Perrie Edwards
Perrie Louise Edwards (born 10 July 1993; known professionally as Perrie[2]) is an English singer and songwriter. She rose to prominence as a member of Little Mix, one of the best-selling girl groups of all time. They were formed in 2011 during the eighth series of The X Factor UK, and were crowned the eventual winners of the series. The group won three Brit Awards, becoming the first girl group to win British Group. As part of Little Mix, Edwards achieved five number-one singles and nineteen top-ten entries on the UK Singles Chart. The group went on indefinite hiatus in 2022, and Edwards launched her career as a solo artist in 2024 with the single "Forget About You".
Perrie Edwards
Edwards is a patron for CoppaFeel! and became the first female ambassador for the brand Supreme Nutrition. In 2021, she launched her fashion brand, Disora.
Early life[edit]
Perrie Louise Edwards was born on 10 July 1993 and raised in South Shields, Tyne and Wear.[3] She was named after Steve Perry from the rock band Journey. Her parents, Deborah Duffy and Alexander Edwards, divorced when she was a child and both remarried. Her mother married Mark Duffie from New Zealand, and her father married Joanna Wells. Edwards has an older brother called Jonnie Edwards and a half-sister named Caitlin Edwards.[4][5]
As a child, Edwards attended Radipole Primary School in Weymouth, Dorset before moving back to South Shields.[6] She attended St. Peter and Paul RC Primary School, and Mortimer Community College in South Shields,[6] and later transferred to Newcastle College, where she received a BTEC in Performing Arts.[6] As a preteen she lived two years in Hamilton, New Zealand.[7] Edwards was born with oesophageal atresia, which is responsible for the bisectional scar on her stomach,[8] and anosmia.[9] As a child, she underwent several operations because of the condition.[10]
Music career[edit]
2011–2022: Career beginnings and Little Mix[edit]
In 2011, at age 17 Edwards auditioned for The X Factor with "You Oughta Know" by Alanis Morissette.[11] After she failed the first bootcamp challenge to progress through to the Girls category (solo females aged 16–24), she was placed into a four-piece group named Faux Pas with Jesy Nelson. Jade Thirlwall and Leigh-Anne Pinnock were in another group called Orion. Both groups failed to progress through the next stage. A decision was made by the judges to bring back the four to form a new four-piece group called Rhythmix and they progressed to the judges' houses.[12]
They eventually reached the live shows and were mentored by Tulisa Contostavlos.[13] On 28 October 2011, it was announced that the group's name had been changed to Little Mix.[14] On 11 December 2011, Little Mix were announced as the winners, making them the first band ever to win the British version of the show.[15]
Endorsements[edit]
Edwards is a patron for CoppaFeel!, a breast cancer charity.[25] In 2019, she became the face of Italian brand Superga and released a designed collection of shoes.[26] In 2020, she was announced as the first female ambassador for Supreme Nutrition.[27][28] Later that year, Edwards became the new face of Nando's, a Portuguese-African food franchise. She also appeared in their television advertisements.[29]
In 2021, Edwards launched her own fashion brand, Disora, describing it as a "contemporary luxury" brand.[30][31] Disora's first collection, DS001, sold out within 48 hours but received criticism at the brand's lack of size inclusivity. In 2023, in an interview for Grazia, Edwards stated that Disora had become inclusive for all sizes, making it one of only 6% of brands that sell a size 18 and above.[19]
Personal life[edit]
In 2013, Edwards became engaged to singer Zayn Malik, whom she met on The X Factor UK in 2011.[32] Their relationship ended in August 2015.[33] Edwards began dating English professional footballer Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in November 2016. On 10 May 2021, she announced that she was expecting her first child and gave birth to a son in August 2021. On 18 June 2022, the pair announced their engagement. On 27 September 2022, Edwards and Chamberlain were at home with their son when burglars broke in, with police being called to the incident.[34]
In 2012, during the recording stages for the group's debut album DNA (2012), Edwards had to undergo surgery to remove her inflamed tonsils.[32] In 2017, she was set to perform alongside Little Mix in Las Vegas, but was hospitalised for gastric problems.[35] In August 2018, she received further treatment on her throat for her oesophageal condition. In April 2019, Edwards shared her struggles with panic attacks and anxiety and underwent therapy for her mental health. She was interviewed on the subject of anxiety and mental health by magazine Glamour.[36] In a follow-up interview for Grazia in 2023, Edwards revealed she experienced bullying as a child because of her appearance. She had issues with anemia and was left malnourished because of her condition with oesophageal atresia.[19]
