Jade Thirlwall has spoken out about how bullying about her Arab heritage resulted in her trying to suppress her identity.
The 27-year-old, who is part of popular pop quartet Little Mix, explained how both her and her mother have started connecting with their culture in more recent years.
“I had suppressed who I was because I wasn’t proud,” Thirlwall told Vogue Arabia. “I had been bullied into thinking I should be ashamed of my identity, so I didn’t talk enough about my heritage in interviews. It makes me sad to think about it now.”
The former X Factor winner, who is about to launch her own talent show along with her bandmates titled Little Mix: The Search, said she felt representation of Arabs in Western media and culture was poor when she was growing up.
“When I was younger, I didn’t see enough representation of Arabs in magazines or on TV, and when I saw people who looked like my granddad they were always misrepresented,” she continued.
“I regret now that I didn’t talk about it more, but I was young and scared. I’m trying to make up for it now.”
Thirlwall credited the Black Lives Matter movement, which gained international recognition following the death of George Floyd, and the war in Yemen, that has sparked her to look into her heritage.
“My mam and me have started looking into our culture more and it’s something that is bringing us closer together,” she said. “The BLM movement and the war in Yemen has triggered a lot of trauma for my mam, who I think suppressed who she was for a long time, too.
“The past few months have been very eye-opening for us.
“As an adult I’m connecting more with my Arab side – it’s a shame that it’s taken me until now to understand that. Being Arab is a beautiful thing.”
Little Mix – In pictures
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Leigh-Anne Pinnock, Jesy Nelson, Perrie Edwards and Jade Thirlwall of Little Mix with their Best British Video Brit Award in the press room at the Brit Awards 2019
PA
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Little Mix formely known as Rhythmix on The X Factor
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‘Little Mix’ performs during the V Festival at Hylands Park in 2016
David Fisher/Rex
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Little Mix perform on stage at The Brit Awards 2017
Dave Benett
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Jack Whitehall and Little Mix at the 39th Brit Awards in 2019
Rex Features
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Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain with Perrie Edwards of Litlle Mix attend the Brit Awards 2019
SplashNews.com
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Jade Thirlwall attends British LGBT Awards 2019
Getty Images
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Little Mix’ member, Leigh-Anne Pinnock and footballer Andre Gray pose on the red carpet on arrival for the Brit Awards 2019
AFP/Getty Images
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Jesy Nelson from Little Mix arrives for the 2019 Brit Awards at the O2 Arena
Reuters
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Jade Thirwall, Jesy Nelson, Leigh-Anne Pinnock and Perrie Edwards of Little Mix attend The Global Awards 2019
Getty Images
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Jade Thirlwall, Leigh-Anne Pinnock, Perrie Edwards and Jesy Nelson of Little Mix perform at The Brit Awards 2019
Dave Benett
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Leigh-Anne Pinnock, Jesy Nelson, Perrie Edwards and Jade Thirlwall of Little Mix attend the MTV EMAs 2018
Getty Images
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Jade Thirwall of Little Mix and Jed Elliott attend The Brit Awards 2018
Getty Images
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Leigh-Anne Pinnock and Jade Thirlwall of Little Mix attending the 2018 Fashion Awards in association with Swarovski held at the Royal Albert Hall
PA
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Jesy Nelson, Perrie Edwards, Jade Thirlwall and Leigh-Anne Pinnock of Little Mix perform on stage at The Brit Awards 2017
Getty Images
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Jade Thirlwall, Perrie Edwards, Jesy Nelson and Leigh-Anne Pinnock of Little Mix perform on stage at the 2017 F1 Live in London event at Trafalgar Square
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Jesy Nelson at The Brit Awards 2017
Getty Images
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Leigh-Anne Pinnock, Jesy Nelson and Jade Thirlwall with the award for Best Single in the press room during the 2017 Brit Awards at the O2 Arena
PA
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Little Mix appear in Coronation Street for A Christmas Corrie
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Jade Thirlwall (left), Perrie Edwards (second left), Jesy Nelson (right) and Leigh-Anne Pinnock (second right) of Little Mix arriving for the 2016 Brit Awards at the O2 Arena
PA
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Little Mix perform on stage during the Brit Awards 2016
Getty Images
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Jesy Nelson of ‘Little Mix’ performs during the V Festival at Hylands Park in 2016
Getty Images
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Little Mix on The X Factor
Rex Features
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Little Mix on The X Factor
Rex Features
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Perrie Edwards of ‘Little Mix’ performs during the V Festival at Hylands Park in 2016
Getty Images
