Hits Radio presenter Fleur East’s latest episode of her podcast Raising the Next Generation features a conversation with global pop star and activist Leigh-Anne Pinnock.
The pair open up about motherhood, race, identity, and how to build a better future for their children.
In the episode, the two mothers speak candidly about representation, growing up in the public eye, and the challenges of raising children in a world that often fails to reflect them.
Leigh-Anne reflects on her own school experience and how it shaped her self-image, revealing that she has stopped straightening her hair to set a positive example for her daughters.
“I remember at my primary school, it wasn’t very multicultural, and I remember having a complex about my hair and always wanting long straight hair,” she says. “I don’t wear my hair straight anymore around the girls because I don’t want them to see it. I want them to just love what they have.”
The pair also discuss the importance of diversity when choosing schools. Leigh-Anne admits: “My one worry was them not going to a multicultural school.
“I think it’s just constantly instilling in them, ‘You are so beautiful, and difference and uniqueness is amazing.’ Even Barbie dolls with curly hair help. That was always my one worry with school.”
Fleur, whose daughter Nova has just started nursery, adds: “It’s important to mention things like that, because for a lot of other parents it wouldn’t even be something you’d look at. I didn’t want her to feel like she was the only one who looked like her.”
Leigh-Anne also talks about whether she would support her daughters if they followed her into the music industry, admitting she would be protective but proud.
“No one is going to take the mick out of my girls, so I would feel confident in that sense,” she says.
Speaking about her hopes for the future, Leigh-Anne concludes: “It’s wanting to show my girls what a strong, resilient woman looks like. Not just doing that for myself anymore – it’s for them.”
The full episode of Raising the Next Generation featuring Leigh-Anne Pinnock is available now on the Rayo app, Apple, Amazon Music, Spotify, and all major podcast platforms.
