Little Mix

**Little Mix** are a British girl group formed in 2011 during the eighth series of the UK version of *The X Factor*. They are the first and, so far, only group to win the competition. Following their victory, they signed with Simon Cowell's record label Syco Music and released a cover of Damien Rice's "Cannonball" as their winner's single. The members are Jade Thirlwall, Perrie Edwards, Leigh-Anne Pinnock, and Jesy Nelson.

Little Mix released their debut album *DNA* in 2012, which peaked inside the top 10 in ten countries including the UK and US. This made Little Mix the first girl group since the Pussycat Dolls to reach the US top 5 with their debut album, as well as earning the highest debut US chart position by a British girl group, breaking the record previously held by the Spice Girls. In the UK, the album spawned the number-one single "Wings". The group's sophomore effort *Salute*, which was released in 2013, became their second album to debut inside the top 10 in both the UK and US. The album produced two top 10 singles in their home country; "Move" and "Salute". Little Mix released their third studio album *Get Weird* in 2015 and it is their best-selling and longest charting album to date in the UK. The album's lead single "Black Magic" reached number one in the UK and was also nominated for two Brit Awards in 2016. The group's 2016 fourth studio album *Glory Days* became their first number one album in the UK and was also the longest reigning girl group Number 1 since the Spice Girls' debut album 20 years ago. The album's lead single "Shout Out to My Ex" became the group's fourth UK number one single, while the second single "Touch" became the group's tenth top ten hit in the UK Singles Chart.

## Members

### Perrie Edwards

Perrie Louise Edwards was born on  (1993-07-10) 10 July 1993 (age 30), and raised in the Whiteleas neighborhood of South Shields, Tyne and Wear, to parents Alexander Edwards and Deborah Duffy. She has an older brother named Jonnie, and a younger half-sister named Caitlin Edwards, on her father's side. Her first audition was "You Oughta Know" by Alanis Morissette. Edwards attended Radipole Primary School in Weymouth, Dorset before moving back to South Shields. She is a graduate of St. Peter and Paul RC Primary School, in South Shields, and attended Mortimer Community College, also in South Shields, for five years, where she excelled in both academic and performance subjects. Edwards transferred and graduated from Newcastle College, where she received a BTEC in Performing Arts. She began dating UK singer and former One Direction member Zayn Malik in May 2012. The couple got engaged in August 2013 but broke up in August 2015. She also had a brief romance with *Skins* actor Luke Pasqualino between August and October 2016. In February 2017, Edwards was confirmed to be dating footballer Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

### Jesy Nelson

Jessica Louise Nelson was born on  (1991-06-14) 14 June 1991 (age 32), and raised in Romford, east London to parents John Nelson and Janice White. She has an older sister Jade and two brothers, Joseph and Jonathan. Her first audition was "Bust Your Windows" by Jazmine Sullivan. Since joining Little Mix, she has faced cyber-bullying and struggled to cope during her time on *The X Factor*. Nelson attended secondary school Jo Richardson Community School and Abbs Cross Academy and Arts College (in Hornchurch, Essex), was noted for being a dedicated drama and music student by her teachers. She also attended Sylvia Young and Yvonne Rhodes Theatre Schools. In 2014, Nelson began dating Rixton lead singer, Jake Roche. The couple became engaged on 19 July 2015, but broke up in November 2016.

### Leigh-Anne Pinnock

Leigh-Anne Pinnock was born on  (1991-10-04) 4 October 1991 (age 32), and raised in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire. Pinnock is of Barbadian and Jamaican ancestry. Before joining Little Mix, she worked as a waitress in Pizza Hut. Her first audition was "Only Girl (In the World)" by Rihanna. In February 2015, Pinnock launched a Tumblr fashion blog called "Leigh Loves".

### Jade Thirlwall

Jade Amelia Thirlwall was born on  (1992-12-26) 26 December 1992 (age 31), and raised in the Laygate neighbourhood of South Shields, Tyne and Wear. She is of Yemeni and Egyptian ancestry on her mother's side. She also auditioned for *The X Factor* in 2008 and 2010 but got eliminated at Bootcamp stage. She attended performing arts college South Tyneside, where she studied a range of courses. She revealed in the group's book, *Our World*, that she struggled with anorexia nervosa after experiencing bullying at school, and the death of her grandfather. Jade is a supporter of the LGBT community, and she considers RuPaul her idol.