By Arushi Tandon | @arushiwrites
Dear Little Mix,
I don’t know how to begin this letter without getting super sappy about how much you have helped me over the years but I’ll do it anyway. In 2012, you helped an insecure 16-year-old girl embrace her flaws with your song “Wings” and in the same capacity, in 2018, you helped an unsure 22-year-old be more confident in her abilities with “Wasabi”.
I’ve been a fan of yours for almost a decade now and in every major milestone of life during that period, even if I didn’t have anyone else to count on, I knew I always had Little Mix. For which, I am eternally grateful. Your message has always been loud and clear — for young girls and women everywhere to embrace themselves for who they are.
This especially resonated with me from the very beginning because being comfortable with myself was something I struggled majorly with. From a young age, my sense of self was distorted either due to bullies at school or online and this led me to doubt myself every step of the way. You helped me embrace myself for who I was and really internalize the fact that it’s okay for me to occupy space in this society that may not always want me to.
Your music has always been so instrumental in providing an inspiring backdrop to me being able to motivate myself time and again. It wasn’t just limited to your music either, it was your personalities and what I could perceive of them in interviews and reality shows which reinforced your message further. You have always been so transparent and unapologetic with your fans about who you are and what you stand for. That has always been a reminder to me when I have felt at my lowest.
In a society that pits women against each other while wanting us to live up to inhuman standards, having you as role-models and witnessing you use your platform so well has been nothing short of inspiring.
I can confidently say that one of the main reasons I’m a writer today and pursuing my passion is because you taught me in “A Different Beat” that “I might be young, but I know my mind. I’m sick of being told what’s wrong or right.”
I’m eternally grateful to have had the privilege to coexist during the same time period as you because I love being your fan and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Whenever I have been made to feel smaller than I am, I know that my Little Mix playlist will make me feel better. And that’s all that matters.
Thank you for always being you, Little Mix!
Sincerely,
A Mixer who has been here since 2012 and isn’t going anywhere ever
Thumbnail Courtesy of Little Mix
