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Little Mix member Leigh-Anne Pinnock has made a new documentary for BBC Three: тАЬLeigh-Anne: Race, Pop, and PowerтАЭ, about racism and her experience as a Black woman in the music industry.
тАЬBeing a Black girl in the pop industry, I do feel like I have a responsibility to speak out,тАЭ Pinnock says in a video posted to YouTube by the studio, reflecting on why she chose to make the documentary. тАЬI wanted to speak about my experiences and the way I felt in the band being the Black girl in the band [тАж] I really wanted to explore why I felt so overlooked, so overshadowed.тАЭ
RELATED: Jesy Nelson Reveals The тАШBreaking PointтАЩ That Led Her To Leave Little Mix
The documentary, which also examines colourism in the industry, features the perspectives of fellow Black female musicians and singer-songwriters, including Sugababes star Keisha Buchanan, Alexandra Burke, NAO, and Raye. In a clip from the documentary, Burke reveals she was told by record execs that she was тАЬtoo dark to be in the industryтАЭ and тАЬyou need to bleach your skin because you wonтАЩt sell any records.тАЭ
тАЬI feel like there are a lot of people out there that donтАЩt necessarily understand how deeply ingrained racism is and how it really does affect so many people of colour, so many Black people,тАЭ Pinnock added.
RELATED: Little MixтАЩs Leigh-Anne Pinnock Reveals She And Fianc├й Andre Gray Are Expecting Their First Child: тАШThe Dream Is Finally Coming TrueтАЩ
Last year the singer opened up about her experiences with racism on тАЬThis MorningтАЭ after she revealed she felt like she was тАЬthe least favouredтАЭ of Little Mix. She said, when the group filmed their music video for тАЬWingsтАЭ nine years ago, choreographer Frank Gatson, an African-American, told her: тАЬYou are the Black girl, you have to work ten times harder.тАЭ
Pinnock said in the clip, тАЬNever in my life had someone told me I would need to work harder because of my race.тАЭ
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