Leigh-Anne Pinnock: Everything you need to know about the Little Mix-turned-solo singer
She's released her solo EP 'No Hard Feelings'
Leigh-Anne Pinnock, or should we say simply Leigh-Anne, is one of the biggest pop stars in the world due to her fame with girl group Little Mix, so it's no surprise she's in serious demand since the group started their hiatus!
Not only has she signed a solo record deal, putting out songs such as 'Don't Say Love', 'My Love', 'Stealin' Love' and 'Forbidden Fruit', she's also released 'No Hard Feelings', an EP separate to her debut solo album, performed at Hits Radio Live 2024 and announced her first solo headline show. On top of that, she's released a memoir, she's a mum to twins and she married her beau Andre Gray in June 2023.
She's certainly come a long way since finding fame on The X Factor back in 2011, so find out everything you need to know about the extremely talented Leigh-Anne...
Who is Leigh-Anne Pinnock?
Leigh-Anne is a British singer who is best known for her time in girl band Little Mix. Leigh-Anne, who auditioned for The X Factor as a solo artist, was put into the band alongside Perrie Edwards, Jade Thirlwall and former member Jesy Nelson. Read up on more interesting facts about Leigh-Anne Pinnock right here...
Leigh-Anne Pinnock's acting career
Leigh-Anne launched her acting career during lockdown 2020! The singer revealed she would be starring in a film called Boxing Day, sharing a screenshot to her Instagram Story of an article.
After filming wrapped in early 2021, the movie was released in UK cinemas on Friday 3rd December 2021.
Has Leigh-Anne Pinnock left Little Mix?
Nope! Leigh-Anne is still very much a Little Mix member, however the band are on a hiatus.
Jesy Nelson left the band in December 2020 after nine years as she admitted being in the band had "taken its toll" on her mental health.
Little Mix announced they would be taking a break from the band to pursue solo projects in 2022, following the conclusion of their rescheduled 'Confetti' tour in April and May 2022.
Leigh-Anne's performance at Hits Radio Live 2024
Leigh-Anne delighted fans with new music at Hits Radio Live 2024 in Birmingham on Friday 22nd November. She performed on the same night, and at the same venue as Sugababes, Joel Corry, Ella Henderson, Olly Alexander, Tom Walker, and Sigala.
The 'Don't Say Love' singer wowed the crowd with incredible vocals and dancing, when she took to the stage of Birmingham's bp pulse LIVE arena.
You can check out all the pics from the night here.
Leigh-Anne's solo record deal
Leigh-Anne has signed a solo record deal, announced in February 2022. The singer shared the news from Warner Records UK captioning it: 'So excited for what's to come 😍🙏🏽 '.
This news made Leigh-Anne the first current member of the group to sign a solo deal. She posted photos from the studio on Instagram, revealing in January 2023 that she'd been 'cooking up a storm'...
Leigh-Anne then released her debut solo single called 'Don't Say Love'. When she announced it she shared a snippet of the song on her Instagram page. The futuristic video was simply captioned '#leighanneiscoming'.
In August 2023, Leigh-Anne announced she would be releasing her second solo single called 'My Love' on 7th September 2023. The song features Nigerian singer Ayra Starr and Leigh-Anne revealed she wanted it to be a 'fresh start'.
She's now opened up about going solo and revealed that it had it's scary moments, however, "The most exciting things about being solo, I guess, is just all the magic that I am about to create, and that I've already created," Leigh-Anne explained to Rolling Stone. "And being able to walk into a studio and just write about everything that I want to say, open up my heart and talk about all of my own experiences.
In March 2024, Leigh-Anne announced she would be releasing some new music very soon. The first of it, is a song called 'Stealin' Love', which will feature on her solo EP 'No Hard Feelings'. She's also released the second song called 'Forbidden Fruit', which features on her EP.
Leigh-Anne's debut solo album
We don't know a huge amount about Leigh-Anne's debut solo album, however the singer has joined us for a couple of interviews, following the release of her song 'Don't Say Love'. In the interviews she shared some information about the album, which she hasn't posted on her socials.
When asked if there would be an album, she said: "100%".
