Little Mix Talk Trump And The Women’s March
British pop band Little Mix are known for their songs celebrating female empowerment and sexuality, but the group rarely gets a chance to comment on contemporary politics.
This week saw Perrie Edwards, Leigh-Anne Pinnock, Jade Thirlwall, and Jesy Nelson of Little Mix sitting for an interview on the Zach Sang show. Eventually, the conversation turned to the topics that are dominating recent headlines: Donald Trump, the worldwide Women’s Marches in protest of him, and United Kingdom Prime Minister Theresa May.
Zach Sang asked the ladies of Little Mix about a current political debate facing the United Kingdom: whether or not Donald Trump should be permitted to visit the UK. A current petition to prevent Trump from visiting the UK has almost 2 million signatures, and Parliament is expected to make a decision on the matter on February 20.
Little Mix responded with awkward laughter to Sang’s question, but eventually Jade Thirwall, one of the members of Little Mix, stated that “we welcome all visitors.” Little Mix’s statement about Trump stands in contrast to Trump’s recent executive order that banned visitors to the United States from several countries with majority Islamic populations.
Jade Thirlwall of Little Mix, has previously voiced her displeasure over another issue that Trump supported: Britain’s decision to leave the European Union. In a Tweet made on the official Little Mix account the morning after the Brexit vote, Jade called the results “awful news to wake up to.”
Awful news to wake up to. What have we done Britain? I hope in years to come I can say I was wrong. xjadex pic.twitter.com/32wfuWi9bz
— Little Mix (@LittleMix) June 24, 2016
Little Mix also shared their opinion of Theresa May, who recently visited with Trump and has defended her decision to extend him an invitation to visit the UK this summer. The women of Little Mix stated that “of course” they like Theresa May, and that she represents a “bit of girl power there” as the second ever female Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.
The topic of girl power came up again when Zach Sang asked Little Mix whether or not they had participated in the Women’s March and if they agree with the feminist message it supported.
“When it comes to women’s rights, when it comes to reproductive rights, across the board, women feel like they are unheard. Is this something that you’re feeling in your lives? Is this a stance that you guys kind of take up?” Sang asked Little Mix, naming several specific issues championed by the Women’s March.
While Thirlwall admitted that the members of Little Mix had not attended a Women’s March, she went on to elaborate on how they do support the feminist movement.
“I think we do it through our music mostly, we have a lot of girl power anthems, you know, about making women feel confident and encouraging them to stand up.”
Little Mix certainly do enjoy their girl power anthems as well as collaborating with other female performers. Ariana Grande, who made an appearance at the Los Angeles Women’s March, enlisted Little Mix to open for her on the American dates of her Dangerous Women Tour.
Arguably one of Little Mix’s most feminist songs is “Salute,” an anthem with lyrics that call for women worldwide to team up and overcome adversity.
“Ladies all across the world / Listen up, we’re looking for recruits / If you with me, lemme see your hands / Stand up and salute… You think we’re just pretty things / You couldn’t be more wrong / (We standing strong, we carry on) / Knock us but we keep moving on (we’re moving up, yeah) / Can’t stop a hurricane, ladies it’s time to awake”
Little Mix’s most recent album, Glory Days, also features a message of female empowerment in the form of “Power,” which features lyrics like “You’re the man / But I got the power” and “I ain’t the chick to walk behind you around town.”
Do you agree with Little Mix’s statements on Trump and the Women’s March?
[Featured Image by Jeff Spicer/Getty Images]
