Little Mix star Jade Thirlwall admits she avoided talking about her race when she found fame

Jade Thirlwall has admitted that she ‘subconsciously’ avoided talking about her race when she found fame with girl band Little Mix on the X Factor.

The singer, 27, said she feared discussing her mixed-race heritage would make her less popular, after being bullied in school because of the colour of her skin.

Jade’s maternal grandfather is from Yemen and her maternal grandmother if from Egypt, while her father is white.

The star said that she didn’t to feel ‘proud’ of herself growing up but added that she feels like her shame was down to a lack of education surrounding race.

Discussing the topic on the No Country For Young Women podcast, she said: ‘I think because I was bullied quite badly in school because of the colour of my skin and for being Arab I wasn’t very proud of who I was.

Jade, who is from from South Shields in Tyne and Wear, said: ‘I think when I then entered the group I subconsciously didn’t want to talk about my heritage or what my background was in fear of not being as popular…

Struggles: The singer, 27, said she feared discussing her mixed-race heritage would make her less popular, after being bullied in school because of the colour of her skin (pictured 2011)

‘Which sounds awful to say but I was only 18 years old and through years of being ashamed of who I was I found it quite hard to talk about it.

‘I think it was through a lack of education as well. Even now I am constantly learning what the right things are to say and I would hate to talk about my race and my heritage and not say the right things.’

Jade also revealed some of the abuse she suffered as a child, and said: ‘Where I am from, if you weren’t evidently black you were literally put in a bracket of being called the p-word.’

Education failure: The star said that she didn’t to feel ‘proud’ of herself growing up but added that she feels like her shame was down to a lack of education surrounding race (pictured 2011)

Discussing the topic on the No Country For Young Women podcast, she said: ‘I think because I was bullied quite badly in school because of the colour of my skin and for being Arab I wasn’t very proud of who I was’

She continued: ‘When I was at school if I was ever bullied for the colour of my skin I’d get so confused as I’d be like, well I’m not from Pakistan.

‘I remember one time I got pinned down in the toilets and they put a bindi spot on my forehead, it was horrific.’ 

Jade also told that she struggled to fit in when she joined a mostly white high school, and said: ‘When I went to secondary school I was literally one of three people of colour in the school. It was a very predominately white Catholic school.

Jade said: ‘ I think when I then entered the group I subconsciously didn’t want to talk about my heritage or what my background was in fear of not being as popular…’

‘I went through a lot in the first two years of secondary school. It was known as a really good school and my mam wanted me to have a really good education.’In hindsight I probably would have just rather gone to school were I would fit in more.’

She added: ‘I have constantly had this inner battle of not really having who I am or where I fit in or what community I fit into.

‘Some of the things I think about that I can laugh about now are just so crazy. I used to be in an amateur operatic society, they would literally put white powder on my face to whiten me on stage.

‘Even now me and my mum will talk about it and we’ll be like, ‘That was f****** mental’.’We never really understood what was going on at the time.’

No Country For Young Women is available now on BBC Sounds.

Interview: Jade also told that she struggled to fit in when she joined a mostly white high school, and said: ‘When I went to secondary school I was literally one of three people of colour in the school. It was a very predominately white Catholic school’