“Everytime I go to the shop, there’s none there!”

Fifty million record sales. 17 million Spotify listeners. Three billion YouTube views. In the year of our Lord 2020, Perrie Edwards, Jesy Nelson, Leigh-Anne Pinnock and Jade Thirlwall, aka Little Mix, are the biggest girl band on the planet, with a Thirlwall co-written new single, Break Up Song, riding high in the charts. So why can’t South Shields’ most famous daughter get her hands on any bloody Andrex??

Hello Jade! How would you describe Break Up Song to someone who hasn’t heard it?

I would say that Break Up Song is a sort of ​’80s, synth-inspired, pure pop track. It’s uplifting. I feel like it’s Little Mix at its best. And it’s definitely one of my favourite singles we’ve released. So I’m really excited for the world to be hearing it.

If you had to rank every Little Mix single, whereabouts would you place it?

I’d put it in the Top Three. I’d put it alongside [2016’s] Touch and… maybe [2012’s] Wings, actually.

What would be fourth?

Fourth for me would be [Machine Gun Kelly-featuring, Top 15 hit] No More Sad Songs. I think she’s an underrated one to be honest.

What’s the best bit of Break Up Song?

I think the hook is really catchy. I mean, I don’t mean to be biased or anything, but I think my middle-eight’s quite saucy. I was very happy when I was assigned that part.

I like the ​“uh, uh, uh” bit best.

Which bit?

The bit that’s like ​“uh, uh, uh”.

“Uh, uh, uh, uh?”

Yeah, that bit.

We love a good BV, we do.

The song contains the lyrics: ​“I’ll be good all by myself/​Yeah, I’ll find a way to dance without you…” Are you at all concerned about the track being interpreted as a pro-Brexit anthem?

Oh, my God! The song was kind of written about breaking up in a relationship. You know, songs can be interpreted however you like. But no, I would say it was definitely not written with leaving the EU in mind.

Your last album, LM5, came out in 2018. Is ​“LM6” finished?

The album is… very nearly finished. Obviously right now it’s kind of been stalled because we can’t go in the studio and finish certain songs and do our tweaks and stuff. But I’d say we have about seven or eight songs recorded and in the bag. We usually record so many songs, then we have a big meeting and whittle everything down and turn it into an album… which we haven’t done yet.

Is it any good?

The album?

Yes.

Well, I hope so! Aye, I think it’s grand. Yeah, we’ve done a lot of writing, as usual. I feel like, with this record, we’ve sort of not overthought the process. If it’s a good song, and it makes us feel a certain way, then it makes the album. Rather than honing in on a concept. I feel like with LM5, it was very concept-led, in terms of female empowerment and women’s rights. It was a bit more ballsy, speaking out a bit more. Whereas I feel like this new album is more like pop and fun. A bit cheerier.

Do you know what the LM6 era will be called yet?

Yeah, we do know what it’s going to be called but we’re not telling you yet!

Can you give us a clue?

It’s a more fun title. More sort of… celebratory.

What’s it like, this period before you chuck out new music?

I think we had so much faith in this new single that we were more excited than anything. But, yeah, the run up to dropping an album is a mixture of nerves, anxiety, excitement. A bit of pressure, as well, because you always want to better what you released before. But I think with Break Up Song we were just quietly confident.

Have you ever been worried about going down the pan?

I would be lying if I said I didn’t have that feeling now and again. I think it’s normal for people to get a bit worried. Especially as a pop artist, and a girl band. Usually you have a very short shelf life. But the fact that we’re nearly 10 years in now, still going strong, speaks for itself, really.

Are you missing the other girls or is it quite nice having some time on your own?

The first week of isolation, I was like: ​“This is fantastic this, a few days off. No one telling us what to do!” Then the novelty sort of wore off a bit. I am really missing work, and I am obviously missing the girls. I see them more than my family, you know what I mean? So, yeah, it’s a bit strange.

What’s your daily routine like at the moment?

My daily routine… Well, I’m getting up! I’m making sure that I shower in the morning and get ready so I look more presentable, so that I don’t just stay in my pyjamas all day. I feel like that helps me be more productive. I’ve been doing lots of creative stuff. I’m here with my two friends. We’ve been doing Lego and jigsaws and colouring-in and stuff like that. I’m trying not to be glued to my telly or my phone too much. And doing a lot of FaceTiming with my mum and dad. My mum’s alone because she’s self-isolating due to being high risk, so we’re trying to keep her company as much as possible. But, yeah, it’s kind of going quite fast at the minute. The day’s are all rolling into one.

Are you doing any sport or anything to keep fit?

Erm… No! I’d like to pretend that I am. Every night before I go to bed I’m like: ​“Right, tomorrow, I’m going to wake up and do some exercise.” But I don’t know who I’m kidding, to be honest, because I can’t be arsed.

What’s your gaff like? Is it a nice place to isolate?

Oh, yes, she’s lovely. She’s a three-bed apartment. I’ve got a little balcony. I’m really lucky. I definitely can’t complain, but I do wish I had a little garden or something. I live in Canary Wharf [in London], so it’s quite grey – there’s not a lot of lushness to walk around in. But, no, I’m good. I’m lucky I’m not alone.

Do you think the government made the decision to lockdown too late, following the initial misinformation around herd immunity?

Yes, possibly, I would say. I think there was a lot of uncertainty at the time. But, I guess at the same time, it is really hard to gauge what was the right or wrong thing to do. It’s obviously never happened before in our lifetime, so it’s hard to judge someone for the decisions they make. But, yeah, I feel like there was a bit too much uncertainty for a while, rather than just being told what to do.

Were you able to stock up on toilet roll in time?

No.

No?

I mean, to be honest, I’m a bit of a hoarder so we had a bit already before it began. But I have stocked up on some Kleenex tissues should the time arrive. But I’m not one of those people who panic buys. We’ve just been going to the shops and getting what we need.

How many rolls do you currently have left?

I’m going to go with, like, four.

It’s not a lot, is it?

Every time I go to the shop, there’s none there! But, you know, we’ve got showers and tissues, so we’re all good.

Finally, Jade, do you have any other advice that Face readers should remember in these adverse times?

I would just say to try and do something constructive with your day. Don’t punish yourself, though. If you just want to sit and watch telly all day, that’s fine. Communicate with your friends and family how much you love them. Especially those that are by themselves. Keep yourself entertained and look after yourself. And have a drink on me!

Thanks Jade!

Break Up Song, the 25^th single by Little Mix, is out now.