Two years after dropping their sophomore album Salute, the girls of Little Mix are back with the confident, pop-perfect masterpiece that is Get Weird. The group had originally finished their third album last November but made the decision to scrap it and start over again.
It was worth the wait. After its worldwide release on November 6, Get Weird topped the U.K. and U.S. album charts at number two and number nine, respectively.
Accompanying Little Mix’s powerhouse vocals and matured writing skills are several talents outside the group who played a role in the creation of the album, including a feature from Jason Derulo and tracks co-written with Jess Glynne and Jessie J.
The personality-driven album is a blend of astonishingly different tracks that Little Mix has managed to bring together cohesively. The emotional ballad “I Love You” immediately transitions to the cocky and playful “OMG.” Two songs, “The End” and “The Beginning,” are sung entirely acapella. “Hair” and “Grown” combine inventive beats and bold lyrics to create perfect upbeat songs for moving on. “Lightning” ingeniously incorporates elements of Latin opera, Arabian riffs and trap music. Listening to the astonishing vocals and tear-jerking piano in “Love Me Or Leave Me” and “Secret Love Song Pt. II” with completely dry eyes is something that is difficult to achieve.
Numerous tracks on the album, such as “Weird People” and the hit single “Black Magic,” showcase heavy references to 80s pop that integrate seamlessly with a fresh, modern spin.
Band members Jade Thirlwall, Jesy Nelson, Leigh-Anne Pinnock and Perrie Edwards raise the bar with each and every track with their effortless harmonies, tasteful vibratos and hard-hitting high notes—as well as Pinnock’s cheeky rap in “A.D.I.D.A.S.”
Keeping up with the message of empowerment that Little Mix has been pushing since the beginning, the lyrics of Get Weird are just as powerful as the vocals. “I Won’t” preaches self-respect and acceptance, and emphasises the importance of moving forward and keeping a positive attitude. The acoustic track “Clued Up” details lessons learned from growing up and gaining life experience, embracing positive experiences and making the most of the bad situations.
Get Weird is full of catchy melodies, innovative beats and lots of experimentation, breaking the mold of the traditional pop formula. Breaking records as well as music industry standards, Little Mix is now the first and only girl group to ever have their first three studio albums debut in the top thirteen of the Billboard 200 charts. To quote the last track of the album, the group has “come so far, but it’s just the beginning.”
