Little Mix Address Supposed Fifth Harmony ‘Rivalry,’ Say It Was ‘Awkward’ Being on the Same Label
Little Mix addressed the awkwardness they experienced when they were signed with the same record label as former girl group Fifth Harmony.
Jade Thirlwall, Perrie Edwards, Jesy Nelson and Leigh-Anne Pinnock spoke about their experience a video interview with BuzzFeed published Tuesday (May 12).
Reading one of the BuzzFeed questions out loud, Edwards asked the group if they felt like they experienced rivalry between them and Fifth Harmony.
"I'd say at one point we did," Nelson admitted at first, before clarifying her statement after the other women were seemingly shocked at her response. “What!? We can say that! We always loved them, we never didn’t like them as people but there was a point where there was a bit of rivalry, not rivalry but I don’t know..."
“There wasn’t rivalry as such because we loved them all," Edwards clarified. "We did like Fifth Harmony, but did you mean, when they came up we were a bit like, ‘Oh no other girl band!?’ That kind of vibe..."
“I don’t think it was ever rivalry because they were so different," Edwards continued. "I think if they were doing the same stuff we were doing and we were similar... I don’t know, but I feel like we never thought of it as rivalry between us.”
Although there wasn't a rivalry, Little Mix admitted that it was a bit awkward that the two girl groups from similar competition TV shows were signed to the same record label.
"I don't think we had a problem with the girls, it was more just a bit awkward that we were on the same label," Thirlwall explained.
Over the years, the women in the groups were extremely supportive towards one another and Little Mix even offered words of wisdom to Fifth Harmony.
Little Mix won X-Factor in 2011 after being put assembled as a group shortly following their auditions. Fifth Harmony won the U.S. version of the show in 2012 after being put together by Simon Cowell. After winning, both groups were signed to Cowell's label, Syco.
Members of Fifth Harmony included Camila Cabello (who left the group in 2016), Lauren Jauregui, Ally Brooke, Normani and Dinah Jane. All four are now successful solo artists.