Perrie Edwards has announced the release date of her debut solo album ‘Perrie’, and shared the uplifting new single ‘If He Wanted To He Would’. Check it out below.
After embarking on her solo career post Little Mix hiatus, Edwards shared her debut single ‘Forget About Us’ in April 2024, followed by ‘You Go Your Way’ as teasers from her first record.
Now, she’s announced that the self-titled LP will be released on September 26, and you can pre-order it here.
Sharing the news on Instagram on Friday (August 22), the singer wrote: “I can’t believe this day has arrived! It feels like a dream.”
Alongside the announcement, Edwards has shared a third track from the album – ‘If He Wanted To He Would’.
Co-written with Nina Nesbitt, the song sees Edwards lament a toxic relationship over a euphoric acoustic guitar strum.
The single comes with a rom-com inspired video (also starring Nesbitt), which pays tribute to greats of the genre, including The Holiday, Bridesmaids and Pretty Woman. Watch it here:
Per a press release, the album is inspired by Edwards’ “rock’n’roll-influenced
childhood, Motown, disco, country, ’80s and of course bright, bold pop”.
Its announcement comes after the singer decided to pause her solo career during the Christmas break in 2024 and make changes to the overall sound of the record.
Reflecting on the last nine months, Edwards said: “At the end of last year, I was feeling so much pressure to release music and move quickly.
“I wasn’t happy and didn’t feel like the music I was releasing was right. During one of my therapy sessions, my therapist said, ‘If you’re not happy, just take away that pressure and stop for a bit’.”
She continued: “She was right, and I decided to press pause on my music. I went back in the studio and spent time writing songs that were totally authentic to me and about subjects that were close to my heart, without the pressure of having to hit a release date.
“I absolutely love the album I have created, and I’m really proud of it.”
Her upcoming album will also include a collaboration with Raye, whom Edwards has called “the most talented human I’ve ever witnessed in the flesh”.
Speaking to NME about her solo music last year, Edwards opened up about being hesitant to write music alone for the first time. “I was just so insecure, I think, I was just so shy. And it’s really a drastic change when you go from being in a girl-group and having your girls constantly with you holding your hand – I was literally the baby [of the group].
“And it can be quite overwhelming when there’s loads of people in a room and you’re supposed to be talking about your feelings and your emotions and what you want to put in a song.”
Edwards has also been teasing a new song about a past friendship, which fans believe is about ex-bandmate Jesy Nelson.
In 2021, Little Mix announced they’d be taking “a little break”, following a decade together, in order to focus on solo projects. It came after Nelson left the group to embark on her own solo career, releasing ‘Boyz’, featuring Nicki Minaj. The track sparked controversy online due to Nelson being accused of blackfishing in the music video.
As for the other members, JADE will release her debut solo album ‘THAT’S SHOWBIZ BABY!” on September 12, with special appearances from RAYE, Mike Sabath, Lostboy, Cirkut and Pablo Bowman, and Leigh-Ann recently shared her “comeback” single ‘Been A Minute’.