Leigh-Anne Pinnock felt like a "weight was lifted" off her shoulders after she openly discussed racism within the music industry.
The 27-year-old singer – who stars alongside Jade Thirlwall, Perrie Edwards, and Jesy Nelson in Little Mix – recently spoke about how she felt "invisible" in the band, and revealed she’d been warned that as a black woman, she’d need to work twice as hard to make it in the industry.
Reflecting on her decision to speak out, Leigh-Anne explained: "I’ve kept it in me for seven years and it just felt like such a weight was lifted when I said the words.
"There is such a problem with racism, so to actually just say it and have so many people of colour message me and thank me for saying something…"
Despite the troubles she’s faced, Leigh-Anne is glad she decided to speak out – and insisted she’s proud of who she is and what she’s already achieved.
She told the Guardian newspaper: "I remember when I used to cry about it to my manager I used to be like: ‘Why do I feel like this?’ and she’d never say it, and I’d never say it. It was really strange. Now, though, oh my God, I’m so proud of this skin."
By contrast, Leigh-Anne previously admitted to feeling insecure during her first few years in Little Mix.
She said: "During the first couple of years of being in the band, I did feel invisible. I remember crying to my manager regularly, I just couldn’t seem to find my place and didn’t know why.
"I didn’t feel like I had as many fans as the other girls. It was a strange feeling. I never thought that it was because I was the darkest member of the band. I felt overlooked. So I did everything to make myself more noticed, convinced I wasn’t good enough."
Leigh-Anne Pinnock feels relieved after speaking out against racism
