For the latest instalment of our Duets interview series, pop singer Perrie sat down with producer and songwriter Tre Jean-Marie to discuss their respective approaches to songwriting and the former’s journey from Little Mix member to solo artist.
Perrie embarked on this latest career venture after Little Mix announced their hiatus in 2022, with her self-titled debut solo album now set for release on 26 September. Reuniting with Tre in the studio following his previous work with the X Factor-winning group, the pair have since worked together on such Perrie tracks as Forget About Us, You Go Your Way and Me, Myself & You.
Speaking in this Duets episode, Perrie candidly discusses the evolution of her songwriting — from being an ‘indie pop girlie’ pre-X Factor through to her admittedly more difficult experience of co-writing Little Mix’s music.
‘It felt like there were so many voices in a room. I was quite shy, so I didn’t shout the loudest with my ideas,’ she tells Tre. ‘My writing kind of drifted off a lot, so Leigh-Anne [Pinnock] and Jade [Thirlwall] usually took the reins.’
With Tre noting that, since going solo, Perrie has really ‘come into [her] own’ as a songwriter, the pair break down the latter’s 2024 release Me, Myself & You, which was written during Tre’s PRS for Music-supported songwriting camp.
‘That session came at a really good time for me,’ Perrie reflects. ‘I had more confidence, more concept ideas and I knew what I was missing. I actually had anxiety in the car on the way to your house [for the camp], but I felt safe with you all. It almost turned into a therapy session.’
The lyrics were inspired by Perrie’s lived experience with anxiety. ‘I didn’t want [Me, Myself & You] to be, “I’ve overcome anxiety and it’s gone,” because it’s always going to be there,’ she says. ‘It was about being really open and honest.’
Such openness is in stark contrast to her initial reluctance to get involved with the songwriting side of her solo career. ‘I told the label, “I don’t want to write anything, I just want to A&R my album,”’ she reveals. ‘But the more sessions I did with people I felt comfortable with, like you [Tre] and Jin Jin, the more confident I became. You can’t force creativity — you have to feel safe. Once I did, the writing just flowed.’
Having joined Little Mix at 17, Perrie acknowledges that she was shielded from the business side of music for much of her career. Now though, as a solo artist, she’s much more hands-on. ‘It’s almost like you’re a new artist again,’ she notes. ‘Streaming, social media — it’s completely different. I wasn’t prepared for that shift, but it’s been exciting to start from the ground up.
‘We had a shared bank account in [Little Mix], so for years I never saw a PRS royalty statement. Now I do, though, and I think it’s important.’
Sharing some parting words of advice for those starting out, Perrie offers: ‘The reason you’re here is because of your love for music. Don’t lose that fire.’
As for Tre? ‘My advice: join PRS.’
Perrie's new album Perrie will be released on 26 September.
