FEMINIST FRIDAY: All The Girl Power Goodness In Little Mix’s New Album LM5

Welcome to this week’s Feminist Friday column! That time of the week where we share our top 3 videos we are crushing on, and in this edition we’re mixing things up with some female empowerment, some music, and even some history!

British girl-band Little Mix have just released their new album LM5 and it is packed to the rafters with some feminist anthems that we are loving right now. With tracks like ‘Woman’s World’, ‘Love A Girl Right’, and ‘The National Manthem’, there is no confusion as to where these 4 babes stand when it comes to messages for the girlz.

“We said everything we wanted to say in this album. We want people to listen to this album and just feel good about themselves. So fierce and powerful,’ band member Leigh-Anne Pinnock told People.com.

The first video we’re sharing is ‘Woman Like Me’ featuring Nicki Minaj and the singers giving their take on the Edwardian era in a sprawling countryside mansion.

In the lead-up to the album’s release, the members shared empowering messages and content on their social media, relating to the lyrics and themes found in their songs. Promoting the work of female and LGBT activists, the singers are adamant about using their platform for good.

Leigh-Anne said they want to “speak about things that actually mean something. It’s time now for people to just speak on real-life issues more.”

This next video is the lyric video to the track ‘Joan of Arc’, paying homage to the French icon who is often considered the most famous Saint in the world. Renowned for leading the French into a victorious battle against England in the 1400s, Joan had no military or battle experience but legend has it she heard the voice of God telling her she would lead an army.

She famously chopped off her hair and wore armor to make herself look more masculine and respected by the male troops. In the Little Mix track, the singers acknowledge that spirit of independence and self-determination with lyrics like “I don’t want your cash, I put my own rock on my hand” which had the Twitterverse stanning hard!

It may not seem like much, but just think of the impact lyrics like those can make on a young girl who is being funneled into the cultural system that tells women their worth comes from the way they look or finding a man. Bring on a generation of independent girls who forge their own path ahead!

The final video we’re sharing this week is ‘Strip’, the body-positive anthem that throws shade on all the narrow beauty ideals forced upon women and girls. With lyrics like “Jiggle all this weight, yeah you know I love all of this / Finally love me naked / Sexiest when I’m confident,” the group are reminding listeners that self-worth does not come from an outside source, and we should be giving permission to ourselves to love our bodies the way they are.

“This is for anyone that has ever not liked what they saw in the mirror, never felt good enough and never fully embraced their insecurities! Ps. It’s also for anyone that ever called me ‘The fat one.’” band member Jesy Nelson captioned on Instagram.

Leigh-Anne told People.com that they identify as feminists, but it wasn’t always the case as they bought into the fear-mongering often spread about the movement and the idea of women having complete autonomy.

“I think if you would’ve asked us a couple years ago, ‘Are you feminists?’ we probably would’ve been a little scared of the word. It was weird. But now, we can easily say that we are. And it’s not bashing men, it’s just believing in equal rights. Now more than ever we want to use this platform to emit a positive message,” she said.

Check out ‘Strip’ below and be sure to grab your copy of LM5 out now in all music retailers.


 

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