Perrie Edwards Says Little Mix Risked Arrest in Dubai Over LGBTQ+ Support

Perrie Edwards said Little Mix once risked arrest in Dubai by showing support for LGBTQ+ fans during a 2019 concert.

In an interview with Attitude, Edwards recalled that the group displayed an LGBTQ+ flag on stage at the Dubai Media City Amphitheatre, despite being warned to avoid promoting LGBTQ+ issues. She said their team worried the group could face trouble at the airport afterward, but the band decided it was worth the risk to support fans.

Edwards said Little Mix’s LGBTQ+ fanbase has always been important to the group. “It was a moment that meant so much to so many people,” she said.

Jade Thirlwall previously wrote about the concert in a 2021 Metro U.K. article, saying the group was told to “abide by the rules” but chose to display the flag during their song “Secret Love Song.” She said fans in the audience were emotional and the group later feared they might be arrested.

Little Mix formed in 2011 on The X Factor and originally included Edwards, Thirlwall, Leigh-Anne Pinnock and Jesy Nelson. Nelson left the group in 2020 to focus on her mental health.

Edwards also said a Little Mix reunion is “100 percent” possible, but would only involve the remaining three members.