She went on to explain: "I've come from that background, d'you know, like being an album artist, so creating bodies of work, that's what I was really excited to do. But it actually happened more quickly that people thought. Everything's really come together really well, and hopefully we'll have an album out early next year... Hopefully!"
In another interview with us she also revealed that she definitely wants to include some collabs on her solo album. "Everyone loves a collab," she said, before teasing her next single, saying: "I don't think people are ready for the next single..." 👀
Is Leigh-Anne on tour?
Leigh-Anne has announced several headline shows taking place in October, this follows her first headline show, which took place at Lafayette in London, in June 2024. She will also be performing at Hits Radio Live in Birmingham.
Her audio book narration
It's no secret now that Leigh-Anne is incredibly talented - but solo music isn't the only thing she's been working on! On 23rd March 2023, she revealed alongside Audible UK that she had narrated Hans Christian Anderson's original version of The Little Mermaid!
The book is available to listen to now, with Leigh-Anne sharing a heartwarming post on her Instagram to celebrate the release! She wrote: 'I'm so excited to be narrating the original Hans Christian Anderson version of The Little Mermaid exclusively for @audible_uk 🧜🏽♀️ Dina Gregory is such an incredible storyteller; reading her adaptation truly made me feel seen in a story I've been so familiar with as a child.
'There are so many themes within this now iconic storyline that feel so familiar to my own life and so my narration was inspired by not only my experiences but also my culture, my heritage. My hope is that people like myself can see themselves in this story too and I've enjoyed retelling this tale to my own children already 💕 I hope you all enjoy listening as much as I enjoyed narrating it! x'. (sic)
Who is Leigh-Anne Pinnock dating?
Since 2016, Leigh-Anne has been dating Premier League footballer Andre Gray, and now they're married! The pair confirmed their relationship just days before the New Year started in 2016. Leigh-Anne and Andre aren't shy about their romance on social media, with both posting some adorable snaps on their accounts - true love!
Are they engaged?
Not anymore, they're married! Leigh-Anne Pinnock and Andre Gray became engaged in May 2020 on their fourth anniversary. Taking to Instagram, Andre wrote: 'Let the caption speak for itself this time. ❤️💍 Hasta la muerte,' which roughly translates to 'until death'. Aww!
Rumours that Andre had already popped the question to Leigh-Anne had been circulating since as early as November 2018, when a video emerged of Leigh-Anne and Andre's house warming party with both of their families in attendance.
Is Leigh-Anne married?
Yes, Leigh-Anne and Andre tied the knot in June 2023. The wedding took place in Jamaica, and she confirmed the lovely news in a newsletter.
The singer wrote: 'So much has happened since we last caught up. First of all… I’m a married woman! Eeeek!
'Andre and I had the most incredible wedding surrounded by love in a place that’s so special to both of us. Thank you all for showing us so much love & support.'
Leigh-Anne later told us all about her wedding. She revealed her first dance with Andre was dvsn's 'The Line', and she walked down the aisle to Jahméne from The X Factor. Sounds amazing.
in July, Leigh-Anne shared some stunning photos from her special day on her Instagram page, offering fans a glimpse of her wedding.
Leigh-Anne's wedding ring
While out promoting her debut solo single, 'Don't Say Love', Leigh-Anne wasn't afraid to show off her new ring, alongside her emerald engagement ring which is believed to cost £40,000.
Leigh-Anne Pinnock's pregnancy
Leigh-Anne announced her pregnancy with fiancé Andre Gray in May 2021. The couple revealed they were expecting their first child in a STUNNING photoshoot posted to Instagram. She wrote: 'We've dreamed about this moment for so long and we can't believe the dream is finally coming true... we can't wait to meet you. ❤️😍.'
Leigh-Anne later announced on 23rd August that she had given birth to TWINS on 16th August 2021! The singer took to her Instagram to share an adorable photo of four small feet, writing: 'We asked for a miracle, we were given two... 🥺🖤 Our Cubbies are here 😍🖤16/08/21 🖤'.
The exciting news came just one day after her band mate Perrie Edwards announced the birth of her first child.
