IT was always going to be Jade

First of all, a massive congratulations to Jade for winning her first solo Brit Award. For me, Jade’s success is a given when compared to her Little Mix bandmates. That doesn’t mean Leigh-Anne and Perrie aren’t deserving of praise for their solo efforts — far from it. But Jade’s journey seems a lot stronger, both musically and personally, which has ultimately translated into a smoother transition from the group to a solo artist.

Jade’s sound has always been distinctive. As an artist, she’s been confident in her direction alluring a solid fan base that connects with her. She’s been graced with the ability to draw people in with her personality — her vocal support of the LGBT community and perhaps most importantly, her songwriting talents something that often shone within the group. ‘Wasabi’ is the perfect example of this. The song’s unique structure, composition, and its boldness weren’t outliers for Jade; they’re in line with the music she’s releasing now. Her solo material is furiously raw, and this has given her an edge that’s been harder to locate with Leigh-Anne and Perrie’s music.

I can’t say I’ve paid much attention to Jesy’s music since her departure, but I did hear snippets of her single ‘Bad Thing.’ If not for the controversy surrounding the release of her debut single ‘Boyz,’ I believe ‘Bad Thing’ could have performed better than it did; it certainly had potential to, and I think the fallout around her debut has massively impacted her trajectory.

While people often pointed to Leigh-Anne as the weaker vocalist in comparison to Jade and Perrie, I would argue that this judgment is too simplistic. She has consistently shown a strong sense of musicality, as evidenced by her standout moments in ‘Touch’. I believe that within bands their songs that often are completely stolen by one bandmate and without them the beauty and essence of it would be lost and for Leigh–Anne ‘Touch’ is her song! Her singing Jesy’s verse in ‘Move’ upon the formers departure is also blaring example that vocal tone is just as important as to how many notes you can hit.

With that being said her blackness has always been a matter of contention not in the most obvious way, but generally speaking, Leigh-Anne was characterised a stereotypical black girl during the formation the band — being assigned rapping verse and the bold Rihanna inspired half shaved head (edgy aesthetics) on X Factor. Whilst being pushed to lean into this black girl framework she was kind of shrugged off by fans who aligned more with the other girls (something that she has discussed herself). Leigh-Anne’s solo artists challenges arise in carving out a space for herself as a Black artist embracing the culture, when the Little Mix fanbase was so different to this. However she has actively sought to connect with Black audiences — an effort reflected in her hosting of the MOBO Awards, her appearance at the Roc Nation brunch, and her collaboration with Ayra Starr. Deliberate moves to signpost a new identity for herself in the scene.

Leigh-Anne’s solo debut, ‘Don’t Say Love’, while enjoyable, didn’t quite leave a lasting impression. The song was pleasant, but it lacked the oomph to make a significant impact. Her collaboration with Ayra Starr on ‘My Love’ felt more audacious, given that Ayra is afropop princess and this some so different to what we as listeners have ever associated with Leigh-Anne. Yet, I feel like, repackaged, ‘My Love’ could pass as a Little Mix song. This for me is wherein the problem lies, because it highlights the blurred line between solo artist Leigh-Anne and Leigh-Anne from Little Mix. It feels like she’s still figuring out her sound— perhaps trying to strike a balance between the music she wanted to make in Little Mix and what she’s free to create now. This trial-and-error approach is understandable, but it somewhat feels like she’s still finding her footing.

As for Perrie, her transition to solo work has been somewhat lacking. Perrie’s vocal strength has always been undeniable. To me, vocally she has always been frontrunner of the group. Which is her solo ventures falling flat are somewhat confusing to me. The music she’s released post-band feels generic. Her solo output has lacked the distinctive sound or identity that would set her apart. Tracks like ‘You Go Your Own Way’ showed promise, but ultimately, the song didn’t quite deliver on its potential. The pre-chorus and chorus didn’t hit the way they should have, and it felt like the song never truly reached the height it was building towards. It left me wanting more, particularly considering the vocal range and potential Perrie has.

On the other hand, Jade has remained consistent with the sound she developed during her time in Little Mix. Her solo release ‘Angel of My Dreams’ was an immediate hit for me. The sound, the visuals, and the live performances all felt cohesive and well-executed. Jade is clearly comfortable in her own musical skin, which has made her solo career feel more like a natural extension of what she was already doing. For that reason, it was always going to be Jade.