Written by Sophie Wyatt
Returning to Melbourne for the first time as a solo artist, Leigh-Anne explains that she’s over the moon to be back in Australia, even if it’s only for a short time. Since her last visit, so much has changed. Aside from many developments in her personal life, Leigh-Anne’s professional life has turned itself on its head. Since releasing her first single as a solo artist back in 2023, the former Little Mix member has continued to develop her unique sound and artist presence.
This year has seen the release of Leigh-Anne’s debut album ‘My Ego Told Me To’. The album is a bold, unapologetic expression of freedom. Connecting with her Caribbean heritage, Leigh-Anne has moved away from the conventional-pop sound some may associate her with, and delved into the sounds of reggae and dancehall. When speaking on the album, she says “I’ve had this work for so long, and the process has been so up and down, and it’s taken 4 years to get it over the line, I just feel so incredible that it’s out. It’s been received so well and I’ve done it my way. I’m going to look back on this album in 5 years and just be completely proud. It’s entirely a representation of me as an artist, I haven’t compromised, and I haven’t had to do that since being independent.”
Moving away from being part of one of the worlds most successful female groups to an independent artist is understandably an intricate process. And Leigh-Anne explained that whilst it has been hard, it has also been incredibly empowering. “It’s definitely been a transition. The most freeing thing has just been being able to show who Leigh-Anne is. I underestimated how hard of a transition it was going to be. So many years I was in this group and wasn’t able to show my full self, and maybe didn’t even really know my full self. Having these years to really be able to explore that is something that I really had to do. I had to find out who I am without the outside noise.” She also went on to explain that whilst many people presume if you’re previously successful in a group, that success follows on into your fresh, new career. “Actually it really is a new journey. I’m creating music that’s very different and I have to treat that as being a new artist. It’s a fun journey though.”
And whilst she is now on this journey on her own, she told us that she has been able to reach out to her former band members and friends from Little Mix to help her along the way. “We’re the only ones that will ever understand what we’ve been through, it’s so nice to touch base with them every so often. To bitch about the industry”, she laughed. “And just to relate to each other and talk. It’s sad because we don’t get to see each other as often obviously, we were living in each other’s pockets before. But when we do see each other, it’s like we saw each other yesterday.”
As she continues to grow as an artist, so do her fans. And Leigh-Anne is not ignorant to the fact that whilst many of her fans will stay with her along this journey, her new, unique sound might not be for everyone. “I always had this thought about who was going to come with me. It’s a very different sound to what a lot of the fans are used to. Naturally they’re not all going to come with me, they all have differing musical interests and tastes. So there was a fear of alienating people. I could have done something that would be more marketable and please more people, but it wouldn’t have pleased me.” Leigh-Anne made it very evident that this album is a turning point, and one that she is making to fulfill herself whilst also giving fans something to love and relate to. “I just really wanted to find my own lane, and something that’s unique to me. It’s amazing how many fans have come with me that are resonating with the album.”
You can now listen to ‘My Ego Told Me Too’, here.
