DNA

Little Mix’s rise to stardom began with their 2011 triumph on the British version of <i>The X Factor</i>—a surprising win, given that the show had traditionally overlooked girl bands. But the arrival of <i>DNA</i>, the group’s smash debut album, would prove that hard-won victory had been no fluke. Released a year after the <i>X Factor</i> whirlwind, <i>DNA</i> harnessed the best elements of their small-screen performances—the eerie, stuttering pop of the title track is reminiscent of their rendition of Katy Perry’s “E.T.”—while wisely omitting the drab cover of Damien Rice’s “Cannonball”, which served as their winner’s single. Much of <i>DNA</i> finds the group members leaning heavily on their girl band forbears, with co-writing appearances from Girls Aloud’s Nicola Roberts (“Going Nowhere”), All Saints’ Shaznay Lewis (“How Ya Doin’?”) and TLC’s T-Boz. The result is a reboot of the early-1990s-girl-group sound pioneered by En Vogue and TLC, in which slick, watertight harmonies are augmented by off-kilter beats. <i>DNA</i>’s lead single “Wings” adopts a more-is-more approach, incorporating a thumping drumbeat, double-time handclaps and a surprise appearance from a marching band. The track may feature some trite lyrics—“And we don’t let nobody bring us down/No matter what you say, it won’t hurt me”—but it’s neutralised by sheer force of personality and powerful vocals. Elsewhere, De La Soul’s classic “Ring Ring Ring (Ha Ha Hey)” is repurposed to great effect on “How Ya Doin’?”, a shoulder-rolling ode to playing hard to get, one that features a guest verse from Missy Elliott. And while some of the ballads, including “Always Be Together”, stick to more predictable territory, “Going Nowhere” masterfully combines the unlikely mix of languid vocals, Spanish guitar and punchy rap. Little Mix’s assured debut proved them more than capable of transcending their beginnings and going the distance denied to many of their talent-show forebears. While the reality-TV machine would begin to flounder in subsequent years, <i>DNA</i> marked the beginning of Little Mix’s ascent into British pop’s upper echelons.