The Change Your Life singer, 27, revealed she was told she would have to work "twice as hard" being the only black member of the X Factor-created girl group.
Speaking to ASOS magazine, Leigh-Anne admitted she would sob in conversations with her manager as she struggled to find her identity within the pop industry.
The High Wycombe native, who is of Barbadian and Jamaican ancestry, was catapulted into the spotlight on 2011's X Factor when she won the series alongside bandmates Jade Thirlwall, Perrie Edwards and Jesy Nelson.
Despite her success, Leigh-Anne confessed that she felt as though she didn't have as many fans as her bandmates.
She told the publication: "During the first couple of years of being in the band, I did feel invisible. I remember crying to my manager regularly, I just couldn't seem to find my place and didn't know why.
"I didn't feel like I had as many fans as the other girls. It was a strange feeling. I never thought that it was because I was the darkest member of the band.
Adding: "I felt overlooked. So I did everything to make myself more noticed, convinced I wasn't good enough."
Leigh-Anne shared that she's learnt to accept herself in the past 12 months and has noticed a cultural shift towards a different way of talking about racism, drawing inspiration from Chidera Eggerue and Nia The Light.
She shared: "Now I don't feel alone because I've seen lots of women speak out about this. I know there are girls of colour out there who have felt the same as me.
"We have a massive problem with racism which is built into our society. It's scary. But the more people that speak out, the more change we can start to make."
Her comments come after The Sun revealed that the band had decided to part ways with Simon's record label Syco amid growing frustrations over the past 12 months during the making of new album LM5.
The girls confronted Cowell direct in a strongly worded email, raising issues they had with his label.
Then a bigger row erupted between the group’s management company Modest and Cowell — who decided to cut all ties with the company's artists, including Little Mix and last year’s X Factor winners Rak-Su.
A Syco spokeswoman said: "Syco Music will no longer work with Modest Management and therefore any artists signed to that management company.
"We do, of course, wish all artists affected by this decision every future success. Consequently, LM5, the forthcoming Little Mix album A&R'd and released on Syco Music, is to be serviced by RCA at the request of Syco and Simon Cowell."
Band member Jesy summed up the discontent within the band by liking an Instagram post written by @littleshadymix which said of the act: "They’re gonna leave Syco and then tell us what s*** Syco put them through."
Little Mix, whose latest single, Woman Like Me is currently number three in the UK charts, shot to fame after winning X Factor in 2011.
They initially auditioned as solo artists before being put together to form the now best-selling group.
They have since enjoyed a successful career with four of their singles, including Wings, Black Magic and Shout Out to My Ex, reaching number one in the UK.
The Party issue of ASOS magazine is out now.
Got a story? email [email protected] or call us direct on 02077824220.
We pay for videos too. Click here to upload yours.
Source: Read Full Article