Leigh-Anne Pinnock’s management team have spoken about the bold new era for the Little Mix star.
The Music Week cover star has today (February 20) released her debut solo album, My Ego Told Me To.
Released via her own Made In The 90s Ltd label in partnership with Virgin Music, it marks a new independent route for the artist, who released her initial solo records through Warner Records. Little Mix releases are with RCA/Sony Music.
Speaking to Music Week, Leigh-Anne said it’s “the best time to be independent”, adding: “And it means I can have fun without someone breathing down my neck.”
The music on My Ego Told Me To covers pop, reggae and dancehall. Pinnock’s choice of musical direction has also influenced the campaign around the new record.
“It was important to Leigh-Anne and to us that we build her a strong identity as a solo artist – one that wasn’t just relying on some hit records, but allowed her to explore and represent her heritage in her music,” said Ed Millett, co-founder of Tap Music, Leigh-Anne’s management company. “This meant being brave creatively, taking our time and putting out a lot of music. It was always going to take time to change people’s perception.”
It was important to Leigh-Anne and to us that we build her a strong identity as a solo artist
Ed Millett
Leigh-Anne’s sister Sairah Pinnock (who is also part of her management team) calls the record “a statement of intent”.
“It’s a body of work that touches on her heritage and all her music and cultural influences, bringing them together in a defining way,” she added.
Sairah Pinnock referenced Leigh-Anne’s initial solo releases with Warner Records – 2023 single Don’t Say Love and 2024 EP No Hard Feelings – to make the point that the new album is a culmination of a process.
“Leigh-Anne has been building relationships and credibility, particularly in the Black music space, and exploring what it means to be a solo artist,” she said. “Through this album we want people to see Leigh-Anne as a unique and creatively ambitious artist in her own right.”
The biggest difference with this phase of Leigh-Anne’s music career is funding. Paying for her campaigns means she also gets to hand-pick her team.
“They are my tribe,” she told Music Week. “I’ve always said that once you find your tribe, then you have people that believe in you and see your vision and get it.”
She also values working with her sister.
“I wouldn’t describe Sairah as stern, but she’s harder than me… I’m super emotional,” said Leigh-Anne. “We can clash in that sense, but I also know that everything she says comes from love. But I literally couldn’t do this without her, because I know it’s me and her against the world. And in this crazy music space, you need someone that’s just going to ride with you and take it to the end.”
“The biggest challenge was managing expectations,” said Sairah Pinnock. “Leigh-Anne is very clear, as are we, that we are building a long career for a new artist. But the pressure from the media to pit the girls from Little Mix against each other and focus on chart positions when that was not the game we are playing is frustrating. As more records have come out and we’ve deliberately avoided the traps that come from this pressure, she’s had the space to grow in confidence and depth in terms of her own artistry and its direction.”
Leigh-Anne is very clear, as are we, that we are building a long career for a new artist
Sairah Pinnock
The two sisters were also pregnant at the same time and are now both mothers to four-year-olds, twin daughters in Leigh-Anne’s case.
“We talk about this all the time, the fact that we both want to give 100% to our children, but then also be bosses at everything else,” said Leigh-Anne. “But we seem to do it.”
There was also praise for the new label services partnership with Virgin Music.
“Virgin have been fantastic because they understood from the jump that this was a development project with a global ambition and that Leigh-Anne was in the driving seat,” said Sairah Pinnock. “This was about constant releases and co-signs as we have been really building a new artist to a new audience. They bring brilliant organisation and ideas and, honestly, have been the best label partner.”
Speaking to Music Week, Virgin Music Group’s UK president Vanessa Bosåen has acknowledged the extra anticipation that comes as a result of Leigh-Anne’s past successes. Her 10 million Instagram followers, plus 1.6m followers and 36.8m likes on TikTok, offer instant proof of her profile.
“Of course it is an opportunity, as there is media awareness of Leigh-Anne,” said Ed Millett of the wider campaign. “But from a musical perspective, she is a brand new artist, so we have very much approached it as a development project, doing multiple tours, focusing on diversifying the audience and not taking anything for granted.
“We have also placed a big focus on direct-to-fan relationship development. At Tap, we have invested a lot of time and resources in this, managing fan data and having dedicated staff. This has allowed us to nurture new fan relationships, but also mobilise Little Mix fans and bring them on this journey so they feel part of the process and in a two-way conversation.”
Subscribers can read the full Leigh-Anne cover story online here.
PHOTO: Niklas Haze