Leigh-Anne Pinnock: Black Lives Matter
After attending the Black Lives Matter protests following the tragic death of American man George Floyd, Leigh-Anne bravely spoke about how racism has affected her time in girl band Little Mix, admitting she feels like she has to work '10 times harder' than the other girls.
Uploading a five-minute video of herself candidly speaking, Leigh-Anne recalls, in a now-deleted video, the moment she was told by choreographer Frank Gatson during the 'Wings' video shoot that she would have to 'work 10 times harder' because of the colour of her skin.
Leigh-Anne and bandmate Jade Thirlwall won an Ethnicity Award in 2020. On receiving the award, Leigh-Anne said: "I just want to say a massive thank you for voting for me to win the equality award with Jade, which is absolutely amazing.
"I feel so overwhelmed and grateful to have received an award like this, I will continue to use my platform to continue speaking out about race and fighting the fight. I really feel like there’s so many people out there who are working towards change and fighting this fight and not necessarily being projected on social media and the news, so this award is for them."
Leigh-Anne Pinnock: The Black Fund
Leigh-Anne is a co-founder and trustee of The Black Fund alongside her husband Andre Gray and sister Sairah Pinnock, with The Repair Shop's Jay Blades also being a trustee.
Launched in 2021, their mission statement sees them "Investing In Equality", and the website says: "We envision The Black Fund becoming a name people trust - especially for young people - to offer opportunities, access, work and experience in fields they’re interested in, with a focus on the creative industry."
Leigh-Anne's honorary doctorate
In July 2023, Leigh-Anne was awarded an honorary doctorate from Buckinghamshire New University in recognition of her anti-racism and racial equality work. Leigh-Anne was surprised by a group of dance and performance students at the university, who performed a dance flash mob to her solo single 'Don't Say Love'.
Leigh-Anne said: "Growing up, I must have walked past BNU's High Wycombe campus a million times, curious about what was being studied and taught there. But in all that time I never imagined I'd be stood here today with an honorary doctorate in the arts.
"It's such a privilege to be recognised by such a credible, creative and supportive university, so I am extremely happy and proud to be here today."
How old is Leigh-Anne Pinnock?
Leigh-Anne was born on 4th October 1991, making her 33-years-old!
How tall is she?
Leigh-Anne is 1.6 meters in height, making her 5ft 2in.
Does she have a twin sister?
She doesn't have a twin, but Leigh-Anne's older sister Sairah Pinnock looks very much like her! Sairah was rumoured to appear on the 2018 series of Love Island, but it turned out the reports were false.
Follow her on Instagram and Twitter
You can follow Leigh-Anne on Instagram at: leighannepinnock
Leigh-Anne didn't have a personal Twitter account until Little Mix started their hiatus. Leigh-Anne's account is @leighannemusic, if you want to follow Little Mix you can on: @LittleMix
What did she do before Little Mix?
Before becoming a global superstar, Leigh-Anne worked a waitress in Pizza Hut! She's certainly come a long way.
What is her net worth?
In 2019, heat's Rich List ranked Little Mix at Number 6, with each of the girls having an estimated £12.5 million. According to the magazine the girls have spent more than £10 million on property, including homes for all their mums.
What awards has Leigh-Anne won?
Leigh-Anne and the rest of the Little Mix girls have picked up three BRIT Awards, in 2017 they won British Single of the Year for 'Show Out To My Ex'. This was followed in 2019 with their second BRIT, British Video of the Year for 'Woman Like Me' featuring Nicki Minaj. The group's third award was for Best British Group in May 2021!
In 2020, Leigh-Anne, along with Jade Thirlwall, was nominated for an Ethnicity Award for her support during the Black Lives Matter protests.
Leigh-Anne's support for RAYE
In February 2023, RAYE released her debut album 'My 21st Century Blues', and Leigh-Anne showed her support for the album by taking to her Instagram Stories. She told her fans: 'Everyone go and download this masterpiece @raye we fricken love youuuu'. (sic)
You can hear Little Mix's biggest songs on Northsound 1.
Check out the Little Mix girls 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...
Read more:
12 facts to make you fall in love with Little Mix's Jade Thirlwall ✨
9 incredible facts about Little Mix's Jesy Nelson ✨
10 fascinating facts about Little Mix Queen Perrie Edwards 👑