Ahead of performing at Reading Festival, Leigh-Anne was a bit nervous. "Absolutely petrified," she grins. Despite all their successes, it's the sort of place that Little Mix would never have been invited to play, and pop acts are still few and far between.
Her slick 45-minute set on the Chevron was an undeniable success, though. "The crowd were insane. Normally, I finish a gig and pick my performance apart, but I'm honestly just buzzing," she tells Dork shortly after coming off stage. "I also had my first mosh pit, which was so iconic." Leigh-Anne probably isn't going to veer into the world of heavy metal, but going solo is all about those new experiences, she explains. "It feels so amazing to be able to express myself and share what I love."
Debut EP 'No Hard Feelings' was released last summer, but since then, Leigh-Anne's left major label Warner and gone independent. "This era feels so different," she explains. "Coming out of Little Mix, I wasn't to know that being independent was the way to go for me because all I've ever known is major labels. But the idea of just being able to do what I want and having full creative control was something that I'd been waiting for. Now I can, and it feels so great."
Changing things up did lead to some serious self-reflection. "I had to ask myself, 'What do I want this to look like?' and 'How do I want this to feel?' I also had to ask what solo success meant to me. Obviously me and the girls in Little Mix absolutely killed it, so everything else going forward should be fun. I don't need to put all this pressure on myself – I know my talent, I know I make good music, and now, I just want to enjoy doing that."
