Leigh-Anne Pinnock is self-funding her debut solo album My Ego Told Me To.
The former Little Mix singer is releasing her first standalone record next month but explained that she has had to pay for it out of her own pocket as she is now an independent artist after leaving her former label Warner Records.
Leigh-Anne told the US radio station Hot 97: “What I would say is hard about it is now I’m my own bank.
“I don’t have a label throwing money at me and I want to do everything.
“I want to do a video for every single song, but this is coming out of my budget and my bank.
“I’ve got to make that stretch and I’m literally funding everything.
“It’s a lot.
“I don’t want to ever compromise on my artistry.”
Leigh-Anne previously revealed her pride in the way that she and her Little Mix bandmates Perrie Edwards and Jade Thirlwall inspired young girls with their music and hopes to do the same with her solo material.
The Don’t Say Love artist told Quem magazine in 2024: “If I’m not inspiring people, I don’t feel like I’m fulfilling my role, you know? It’s something I naturally want to do: empower women, girls and anyone.
“This has always been a very strong and important message that we wanted to spread as Little Mix. These are things that I take with me as a solo artist.”
Leigh-Anne, 34, revealed that it took her a while to get used to being a solo artist but felt she was beginning to develop her own musical identity.
She said: “I’m loving every moment of this unique experience of being on my own. Each performance gives me a feeling of improvement, as if I am adapting more and more to who I am. My confidence grows with each show, but I also recognise the importance of being patient as I navigate the unfamiliar terrain of being a new artist. I am genuinely proud of what I have achieved.
“Every challenge I overcome strengthens my resilience, moulding me into a more robust version of myself. Leaving behind something so familiar is not easy, but I’m demonstrating, to myself and to the world, that I am strong.”