Destination Jam: Five Little Mix songs that remind us just how far they've come on their nine-year journey
On August 19 in 2011, Perrie Edwards, Jesy Nelson, Leigh-Anne Pinnock and Jade Thirlwall were brought back to 'The X Factor' to audition in the Groups category after failing to make the cut as soloists. They were initially put into separate groups, however, Edwards and Nelson in a four-member group known as Faux Pas and Thirlwall and Pinnock in a three-member group called Orion. But when they failed to clear the boot camp stage, the four singers were reformed into a four-piece group called Rhythmix and finally made their way through to the judges' houses. From these humble beginnings, the group, since rebranded to Little Mix, have gone on to establish themselves as one of the biggest contemporary girl groups, ranking among the UK's greatest girl bands of all time. In celebration of their journey and success, here are five songs that showcase their growth and remind us just why this group went on to win 'The X Factor' nine years ago.
'Cannonball'
Little Mix released 'Cannonball' as their X Factor winner's single. A cover of a Damien Rice song, this would go on to be the lowest-selling single from a winner of the show since Steve Brookstein 2005 cover version of 'Against All Odds', despite also being the fastest-selling single of 2011. The group themselves tend not to revisit this single all that much, but it does represent a significant moment for them. It marked the start of their highly successful career. The song earned the group critical acclaim for managing to make the song their own, in addition to introducing Little Mix and their powerhouse vocals to a world outside of their X Factor fanbase.
'Wings'
Little Mix's next major single was off their 2012 debut album 'DNA'. The song was built on themes of empowerment, specifically addressing the quintet's own doubts with regard to their own talent following their earlier eliminations on X Factor. The upbeat dance number blended R&B and bubblegum pop, all popular styles at the time, but it also featured a complex song structure and some unique key changes that allowed the Little Mix members to demonstrate both their musicality as well as their vocal chops. And despite being released before the age of streaming, 'Wings' has managed to log over 105 million streams to date.
'Salute'
After proving their mettle as a vocal group and demonstrating their skills as dancers, Little Mix dropped 'Salute', a song off their second album of the same name. The song experimented more with trap and hip-hop and was a clear declaration from the group that they stood for girl power and female empowerment. The hard-hitting track served as a call-to-arms of sorts, with Little Mix encouraging women and girls everywhere to stand up for themselves and break down every barrier standing in their way. The song soon drew comparisons to Destiny's Child, who released equally empowering songs like 'Survivor' a decade prior, as well as Beyoncé's 'Run the World (Girls)' owing to the song's military-inspired drum beats.
'Shout Out To My Ex'
Off their fourth album, 2016's 'Glory Days', this track went on to become one of Little Mix's biggest hits to date. It premiered on 'The X Factor' live shows in 2016, before topping the UK Singles Chart and going on to win British Single of the Year at the 2017 Brit Awards. While the group's choice to write empowering anthems was evident from the beginning of their career, their lyrical themes have certainly gotten so much more nuanced and personal over the years. 'Shout Out To My Ex' is, at its core, is a fun kiss-off anthem, but it also happened to be Edwards's way of letting ex-boyfriend Zayn Malik know she was moving on. The two began dating in 2011 and were engaged two years later. Malik allegedly ended the pair's engagement after another two years via a text message, something that devastated Edwards. But seeing her prance around with her girl squad in this song's video made it abundantly clear she was doing just fine in the company of the best friends a girl could have. Plus, seeing as the song went straight to number one as the only chart-topping single that year to feature a female lead, it's safe to say she also proved she was more than just someone's ex.
'Woman Like Me'
Continuing their string of empowerment anthems, Little Mix dropped 'Woman Like Me' featuring Nicki Minaj in 2018 as the lead single for their album 'LM5'. With chart positions and Diamond and Platinum certifications all across the board, this song was clearly well-received by fans. It also won the fan vote and received the award for British Artist Video of the Year at the 2019 Brit Awards, going on to win Best Song at the 2019 Global Awards. The reggae-infused pop track, co-written with Minaj and Ed Sheeran, has Little Mix telling their audience that they didn't need to conform to a 'good girl' image in order to be worthy of love.
Destination Jam is a daily list of songs that will keep you entertained and grooving up top in lieu of feeling drained and losing the plot. Look out for a fresh selection of great tunes from MEAWW to refresh your mood every day!