Little Mix says their success is down to their "equal" status.

The girl group - which currently comprises of Jade Thirlwall, Perrie Edwards and Leigh-Anne Pinnock, with Jesy Nelson previously featuring as part of the band before her exit last year - insists their longstanding career is because they have always had the same "vision" that they must all be considered at the same level.

Jade said: "We have always had the same vision, we always wanted to be equal. Nobody wanted to outshine someone else. The moment that happens in a group dynamic, the cracks start to show, like someone has a bit more of an ego. We have always been determined to remain equal people on our team, whoever else has suggested otherwise. We have said no, we know it works better, it is healthier for us doing it that way. And it has got us where we are now."

And the 'Confetti' hitmakers opened up about their experiences with the music industry, claiming they had been pushed to release certain songs or go a certain direction, which had been "a bit unsettling".

She added: "A few times we have felt pushed into a direction or a song. Almost like a bribe, like 'if you don’t do this song you can’t have that'. There was a point where there was a bit of that and that was a bit unsettling for us."

The band has been subjected to cruel taunts by online trolls over the years but they don't let it bother them now.

Speaking on the Zach Sang radio show in the United States about how they react to negative comments online, Leigh-Anne explained: "It's a sod the trolls [mentality now]. Negative comments don’t phase us."