Little Mix: 'We've bought new houses, but still not slept in them!'

[Pyramid]

Little Mix have been too busy to spend a night in their own beds this year (18).

The British girl band were formed on Britain's The X Factor in 2011, and have gone on to release four studio albums, two of which reached the top ten in both the U.K. and the U.S. 

The group - featuring Jade Thirlwall, Perrie Edwards, Leigh-Anne Pinnock, and Jesy Nelson - are currently gearing up to release their fifth record, with plans for an accompanying tour to follow. As a result, the four-piece have been so caught up with work that they haven't had a chance to go home. 

"This year, we've all bought houses and none of us have slept in them," Leigh-Anne, 26, shared in an interview with the Daily Star newspaper. 

"In the pop industry, it's hard to pause," added Jesy. "With pop music, if you go missing for more than a year, they've forgotten about you. We are in the public eye 24/7 and don't get our personal space or privacy."

Though the Shout Out to My Ex hitmakers are grateful for the support of their loyal fanbase, Jesy went on to emphasise the perils of the collective's fast rise to fame. 

"We were thrown into this industry without a clue about what was about to hit us. It was just the worst thing ever," the 26-year-old recalled. "Strangers saying things about you that you didn't even know about yourself. I think it's a really sad world that we live in, with social media, where people love to scrutinise girls and women."

Little Mix know this all too well, having faced much criticism for their provocative onstage outfits, which many have deemed unsuitable for younger fans. 

"I don't think we're sexing ourselves up," Jade, 25, insisted. "We're sweating our t*ts off onstage. We want to wear leotards."