This year, Perrie Edwards made a comeback to the spotlight with a new song, an appearance on a podcast, and the quiet confidence that comes from someone who has truly experienced it. She had a nice appearance. She had a sharp voice. And almost instantly, the topic of discussion changed from her music to her body.
Even though this pattern is so well-known that it hardly qualifies as news anymore, here we are.
Perrie felt compelled to directly address the rumors surrounding her appearance on the We Need to Talk podcast, especially the notion that any noticeable weight change must indicate pregnancy. She spoke deliberately, selecting her words in the manner of someone who has practiced this specific explanation numerous times. “It’s a very vulnerable thing for women,” she said. “It’s a very private thing.” It was more difficult to hear what followed.
At 24 weeks, Perrie had lost her pregnancy. It was traumatizing, according to her. Additionally, pregnancy rumors were going around on the internet at that time because people had noticed that she was gaining weight while she was secretly going through something terrible and bleeding from a blood clot. Once you sit with that detail, it lands differently.
The way that female pop stars are viewed is particularly cruel. Every picture turns into proof, every loose jumper into a hint, and every slightly different silhouette into a cause for conjecture. After sharing a bikini photo on Instagram, Perrie actually removed the photos because the comment sections were so annoying. At a family get-together, she dressed comfortably, and the pregnancy rumors resumed. Some of those commenters might have had good intentions, such as celebrating. However, intent doesn’t actually alter the outcome.
Perrie’s relationship with her body has never been simple, which adds to the complexity of her situation. She had a rare oesophageal condition from birth, which made eating very challenging for her early years. She has talked about being insecure as a child, detesting aspects of her appearance, and experiencing bullying as a result.
After that, she joined one of the biggest pop groups in the UK, where there was constant, unspoken pressure to maintain a particular appearance. Since then, Jade Thirlwall has discussed how she was pressured to maintain her thin figure during the Little Mix era. The atmosphere was not conducive to self-acceptance.
Therefore, it wasn’t an abstract gesture when Perrie used her fashion brand, Disora, to advocate for plus-size inclusion—stocking up to a UK size 22 when most high street brands stop at 18. It seemed to be a personal message. She was familiar with the sensation of being evaluated, deemed inadequate, and reduced to a form.
More than most media outlets, Reddit’s fan communities have resisted the body commentary. She may simply be eating well, she may be bloated, or she may have experienced losses that no one is aware of, according to a post from the previous year. All of which proved to be true in significant ways. It was appropriate for the fans to request some patience.
Whether Perrie is currently pregnant, trying to conceive, or just existing in a body that differs from what it looked like in 2019 is still unknown. The truth is that it’s none of anyone’s business, and the more intriguing discussion about her debut solo album, her vocal prowess, and her ten years of navigating fame keeps getting lost in background noise that speaks more about us than about her.
She has returned. She recently released new music. There are many things to be aware of. The commentary on the waistline can wait.
