Little Mix

When I first created this blog, I stated: "I will deal with gay themed songs by (presumably) straight acts and with (preferably) gay themed songs by gay acts. There will be also longer entries, which will take 2 or more days, to deal in greater depth with influential gay entertainers or icons." We started out well, but over the course of time, the first category was underserved. So, I decided it's time to re-introduce our straight allies. They too help make the gay experience what it is.

Little Mix are a British girl group formed in 2011 during the eighth series of the UK version of The X Factor. The members are Jade Thirlwall, Perrie Edwards, Leigh-Anne Pinnock, and Jesy Nelson. They are the first and, so far, only group to win the competition. Following their victory, they signed with Simon Cowell's record label Syco Music and released a cover of Damien Rice's Cannonball as their winner's single. The single shot straight to #1 in the UK. Here's Cannonball:

... And here's the original version by Damien Rice, because I love it:

Little Mix, unlike many talent show winners, were no one-hit wonders. The following year, they had yet another #1 with their next single, a bouncy number called Wings:

Their first album (containing Wings), also dropped in 2012. It peaked inside the top 10 in ten countries including the UK and US. This made Little Mix the first girl group since The Pussycat Dolls to reach the US Top 5 with their debut album, as well as earning the highest debut US chart position by a British girl group, breaking the record previously held by the Spice Girls.

The group's sophomore effort Salute, which was released in 2013, became their second album to debut inside the Top 10 in both the UK and US. It was their third studio album Get Weird, however, released in 2015, which became their highest charting and best-selling album to date in the UK. The album's lead single Black Magic became the group's third number one single in the UK and was also nominated for two Brit Awards in 2016.

The same album produced three more hit singles, so far. One of them, released a few months ago, is our main focus for today. In July 2015, Little Mix member Jesy Nelson said that the group's third studio album, Get Weird, would have a song "that is possibly going to be a single that we've never done anything like before". Group member Perrie Edwards added: "And it may or may not have a feature...." The track, Secret Love Song, was written by Jez Ashurst, Emma Rohan and Tich, and produced by Jayson DeZuzio. The group then sent the song to Jason Derulo who positively reacted to it, writing his own verse.

Derulo's decision to collaborate with the group was influenced by a string of events; Hit 30 presenters Angus O'Loughlin and Ash London played him the group's cover of his 2015 single Want To Want Me. He reacted: "I was into that, man", and said he understood why the cover became a viral video. However, Derulo was unfamiliar with the group's music at the time and had to "research" their discography which he ultimately became fond of. Group member Jade Thirlwall felt the song's slow tempo was "a nice change" for Derulo and "[showed] his voice off a lot". A solo sequel of the song, Secret Love Song Pt. II, was included on the deluxe version of Get Weird.

The version featuring Derulo became a #1 hit in Philippines, #3 in Malaysia, #4 in Singapore, #6 in the UK, #7 in Indonesia, #11 in Ireland, #16 in Australia and #18 in New Zealand, reaching gold or platinum status in all these countries.

It was Secret Love Song Pt. II, however, that touched our hearts. Fans were quick to note that the narrative of Secret Love Song pt. II could actually apply to the struggles our community faces when coming to terms with our sexuality and showing affection in public. "Why can't I hold you in the street? Why can't I kiss you on the dance floor?" the four-piece sing on the swooping chorus.

One listener tweeted: I don't think ‪@littlemix realise they've written an LGBT anthem with Secret Love Song, Pt II.

"I'm so happy you've said this," Jade Thirlwall tweeted back. "This is how I picture it and how we saw the music video in our heads."

Indeed, they made good on that and although part II was not a canonical single, they made a lovely gay themed video for it. You should really watch this:

Finally, here's a very good live performance of the song: