Little Mix rip into sexist critics: We'll dress how we want

Little Mix have attacked people who criticise their image, saying: "We are women, we will dress how we want to dress."

Speaking on stage at the Global Awards, singer Jade Thirlwall said: "As a girl band, and as women, we do face a lot of scrutiny, whether it's for the way we look, how much thigh we get out, how we dance, what we sing about.

"And we just want to say that, although one day we hope that does stop, right now we're really not arsed what people think."

The band were the big winners at the first ever Global Awards - a star-studded show staged by the company behind radio stations Capital, Heart, Radio X and Classic FM.

The 2011 X Factor winners took home three prizes - best group, best artist and best song, for Power, their collaboration with Stormzy.

"It's obviously quite hard for women in the music industry," said Thirlwall.

"The fact we've managed to last nearly seven years now and still be going strong is amazing, and we have a lot of people to thank for that."

"Who do we thank? Firstly ourselves. Because if it wasn't for our friendship, we wouldn't still be going strong."

The band went on to thank their fans, who voted for the awards at Wednesday night's ceremony.

Other prizes went to Kasabian (best indie), Shawn Mendes (best male) and Camila Cabello (best female).

Here's the rest of the gossip from the show, which was held at London's Hammersmith Apollo.

Accepting the best hip-hop / grime prize, Stormzy managed to thank one of Global's big rivals - Magic FM.

"Big up Global... I was gonna say big up Capital, but big up Magic as well 'cos Magic are my cheese, you know what I mean?" said the star.

It brought back memories of the 2012 Brit Awards, when One Direction accidentally thanked Radio 1 as they collected an award sponsored by Capital FM.

The group was temporarily dropped from Global stations' playlists as a result.

Dance act Rudimental were at the show to present the best female prize, and told the BBC they'd been recording some unusual sounds for their third album.

"We were in Wales, we finished our album there," said Amir Amor. "And we went to a cow market and we sampled the noises of the cow market. And that appears on one of our new tracks, called Last Time."

"It's the sound of a cow being sold," added his bandmate Kesi Dryden. "It's quite sad, really."

Aussie boyband 5 Seconds Of Summer arrived in the UK just in time for London's coldest day in a decade. It's not something they were prepared for.

"I lived at the base of the Blue Mountains, but it never got this cold," shivered singer Ashton Irwin.

"You know what, I would love to try and build a snowman. I've never built one before," added his bandmate Michael Clifford.

"In fact, they call me the snowman. Well, they don't… but I am really pale."

The band also talked about their forthcoming album - their first since 2015 - which they say is "the first record we've made as adults".

"As a young man I was influenced, and we were influenced, by bands that we don't necessarily take influence from any more," explained Irwin.

"So I've been listening to The Cure and Massive Attack, which helped add a blue mood, a melancholy sound to the new album."

When James Bay released his new single, Wild Love, he had a new look - shorn of hair and absent of hat.

And suddenly, people decided he was a bit of a hunk.

"Fantastic!" he revelled. "I'll take that. I'll take that all day long.

"It makes me a little sad they didn't think it before, but I'm man enough to handle that."

The star, whose comeback single Wild Love revealed a new, more sensual sound, is set to make his debut on Saturday Night Live next month - but will he get roped into one of the sketches?

"I don't know yet but I'd be up for it," he said. "Let's spread the rumour my acting chops are incredible."

Last year, Ed Sheeran confessed that he'd written his hit single Shape Of You for Little Mix - before deciding it was "too good" to give away.

Speaking on George Ezra's podcast recently, the star revealed he's got another song up his sleeve for the girl band's next album.

Amazingly, though, that was the first time they heard about it.

"We were told Ed Sheeran's written for us - but we don't know the specifics or anything," said Leigh-Anne Pinnock backstage at the awards.

"We're not hearing anything until next week," added her bandmate Perrie Edwards.

"Not until we're in the studio," said Jesy Nelson. "That's when it goes down."

The day after The Brits, disco legend Nile Rodgers cut a new song with Craig David. The star told us how it came about.

"Nile said there was a song he'd maybe like to play with me. And I was like, 'Well, I'm here in the UK. Let's jump in the studio'. And we literally put it together that day.

"Believe me, if you've got plans, you cancel those plans to work with Nile."

"You're working with someone who has created music that's touched generations. He's a legend."

Speaking to the BBC on Wednesday, Craig's producer Fraser T Smith hinted we might get to hear the song sooner, rather than later.

"There's an immediacy to the music industry now" he said. "An artist like Ramz can put out Barking and it can be a hit within three weeks.

"Craig's actually coming into the studio today, so we'll get to hear [the Nile Rodgers song] soon."

Follow us on Facebook, on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, or on Instagram at bbcnewsents. If you have a story suggestion email [email protected].