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Little Mix announce the launch of their first fitness range, in collaboration with USA Pro. The range ‘USA Pro by Little Mix’ is available both in store and online, and is the band’s first ever sportswear collection
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Little Mix – Jesy Nelson, Jade Thirlwall, Leigh-Anne Pinnock and Perrie Edwards make pancakes
‘Good Morning Britain’ in 2016
Rex
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Perrie Edwards of Little Mix performs onstage during the Teen Choice Awards 2015
Getty Images
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Perrie Edwards, Leigh-Anne Pinnock and Jade Thirlwall of Little Mix visit “The Elvis Duran Z100 Morning Show” at Z100 Studio on August 20, 2015 in New York
Getty Images
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Perrie Edwards, Jesy Nelson, Leigh-Anne Pinnock and Jade Thirlwall from Little Mix attend the 2015 Jingle Bell Ball at The O2 Arena
Getty Images
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Perrie Edwards, Jade Thirlwall, Leigh-Anne Pinnock and Jesy Nelson of Little Mix perform onstage during the Teen Choice Awards 2015
Getty Images
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Perrie Edwards of Little Mix performing on stage during the Capital FM Jingle Bell Ball 2015 held at The O2 Arena
PA
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Prince Harry greets members of Little Mix after the Royal Variety Performance in 2015
Getty Images
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Perrie Edwards, Jade Thirlwall, Leigh-Anne Pinnock and Jesy Nelson of the group “Little Mix” accept the award for Choice Music: Breakout Artist at the Teen Choice Awards 2015
Invision/AP
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Leigh-Anne Pinnock, Perrie Edwards, Jade Thirlwal and Jesy Nelson of little Mix pose for a photo with the award for Girl Group during the Cosmopolitan Ultimate Women Of The Year Awards at One Mayfair in London
Getty Images
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Jade Thirlwall, Leigh-Anne Pinnock, Perrie Edwards and Jesy Nelson of Little Mix perform in concert at The Palace of Auburn Hills on March 13, 2014 in Auburn Hills, Michigan
Getty Images
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Leigh-Anne Pinnock, Perrie Edwards, Jesy Nelson and Jade Thirlwall of “Little Mix” perform on NBC’s “Today” show on June 17, 2014 in New York
Getty Images
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Salute by Little Mix
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Get Weird by Little Mix
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Perrie Edwards, Jesy Nelson, Leigh-Anne Pinnock, and Jade Thirlwall of Little Mix arrive at the BBC Radio 1 Teen Awards at Wembley Arena in 2013
PA
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Leigh-Anne Pinnock, Jade Thirlwall, Perrie Edwards and Jesy Nelson of ‘Little Mix’ meet fans at Luna Park on October 29, 2012 in Sydney, Australia
Getty Images
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Little Mix on The X Factor Live in 2011
Rex Features
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X Factor contestants Little Mix with their mentor Tulisa Contostavlos at the Cosmopolitan Ultimate Women Awards 2011
PA
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Little Mix on The X Factor in 2011
Rex Features
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Jesy Nelson, Leigh-Anne Pinnock, Perrie Edwards and Jade Thirlwall members of British band Little Mix, arrive for the Royal film premiere of Hugo at the Odeon Leicester Square in 2011
EPA
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Little Mix – Jade, Jesy, Perrie, Leigh Ann at The X Factor Sunday Final at Wembley Arena in 2011
Rex Features
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Leigh-Anne Pinnock, Jesy Nelson, Perrie Edwards and Jade Thirlwall of Little Mix with their Best British Video Brit Award in the press room at the Brit Awards 2019
PA
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Little Mix formely known as Rhythmix on The X Factor
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‘Little Mix’ performs during the V Festival at Hylands Park in 2016
David Fisher/Rex
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Little Mix perform on stage at The Brit Awards 2017
Dave Benett
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Jack Whitehall and Little Mix at the 39th Brit Awards in 2019
Rex Features
6/46
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain with Perrie Edwards of Litlle Mix attend the Brit Awards 2019
SplashNews.com
7/46
Jade Thirlwall attends British LGBT Awards 2019
Getty Images
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Little Mix’ member, Leigh-Anne Pinnock and footballer Andre Gray pose on the red carpet on arrival for the Brit Awards 2019
AFP/Getty Images
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Jesy Nelson from Little Mix arrives for the 2019 Brit Awards at the O2 Arena
Reuters
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Jade Thirwall, Jesy Nelson, Leigh-Anne Pinnock and Perrie Edwards of Little Mix attend The Global Awards 2019
Getty Images
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Jade Thirlwall, Leigh-Anne Pinnock, Perrie Edwards and Jesy Nelson of Little Mix perform at The Brit Awards 2019
Dave Benett
12/46
Leigh-Anne Pinnock, Jesy Nelson, Perrie Edwards and Jade Thirlwall of Little Mix attend the MTV EMAs 2018
Getty Images
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Jade Thirwall of Little Mix and Jed Elliott attend The Brit Awards 2018
Getty Images
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Leigh-Anne Pinnock and Jade Thirlwall of Little Mix attending the 2018 Fashion Awards in association with Swarovski held at the Royal Albert Hall
