Little Mix, British girl group formed on the X-Factor in 2011 are commonly known for belting out girl-power anthems laden with prominent themes of feminism and women empowerment which have attracted a sizable fan base who find inspiration through the girls’ ceremonious harmonies and fierce personalities. Their songs such as “Salute”, “Little Me” and their most recent hit, “Shout Out to My Ex” encourage young women to raise their heads high with confidence and boldness resting on their tall shoulders with lyrics telling their fans to “speak up, …shout out, talk a bit louder, be a bit prouder,”. Along with their influential music and entertaining concerts filled with perfectly harmonized voices and choreographed dance moves, the Mixers fan base admire the strong bonds clearly embedded among the band; their well-developed and loving friendships are the epitome of a genuine sisterhood. On the contrary, a recent interview has displayed an antithesis to the girl group’s well-known viewpoint regarding the feminist movement and women’s rights.
Interviewer Zach Sang had done his research in preparation for the interview and was bound to ask the girls questions in hopes of shedding light to darker events occurring as a result of Trump’s presidency. After being asked about their take on the women’s march, the band as a whole seemed to be wearing matching expressions of oblivion as band member Jade responded with a short answer and a referral to their music speaking for them, not entirely answering the real question being addressed. After the women’s march question, when asked if Trump would be banned from the U.K., the girls laughed in response while Jade answered and said visitors are welcome.
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Here’s what Twitter users are saying.
imagine being a girl group that brands themselves as feminists yet can’t come up with a single reason to support it @LittleMix pic.twitter.com/6kOZiY3Vrj
— lys ? (@jaureguismama) February 5, 2017
I’m disappointed in Little Mix and I really hope ppl don’t call them feminists bc I don’t think they really know the entire concept of it.
— sad and ugly :/ (@midnightdrivin) February 5, 2017
I don’t think Little Mix are fake feminists tho, they might just know a lot of american politics
— lauren (@poetryxjauregui) February 5, 2017
“We’re not feminists we love our men” disappointed that little mix have still not educated themselves
— ell (@ellennothere) February 5, 2017
All celebrities have their fair share of “off days” in interviews and the questions asked may have simply caught the girl group off guard, but the interview geared me to wonder when Little Mix has ever truly spoken about feminist rights outside of the white feminism realm.
While the positive messages they administer through their music are what makes their band so endearing, is it all just a ploy to seem trendy and gain a larger fanbase? Voicing political opinions is certainly not a celebrity’s job, but when your entire brand is centered around feminism it would seemingly be imperative to address current issues occurring with women’s reproductive rights being threatened and a nation’s president thinking it normal to speak crudely towards women. Spreading empty promises and fake ideals to young girls is a shame in the music industry, but this strategy is what currently sells in the market of millennials seeking artists who share their idealistic views and can unfortunately be caught in the wake of fortune and chart sales. Remember that feminism is not just encircled around confidence and fierceness, it’s also about fighting for other women’s rights even when you don’t feel as though yours are threatened.
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