Leigh-Anne Pinnock prioritizes privacy for children amid social media pressures

Leigh-Anne Pinnock has revealed that she and her husband, footballer Andre Gray, have deliberately kept their twin daughters’ identities private so the girls can decide whether they want to step into the spotlight in the future.

The former Little Mix star, 34, says the “toxicity of social media” reinforced their decision to protect their four-year-old children, who were born in August 2021. 

“I remember when they were born, I was going through this online hate thing and really seeing the toxicity of social media,” Pinnock told People.

“I probably would’ve still decided to not show their faces anyway, but that just kind of confirmed it for me. I want them to be able to make that decision. I want them to be able to choose if they want to be famous or not, because once they’re out there, they’re out there. And I think that’s such a big thing. It’s just a f****** scary place out there.”

Despite keeping their faces private, the couple’s daughters can be heard on the closing track of Pinnock’s latest album, 

My Ego Told Me To, titled “Heaven.” “I cry every time I listen to that song,” she said. “Oh, God, it’s just so special. It’s actually my favourite song of all time, to be honest.”

Pinnock explained that “Heaven” concludes the album as a reflection of her personal journey. “It’s like, ‘We’ve gone through this album. 

We’ve gone through all the trials and tribulations it took to get this album across the line and all the struggles in this industry, whatever it is,’” she said. “But actually, all of this is to protect my heaven because that’s really all that matters.”

The singer also praised her former Little Mix bandmate Jesy Nelson, 34, for publicly sharing her eight-month-old twin daughters’ diagnosis with the rare muscle-wasting condition spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) Type 1. 

“We’ve obviously all reached out and are just sending love, strength, positivity,” Pinnock said. 

“I just think she’s incredible to even raise awareness. I didn’t even know that that was a condition. That should be something that you leave the hospital knowing.”