaj.
2019 - Celebrity Gogglebox
Little Mix appeared on Celebrity Gogglebox in June 2019, with the girls sharing their hilarious thoughts on a host of television shows - including Naked Attraction!
2019 - 'LM5: The Tour'
In 2019, Little Mix embarked on 'LM5: The Tour', which was in support of their fifth album. The tour started in Madrid, Spain in September 2019 and finished at The O2 Arena in London in November 2019.
2019 - PrettyLittleThing collection
In November 2019, Little Mix teamed up with clothing brand PrettyLittleThing to release their own clothing collection.
2019 - Jesy releases the documentary Odd One Out
In September 2019, Jesy released the powerful documentary Odd One Out, which saw her open up about the impact of cyberbulling on her mental health. The documentary won a National Television Award in 2020.
2020 - One World: Together At Home performance
Little Mix delivered a brilliant performance of their hit 'Touch' for the One World: Together At Home virtual concert during the Covid-19 pandemic.
2020
In 2020, Little Mix announced their own TV talent show called Little Mix: The Search. The competition aired in September 2020 and was won by the band Since September - who subsequently went on to support the girls on 'The Confetti Tour' in 2022.
2020 - 'Confetti'
Little Mix released their sixth album 'Confetti' in November 2020. The album included the singles 'Break Up Song', 'Holiday' and 'Sweet Melody'. The album reached Number 2 on the UK Album Charts and is certified Gold.
2020 - Tour announcement
After their Summer 2020 Tour was scrapped due to the Coronavirus pandemic, Little Mix delighted fans by announcing a massive arena tour for 2021.
2020 - LM5: The Tour Film
LM5: The Tour Film was released in cinemas worldwide in November 2020, with the UK showings being postponed to December due to the lockdown restrictions. The film was later shown on Sky One, as well as being made available to purchase on iTunes.
2020
In December 2020, Jesy Nelson announced she'd made the tough decision to quit Little Mix, after saying that being in the band took a toll on her mental health. Jade, Leigh-Anne and Perrie announced they would continue Little Mix as a three.
2021 - 'Sweet Melody' reaches Number 1
Released in October 2020, 'Sweet Melody' was the third single from Little Mix's sixth studio album, 'Confetti'. In January 2021, the song reached Number 1 on the UK Singles Chart, giving Little Mix their fifth UK Number 1 single.
2021 - Best Group BRIT Award
Little Mix won the Best Group award at the 2021 BRIT Awards! Leigh-Anne and Perrie also sweetly debuted their baby bumps on the red carpet.
2021 - 'Confetti' tour postponed
The 'Confetti' tour was originally set to take place from April to May 2021, but had to be postponed due to Covid restrictions. The tour was rescheduled, starting in Belfast in April 2022 and finishing at London's O2 Arena in May 2022.
2021 - 'Heartbreak Anthem'
Little Mix teamed up with Galantis and David Guetta on the huge track 'Heartbreak Anthem', which was released in May 2021. The song reached Number 3 on the UK Singles Chart and is certified Platinum.
2021 - Madame Tussauds waxwork
In July 2021, Madame Tussauds London unveiled a new waxwork of the Little Mix girls to celebrate the band's 10-year anniversary!
2021 - Leigh-Anne: Race, Pop and Power airs
Leigh-Anne: Race, Pop and Power, the documentary featuring Leigh-Anne talking about racial issues aired in May 2021.
In May 2021, Leigh-Anne and her sister launched a charity called The Black Fund. The charity works with existing charities to deliver support to the black community.
2021 - Leigh-Anne and Perrie give birth!
In August 2021, Perrie and her fiance Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain welcomed their baby boy, Axel. Also in August, Leigh-Anne shared the lovely news that she and her now-husband Andre Gray had welcomed twins!
2021 - 'Between Us'
Celebrating their 10th anniversary in style, the girls released their surprise greatest hits album 'Between Us', on 12th November 2021. The album reached Number 3 on the UK Singles Chart and is certified Platinum.
2021 - Leigh-Anne's movie Boxing Day
Perrie and Jade supported Leigh-Anne at the premiere of her first ever movie called Boxing Day in November 2021, with all three girls looking fabulous on the red carpet.
2021 - Hiatus announcement
Little Mix announced they would be going on hiatus in December 2021 to focus on their individual careers, but reassured fans that it wasn't the end of the group.
2022 - Little Mix's final show before hiatus
In May 2022, Little Mix performed their final concert before their hiatus at London's O2 Arena, performing an epic show consisting of 23 huge songs. Fans could also watch a stream of the concert from home too!
Present
Perrie, Jade and Leigh-Anne have gone forward with their solo careers in hugely exciting ways - in fashion, charity work and solo music, of course.
Find out what Perrie Edwards is up to...
Find out what Leigh-Anne Pinnock is up to...
Find out what Jade Thirlwall is up to...
You can hear Little Mix's biggest hits on Forth 1.
Read more:
9 fascinating facts about Little Mix Queen Perrie Edwards 👑
12 facts to make you fall in love with Little Mix's Jade Thirlwall ✨
9 incredible facts about Little Mix's Jesy Nelson
11 facts you'd love to know about Little Mix's Leigh-Anne Pinnock