Leigh-Anne Pinnock: Racism, perfectionism, and hallucinations
Nov 27, 2023
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Leigh-Anne Pinnock from Little Mix shares her experiences with racism and the importance of rebuilding self-worth through therapy. They discuss struggles with identity, imposter syndrome, and mistreatment in the music industry. The podcast also explores mental health support, self-acceptance, finding a therapist who understands the black woman's experience, and the importance of perseverance and influential women.
Leigh-Anne Pinnock discusses the significant impact of racism in the music industry and her newfound responsibility to speak out.
Leigh-Anne emphasizes the importance of self-acceptance, embracing uniqueness, and seeking therapy to navigate personal challenges and grow stronger.
Deep dives
Leigh Ann Pinock's Struggle with Identity in the Music Industry
Leigh Ann Pinock, member of the girl band Little Mix, opens up about the challenges she faced as a black woman in the music industry. Despite achieving great success, she struggled with her identity and felt invisible in an industry with little diversity. Conversations about race were often difficult, but Leigh Ann now feels a responsibility to raise awareness and speak out. Through therapy and support from her bandmates, she has gained confidence and found her power. She is determined to be herself and show people what she's made of in her solo career.
Overcoming Insecurities and Embracing Authenticity
Leigh Ann discusses the pressures of perfectionism and the influence of social media on body image and self-worth. She opens up about her own struggles with feeling less-than and desiring a nose job due to societal beauty standards. She encourages people to accept themselves and embrace their uniqueness, reminding them that no one is perfect. Leigh Ann also emphasizes the importance of self-care and seeking therapy to navigate through personal challenges and come out stronger.
Navigating Relationships and Overcoming Obstacles
Leigh Ann shares her personal experiences with relationships and the challenges she faced, including the ups and downs of her long-distance relationship with her partner who currently resides in Saudi Arabia. She acknowledges that every relationship has its struggles and emphasizes the importance of fighting for what you want. Leigh Ann believes in the power of love and resilience, highlighting that going through difficult times can ultimately strengthen a relationship.
The Influence of Grandmothers and Finding Strength
Leigh Ann dedicates her book to her grandmothers, highlighting the impact they had on her life. She reflects on the love, kindness, and resilience passed down to her from them. Leigh Ann emphasizes the importance of cherishing family bonds and memories. Their influence and support have played a significant role in her journey, reminding her of her worth and giving her the strength to overcome obstacles.
Stripped of her character and confidence, Little Mix’s Leigh-Anne Pinnock felt she was fading away in the band.
In this chat with Fearne, Leigh-Anne details the moment it clicked how big a part racism was playing, and why she now feels a duty to speak out. She explains how – as well as re-building her self-worth through therapy – she finds it helpful to ask herself what her fearless children would do. Fearne and Leigh-Anne also wonder whether we always have to know exactly who we are, or whether we can just let ourselves be...
Leigh-Anne’s book, Believe, is out now, published by Headline and available at all good bookshops.