Leigh-Anne’s “My Ego Told Me To"; Freedom, Frustration, and Finally Finding Her Voice
Pop Tingz Rating
6/10
Leigh-Anne Pinnock’s solo debut album, My Ego Told Me To, arrives not with the polish of a major label rollout, but with the grit of an artist who had to fight for it to exist at all. After Warner reportedly ghosted her team and claimed there was no budget to release the project, Pinnock walked away, signed with Virgin Music Group, and funded the album herself through her imprint MADEINTHE90S LTD. Nearly four years after Little Mix’s final tour, and a full cycle after her bandmates launched their own solo careers, Pinnock finally delivers her first solo statement, and it’s one defined by independence as much as it is by identity.
Across 15 tracks, My Ego Told Me To is steeped in Caribbean influence: dancehall basslines, reggae pulses, and patois-laced confidence anchoring the record’s sonic DNA. The opening track, “Look Into My Eyes,” sets the tone immediately, its dark Jamaican-inspired production gradually accelerating into something urgent and defiant. It feels like a warning shot.Leigh-Anne is here, and she’s not waiting for permission anymore.
That self-assurance carries into “Dead & Gone,” a reggae-inflected cut where she coolly asserts dominance: “five fingers in your face cause you know it slaps.” It’s slick, rhythmic, and rooted in cultural pride. “Revival,” one of the album’s strongest moments, leans into shimmering calypso and Rihanna-esque swagger. There’s a quiet subtext here, too; it feels like both a personal rebirth and a subtle jab at the label that underestimated her.
The album thrives most when it leans fully into that Caribbean palette. “Been A Minute,” sampling Masters at Work, is breezy and dance-ready, while “Burning Up” pulses with dancehall energy that feels effortlessly natural on her. “Best Version Of Me” glides on Afrobeat rhythms, Pinnock admitting, “I was the light I couldn’t see,” in one of the album’s most introspective and emotionally resonant lines. Similarly, “Tight Up Skirt” channels early-2000s Wyclef Jean and Tyla-style fluidity, playful and confident without trying too hard.
Not every moment hits the same highs. “Most Wanted” feels oddly flat, lacking the magnetism its title promises, while “Me Minus You.” one of the few ballads without Caribbean influence, exposes the album’s occasional struggle to stand out sonically. “Sunrise” drifts into the background, pleasant but forgettable. At 15 tracks, the album occasionally suffers from excess, its strongest moments diluted by filler.
Still, Pinnock’s emotional honesty shines throughout. “FREE” is a standout pop anthem, beautifully written and brimming with liberation, the kind of track that feels destined for bigger things. The interlude, “You ARE a star,” featuring voice notes from female family members encouraging her, is deeply personal and grounding, reminding listeners that this album is about community, love, and survival.
The closing track, “Heaven,” strips things back entirely. Over piano and soft R&B production, Pinnock reflects on motherhood and resilience, her voice tender yet unbreakable. It’s a fitting ending: not triumphant in a loud, explosive way, but quietly powerful.
My Ego Told Me To may not be a flawless debut, but its imperfections feel human. And earned. More importantly, it makes Leigh-Anne Pinnock sound freer than she ever has. After years of compromise, she’s finally defining herself on her own terms. And while this may be just the beginning of her solo journey, it’s a powerful first step toward something even greater.
