Little Mix talk 'new dawn' and their strong bonds in first cover interview as a trio

Leigh-Anne Pinnock, Perrie Edwards and Jade Thirlwall of Little Mix pose ahead of the MTV EMA's 2020 on November 01, 2020 in London, England. The MTV EMA's aired on November 08, 2020. (Photo by Callum Mills via Getty Images for MTV) (Callum Mills via Getty Images)

Little Mix have spoken of a “new dawn” in their first cover interview as a trio.

Perrie Edwards, Leigh-Anne Pinnock and Jade Thirlwall now make up the group after Jesy Nelson announced her departure in December citing mental health reasons.

The three remaining singers feature on the cover of Glamour UK as the winner of the gamechangers in music gong at the magazine’s women of the year awards.

Read more: Jesy Nelson thanks fans for support after leaving Little Mix

Thirlwall said spending time apart because of the coronavirus pandemic had changed their relationship for the better.

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“I’m not saying that we’re co-dependent, but we do heavily rely on each other, so it’s been healthy to take a step back and think, ‘What do I want?’

“As we come together and work together this year, we’ll have an even better and healthier relationship with that perspective.

“This time’s taught me that I am still figuring out who I am, too. It’s beautiful that we’re still a group, but we want to help push each other to do our own thing, too. It’s like a new dawn of Little Mix,” she said.

Edwards added: “That’s totally OK. We’re not going to know, individually. We’ve always had each other, it’s always Little Mix – it’s us.”

Jesy Nelson attends the National Television Awards 2020 at The O2 Arena on January 28, 2020 in London, England. (Photo by Mike Marsland/WireImage) (Mike Marsland via Getty Images)

Pinnock echoed their comments, saying: “I do think our sense of sisterhood is better for when we do have shit times together over the years or if we’ve got on each other’s nerves, because it’s never been an option to not be together and we’ve always known that we are sisters."

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The group did not discuss Nelson’s exit during the interview. When she announced her exit last year, the 29-year-old said the high-profile had "taken a toll" on her mental health.

Nelson also recently opened up on "mentally bullying" herself in the past in order to please others.

“It’s taken me 10 years to realise that I’m the only person I need to please," she wrote on Instagram.

With reporting by PA.

Watch: Jesy Nelson opens up on 'mentally bullying' herself