On Tuesday night Little Mix took over EartH in Hackney for an exclusive performance and Q&A session with Apple Music. Just days ahead of the release of their fifth album LM5 fans were promised new tracks and also some old favourites. We headed down to the show and had an absolutely incredible night, here’s what happened during the memorable night.
As the quartet arrived on stage the first thing we and many others noticed was how gorgeous their matching monochrome outfits were. Friends who co-ordinate outfits together, stay together: fact. Notable mention to Perrie Edwards and Jesy Nelson who hold each other’s hands as they confidently walked out to the cheering crowd. Opening the set with their Number 1, Brit Award-winning single Shout Out To My Ex, this time they were with a live band. Usually known for their fierce, slick dance routine to this track it was a little bit different as the focus was solely on their incredible vocals although we saw Perrie struggling to control herself from doing the signature ‘X’ move… we saw you girl! Their stunning, in sync harmonies opening the track, sent a shiver down our spines, this was even before the girls had properly started singing! This new arrangement of the track reminded us just why Little Mix is such an incredible band, vocally complimenting each other thanks to their solo talents coming together to create something bigger and even better.
Commenting on how loud the crowd were before kicking off into Only You, Perrie definitely was not wrong. Seeing Little Mix in such a stripped back setting supported by a string quartet and full live band gave us a whole new live experience. This emotive song was even more touching as Leigh-Anne Pinnock’s notes serenaded each and every one of us. Emotion got the better of the lovely Jade Thirwall during the track but the loyal Mixers were there to take over her lines with the girls rallying around her to help her out. Friendship has always been important for Little Mix and we were seeing it first hand, we’re a little jealous if we’re honest. These girls are powerful not only vocally but also as a friendship group, they’re the role models we all need. Gathering at the end of the track for a group hug, it hit us right in the feels with Jesy trying to put a smile back on Jade’s face.
Credit: Apple Music
Complimenting the crowd before explaining “We love this song as we feel you can interpret it in any way you want; it can be about if you’ve just broken up with someone not you feel finally good about yourself or somebody who hasn’t had any confidence and now they feel fucking amazing” Jesy was taking the reins. The Cure is a absolute fire, feel-good track with the biggest chorus and performed live highlighted each girl’s vocal ability with some good old-fashioned ooohs for good measure. It’s hard when performed live to truly appreciate how good Little Mix are, critics at the show cannot say these girls don’t have crowd captivating vocals. Singing of going from being lost, hurt, left out, messed up and not feeling great to not being any of these things anymore because ‘it’s alright now, baby I’ve got the cure’.
Jade took the time to find light in earlier events “Please can I request a hot water and lemon to the stage and some tissues for my issues, thank you!“. The joy with the styling of this show meant it was a chatty set with sections explaining the songs further. Little Mix has never strayed from writing about what’s important to them; female empowerment, believing in yourself, body image and just thinking that you’re fabulous as you are. Joan Of Arc sums up all the above as Jade explains it’s a “Feministic bop” and Leigh-Anne further this “I personally feel this is a song we’ve always wanted to make” whilst Perrie and Jesy get their groove on next to her. This new sound for the girls, performed with total confidence with beautiful harmonies and saw them pulling out the shapes with a seductive dance routine.
At this point, we have to say how incredible the girl’s all-female band were, guitar-led Told You So was a completely stunning moment of the night. Since we first heard the track we’ve loved how this track sums up their friendship, in particular, the girls which we’ve watched grow. Three-way harmonies, when entwined with a string quartet, made this track even more emotional to hear. With the girls sat down it allowed us to just focus and get our head around the tones filling the room as each showed off their own individual vocal talents before coming together during the peak of the track. It’s something no doubt the girls have experienced before, but they’ve stuck by each other through the good, bad and even ugly with them in fits at giggles at the end.
The delicate keys of Touch saw the crowd completely overpowering Leigh-Anne at the start of the track. It takes a whole lot of confidence to perform such a stripped back show when you’ve got nothing to hide behind but Little Mix did it just like pros. From her earlier little blip, Jade turned back into the fierce lady we all know and love completely smashing her vocals with complete ease. Keeping the track as funky as the original we love how it erupted into a little party with the crowd clapping along with the girls.
We loved seeing the smiles across Little Mix faces during the night as they performed up close and personal in a show completely different to what they’re usually used to. Black Magic adopted a weird hillbilly, barn dance between the girls whilst Jade stood drinking her hot water and lemon. Multitasking with her mug whilst singing proves how good women are at doing two things at once. Strutting in unison across the stage, the amount of sass Little Mix have without even trying is incredible. Black Magic has always been an incredible live experience and with the crowd backing, it became even more memorable and unforgettable.
Closing their set with anthemic current single Woman Like Me, Jesy told the audience “you guys are the best fans in the world, literally.” And the sound they made proved it. This is a track made to be performed with a live band, when you throw in incredible live vocals and passion in the bucketloads the quartet were determined to end the show on the high and they did. With a simple yet catchy dance routine, we found ourselves dancing along as the track progressed. Taking the time to introduce their incredible live band; Vanessa on the drums, Liv on the bass, Tiff on the guitar, Tanya on the keys and their string quartet. Jade took the risk with an incredibly jazzy closing note, looking proud of herself and showing off in the process.
The night wasn’t over after the music ended with Julie Adenuga coming onstage to conduct a Q&A session with the girls. During the session, Leigh-Anne revealed that LM5 is the type of music the girls would listen to and love. We found out the girls share a group love for Ariana and Perrie is in awe of Beyoncé’s hair choreography. The tracks to look out for on the release are Strip in which the girls got all their emotions out and Motivate which was a party in the studio. Jade also revealed the video for Strip has the girls mums in, but keep that a secret as she isn’t sure if she was meant to say that…keep your eyes peeled for it tomorrow! Oh, and the girls used to call Jade ‘poo-poo’ which much to her dismay had just been revealed to the world. However our favourite part was when asked how to sum up their fans they said; Irreplaceable, inspiring, fabulous and perfect.
Throughout the night the girls had talked at length about Strip, a track which Jesy explained tells of loving yourself how you are, knowing that being you is enough and that you need to embrace your insecurities which make you ‘you’. Having also revealed they got drunk whilst writing it we knew immediately we were going to love the track. Treating the audience to a performance of the track at the very end of the evening, they confidently flaunted off their bodies and the bits they love about themselves. Even featuring a rap and appearance from Sharaya J, we want to relive this performance over and over. Strip is possibly the feistiest, screw the haters track they’ve ever written and we cannot wait for the studio version tomorrow!
We feel incredibly lucky to have been invited down to the show as getting to see such a different side to Little Mix was a real treat. These four girls are going from strength to strength with each new release and the future looks set to be something really special. LM5 is released tomorrow to order your copy head here. If you’d like to watch the full show, head to Apple Music and keep up to date over on Twitter too!
Which track are you most looking forward to on LM5? Tweet us @CelebMix and let us know.