Leigh-Anne brings her debut album My Ego Told Me To to life in an intimate Rough Trade performance where, in a stripped back setting, the former Little Mix star proves that authenticity and connection can be just as powerful as arena scale pop success…
Leigh-Anne Pinnock may have had previous evidence of success when she first embarked on her solo career in 2022 when Little Mix’s hiatus began, but nothing is guaranteed in the world of music. With her label lacking the budget to support her debut album’s release, she did what many artists before her have also had to do: she cut ties with the label and became an independent artist.
With both Jade and Perrie releasing their solo outings (THAT’S SHOWBIZ BABY! and Perrie) a few weeks apart in 2025, Leigh-Anne’s debut arrives slightly later, but it should not be overlooked. A triumphant nod to her Caribbean roots, the album - My Ego Told Me To - is rooted in reggae sounds while maintaining the pop sensibilities that first put Pinnock on the map with Little Mix.
The result is an album that genuinely sounds like nothing else in the charts right now. Dead And Gone is the perfect fusion of reggae and pop, Revival incorporates calypso into its melodies and Goodbye Goodmorning, the obvious highlight, has a bassline that confirms it as a clear standout. When Leigh-Anne closes her set with this track, she explains that she knew while writing it that it would translate perfectly to the stage.
Although it works well in this stripped back setting, it is a song that needs a full band behind it to reach its full potential, something fans will experience when Leigh-Anne embarks on her UK tour in April. The rest of the set similarly sees Leigh-Anne perform acoustically, her smooth, soulful vocals drifting over a single guitar. ‘Sunrise’ channels millennial R&B, while ‘Been A Minute’ sounds vastly different to the album version, with Leigh-Anne effortlessly transforming it into a ballad.
Leigh-Anne’s support system is clearly strong. Her husband, footballer Andre Gray, is present in the crowd, as is her sister who also doubles as her manager. Seeing family members standing in the limited capacity venue is a familiar sight when local bands take to the Rough Trade stage, but much less common when watching someone who has won three BRIT Awards with her band.
That is exactly what makes Leigh-Anne’s solo journey so endearing to follow. Despite the heights she has reached throughout her career, she remains clearly grounded, still closely connected to the people around her and deeply appreciative of the fans who have supported her along the way. Not every artist who performs at Rough Trade stays behind afterwards to host a signing, but Leigh-Anne happily met everyone who attended, signing their CDs and posing for photos from behind the table.
It is still unconfirmed if or when Little Mix will reunite, but for Leigh-Anne, there’s a sense that this chapter is not about chasing the scale of past success. Instead, it is about creating music that feels true to who she is and sharing it in spaces like Rough Trade, where that authenticity can be felt up close.
Leigh-Anne performed at Rough Trade Nottingham on 4th March 2026.
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