On 2 December, former X Factor winners Little Mix announced on Instagram they would be "taking a break".
The girl group have been together for 10 years and said they are not splitting up but want to use this time to "recharge and work on some other projects".
This hiatus was to be expected after their bandmate Jesy Nelson left the group a few months ago and two of the members became parents. Leigh-Anne Pinnock, 30, gave birth to twins in August this year, just five days before Perrie Edwards, 28, also gave birth.
I have always liked Little Mix's music and their new album Between Us, released in November this year, contains a mixture of their old hits as well as some new songs. It was released to celebrate 10 years of the group being together, but I think it also made sense to bring this album out just before announcing they were taking a step back from the music industry.
Personally, I think now is the right time for the band to do this because they have children to prioritise and have been together for a whole decade. They haven't said how long the break will last but I do have faith they will get back together and bring out new music at some point in the future – although I am still waiting for a One Direction reunion, five years after they announced they were taking a hiatus...
As two out of the three girls now have children, I am not sure when they will decide to start making music and touring again, but JLS have proved this year that it is possible to have a family and go on tour. They brought their families backstage while they were performing, so it definitely can be done.
As the group approach this break, it is a shame a lot of drama escalated after Jesy Nelson left the band. From the outside, the four of them seemed like genuinely good friends and like they enjoyed each other’s company, but Jesy's exit from the band definitely contributed to the group coming to an end – it was always inevitable at some point.
The three girls will complete their Confetti tour in 2022, then take a well-earned break.
Edited by Hannah Youds