Little Mix
Jem Mitchell*Little Mix are taking a lil break. The British R&B trio announced on Thursday (Dec. 2) that after a decade together they are taking a powder after their upcoming 2022 Confetti tour, but they promise that this is not the last you’ll hear from them.
“We’re sisters and we’ll always have each other and you, the fans, in our lives. Little Mix is forever. See you on tour!,” members Leigh-Anne Pinnock, Jade Thirlwall and Perrie Edwards said in a statement about their upcoming dates, slated to kick off on April 9 in Belfast. “We wanted to let you all know that after the Confetti tour in April/May next year we are going to be taking a break from Little Mix. It’s been 10 amazing years, a wonderful non-stop adventure, and we feel the time is right to take a break so we can recharge and work on some other projects.”
The trio — whose former fourth member, Jesy Nelson, left the band last year — released the greatest hits collection Between Us last month as a follow up to last November’s Confetti album. “We can’t thank you enough for your love and never-ending support since the beginning. We love you all SO much.”
To be clear, though, they re-affirmed that they are not splitting up — “Little Mix are here to stay” — and that they have plans for more unspecified music and performances in the future. “We’ve made so many incredible memories with you all, and we can’t wait to make so many more.”
The group burst on the scene in 2011 after winning the British version of The X Factor and scored a series of UK hits with songs including “Cannonball,” “Wings,” “Black Magic” and Shout Out to My Ex; their studio albums include DNA (2012), Salute (2013), Get Weird (2015), Glory Days (2016), LM5 (2018) and Confetti (2020). They scored their fifth No. 1 UK single in January with the song “Sweet Melody,” but were forced to postpone the Confetti Tour in February due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Pinnock and Edwards both welcomed their first children over this summer.
Check out Little Mix’s hiatus announcement below.
PETA has called on Cage The Elephant to temporarily change their name ahead of their upcoming NFL halftime performance in Munich later this week.
The band are scheduled to perform during the New England Patriots vs. Detroit Lions game this Sunday (November 15).
Ahead of the show, PETA has asked Cage The Elephant to change their name across their social media accounts to Free The Elephant for one week.
According to a press release from the animal rights group, an elephant named Okha “has spent most of her life forced to perform in the circus under the threat of punishment”. The organisation is now seeking support to “help retire her to a reputable sanctuary”.
PETA also alleges that Okha is “currently being hauled around in a trailer with an exhibitor, Brian Franzen”, who supposedly “has a history of felony cruelty to animals charges” and “was caught on camera yanking and striking an elephant with a bullhook”.
In a letter addressed to Cage The Elephant, PETA wrote: “There ain’t no rest for Okha. We think you’d agree that she deserves the chance to spend her remaining years in peace with care, dignity, and respect.
“Lending a rendition of your iconic name for a short while could… help us come a little closer to ending animal cruelty in circuses.”
PETA added that it has already held more than “30 demonstrations on Okha’s behalf, contacted venues hosting animal acts, and rallied tens of thousands of supporters to call for her retirement”.
The group is also asking the public to “call on venues to stop hosting circuses that use animals and help retire Okha to a reputable sanctuary where she could roam expansive habitats, forage, receive expert veterinary care, and have the companionship of other elephants”.
Cage The Elephant have not yet made a public statement about the request, and NME has reached out to the band for a response. Franzen has also not issued a public response to the allegations made by PETA.
The request follows a previous approach by PETA to Led Zeppelin frontman Robert Plant, asking him to temporarily adopt the name ‘Robert Plant Wool’ to help promote alternatives to sheep’s wool.
PETA has also previously urged Nintendo to redesign the popular Mario Kart World character Cow, claiming that its current appearance encourages animal cruelty.
Meanwhile, Cage The Elephant recently revealed details of their upcoming album ‘Dying In Reverse’, which is set to arrive on February 5, 2027, through Big Loud Rock. Fans can pre-order the record here.
The band are also preparing for a UK and European tour in 2027. You can check out the full list of dates here and find any remaining tickets here.