PA
15/46
Jesy Nelson, Perrie Edwards, Jade Thirlwall and Leigh-Anne Pinnock of Little Mix perform on stage at The Brit Awards 2017
Getty Images
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Jade Thirlwall, Perrie Edwards, Jesy Nelson and Leigh-Anne Pinnock of Little Mix perform on stage at the 2017 F1 Live in London event at Trafalgar Square
Getty Images
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Jesy Nelson at The Brit Awards 2017
Getty Images
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Leigh-Anne Pinnock, Jesy Nelson and Jade Thirlwall with the award for Best Single in the press room during the 2017 Brit Awards at the O2 Arena
PA
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Little Mix appear in Coronation Street for A Christmas Corrie
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Jade Thirlwall (left), Perrie Edwards (second left), Jesy Nelson (right) and Leigh-Anne Pinnock (second right) of Little Mix arriving for the 2016 Brit Awards at the O2 Arena
PA
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Little Mix perform on stage during the Brit Awards 2016
Getty Images
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Jesy Nelson of ‘Little Mix’ performs during the V Festival at Hylands Park in 2016
Getty Images
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Little Mix on The X Factor
Rex Features
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Little Mix on The X Factor
Rex Features
25/46
Perrie Edwards of ‘Little Mix’ performs during the V Festival at Hylands Park in 2016
Getty Images
26/46
Little Mix announce the launch of their first fitness range, in collaboration with USA Pro. The range ‘USA Pro by Little Mix’ is available both in store and online, and is the band’s first ever sportswear collection
27/46
Little Mix – Jesy Nelson, Jade Thirlwall, Leigh-Anne Pinnock and Perrie Edwards make pancakes
‘Good Morning Britain’ in 2016
Rex
28/46
Perrie Edwards of Little Mix performs onstage during the Teen Choice Awards 2015
Getty Images
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Perrie Edwards, Leigh-Anne Pinnock and Jade Thirlwall of Little Mix visit “The Elvis Duran Z100 Morning Show” at Z100 Studio on August 20, 2015 in New York
Getty Images
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Perrie Edwards, Jesy Nelson, Leigh-Anne Pinnock and Jade Thirlwall from Little Mix attend the 2015 Jingle Bell Ball at The O2 Arena
Getty Images
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Perrie Edwards, Jade Thirlwall, Leigh-Anne Pinnock and Jesy Nelson of Little Mix perform onstage during the Teen Choice Awards 2015
Getty Images
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Perrie Edwards of Little Mix performing on stage during the Capital FM Jingle Bell Ball 2015 held at The O2 Arena
PA
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Prince Harry greets members of Little Mix after the Royal Variety Performance in 2015
Getty Images
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Perrie Edwards, Jade Thirlwall, Leigh-Anne Pinnock and Jesy Nelson of the group “Little Mix” accept the award for Choice Music: Breakout Artist at the Teen Choice Awards 2015
Invision/AP
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Leigh-Anne Pinnock, Perrie Edwards, Jade Thirlwal and Jesy Nelson of little Mix pose for a photo with the award for Girl Group during the Cosmopolitan Ultimate Women Of The Year Awards at One Mayfair in London
Getty Images
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Jade Thirlwall, Leigh-Anne Pinnock, Perrie Edwards and Jesy Nelson of Little Mix perform in concert at The Palace of Auburn Hills on March 13, 2014 in Auburn Hills, Michigan
Getty Images
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Leigh-Anne Pinnock, Perrie Edwards, Jesy Nelson and Jade Thirlwall of “Little Mix” perform on NBC’s “Today” show on June 17, 2014 in New York
Getty Images
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Salute by Little Mix
39/46
Get Weird by Little Mix
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Perrie Edwards, Jesy Nelson, Leigh-Anne Pinnock, and Jade Thirlwall of Little Mix arrive at the BBC Radio 1 Teen Awards at Wembley Arena in 2013
PA
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Leigh-Anne Pinnock, Jade Thirlwall, Perrie Edwards and Jesy Nelson of ‘Little Mix’ meet fans at Luna Park on October 29, 2012 in Sydney, Australia
Getty Images
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Little Mix on The X Factor Live in 2011
Rex Features
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X Factor contestants Little Mix with their mentor Tulisa Contostavlos at the Cosmopolitan Ultimate Women Awards 2011
PA
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Little Mix on The X Factor in 2011
Rex Features
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Jesy Nelson, Leigh-Anne Pinnock, Perrie Edwards and Jade Thirlwall members of British band Little Mix, arrive for the Royal film premiere of Hugo at the Odeon Leicester Square in 2011
EPA
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Little Mix – Jade, Jesy, Perrie, Leigh Ann at The X Factor Sunday Final at Wembley Arena in 2011
Rex Features
While she may have grown up struggling with her identity, Thirlwall added that she believes her Arab roots may have been what spurred her on to be a successful musician.
“When I was young, my grandad used to play Arabic songs for me, and I think it did influence me,” Thirlwall explained. “People say they can tell I have Arab heritage because when I do riffs I must subconsciously perform them in an Arabic style, which is lovely.”
Read the full interview on Vogue Arabia here.
