In Defense of Little Mix
Have you ever had this passionate love for an artist who’s rise seems just to bubble under the surface for far longer than its needed to? For years that I have been continuously trying to convince my friends and family to listen to the British girl group called Little Mix. I have been an avid fan of these ladies for years, but for some reason, their U.S. success never took off and it drives me absolutely crazy.
A thought that I have had about their faltering trajectory in my home country has definitely been the fact that the “height” of Little Mix’s entrance into States’ music scene did coincide with the rise of another infamous girl group — Fifth Harmony. Although I will admit that I was a huge harmonizer in the early years of the 5H’s career, I do wish that the same energy that the girls received was given to Little Mix.
Why am I driving this point home so intensely? Not only are the LM girls just as talented as 5H(if not more so, sorry), they have this electric care for each other that I don’t think is represented enough in many girl groups. So in the midst of my distress, I have put together a list of 5 reasons that I think you should listen to Little Mix.
- Their vocal ranges are INCREDIBLE
Every single girl in this group is incredibly gifted. Their vocals also mesh together so well, and they are able to play off each other so effortlessly in live performances.
2. They are actually really close and really care about each other
Girl groups often get a bad reputation for having really catty bickering moments. If not that, there is always the awkwardness surrounding one of the girls obviously trying to go solo and leave the group. Little Mix has been the one group that I’ve seen evolve and mature together and only see the best for one another. They all surprisingly haven’t even hinted about leaving the group, even though I’m sure the others would fully support it.
3. Their music is just as catchy as other pop artists
Some may question that Little Mix’s songs just don’t have what it takes to reach the Top 40 charts, but I’ll have to disagree. Their music has the electric touch that you see in several other pop artist’s music. They’ve utilized the peak interest in electronic pop, dubstep, hip hop, and other genres that have skyrocketed in the past few years and have collaborated with some of the most popular artists in the States (hello, Nicki Minaj and Machine Gun Kelly?). I promise you if you listen to their songs, they are very easily able to get stuck in your head and other artists that you love have obviously seen that their talents are strong enough to latch onto.
4. They Discuss Tough, but Important Subjects
Something that has drawn me to this group from the beginning is their emphasis on empowerment. From songs like Women Like Me to Hair to Strip, Little Mix has made it a huge part of their brand to support women and empower them to understand their worth. Especially in an era where we are relying on social media to start talking about these issues, I think that their music drives home a simple and important message to female listeners and gives them a safe place to be vulnerable.
5. Their Visuals Are Out of This World
A lot of the music world has begun to heavily focus on the creativity of the artists they listen to. This creativity definitely comes into play when it comes to music videos, however, the old simplicity that these videos had in the past is old news. People want larger than life performances and artwork to allow their attention spans to sit through 4 minutes or more of video content. Music videos have always been a staple of storytelling and another way for an artist to stand out from the others, even if the track isn’t earth-shattering. Little Mix constantly steps up their game with every music video, barely ever relying on tour footage or already curated footage to promote their music. The sets are always incredibly vibrant and details and each girl definitely holds her own in terms of dancing, costuming, and makeup.
Overall, I believe that Little Mix has been snubbed by the majority of Americans who haven’t given their work a proper chance. So, if you haven’t already, I definitely suggest diving into their discography and giving these beautiful and talented women a chance.
Stream Holiday
