Little Mix Talk Girl Power, American Dreams + More [Exclusive]

Little Mix were the first-ever group victors on the British edition of 'X Factor,' which also spawned the likes of One Direction and Cher Lloyd. The girls -- Jesy Nelson, Perrie Edwards, Leigh-Anne Pinnock and Jade Thirlwall -- all tried out as individuals only to be assembled as a unit by Tulisa, and actually have a little bit of 1D's group magic and a lil' bit of Cher Lloyd's sass.

With the success of the aforementioned artists, as well as the Wanted, it's a busy time for U.K. acts in the U.S. Recently signed to Columbia Records, Little Mix could very well make a splash and fill a space, with a little competition from the Saturdays, since the market is devoid of a U.K. girl group. At least we think so, naming Little Mix one of our Artists to Watch in 2013.

PopCrush spoke to the girls (sans Perrie, who was under the weather), about their new measure of success and their dream to win over and enchant American audiences with their R&B-flecked pop sound, including their just-released U.S. single 'Wings.'

You all auditioned as solo acts, but were put together like One Direction, so the comparisons are inevitable. How do you ladies feel about the constant comparisons?
Jesy: It's not a bad thing at all. I don't mind being compared to them. They are dominating the whole world right now. We think it's absolutely amazing to be mentioned along with them.

When 'X Factor' puts groups together, they are forced to forge a bond. How did your relationship develop? Easily? Were there growing pains?
Leigh-Anne: Me and Jesy, we did boot camp together, and we got a chance to bond before, and then Jesy met Jade, and then Perrie came along. So it was like the bond was forming anyway between all of us. When we first set foot on that stage, after we had formed the group, literally, it felt like it was always meant to be that way. I don't know, it just felt like it was supposed to happen. Like it was fate.

Jesy: Before the live shows, we bonded. We got to know each other even better. We became the best of friends and now we are like sisters.

British and U.K. acts are doing well in the U.S. right now, with the Wanted and Cher Lloyd, too. Why will Little Mix connect with American audiences?
Leigh-Anne: The doors are opening for us to come in. The thing is that we want to break in America. That has always been one of our dreams. We always that say in a couple years we want to be playing Madison Square Garden. We dream big, and we always say it, that's our hope... that all goes well.

One Direction just played there, so it's possible. There hasn't been a U.K. girl group or vocal group asserting dominance in a while. Not since the Spice Girls. Can you fill that void?
Jade: We'd like to think so and that we can. There are not many girl bands around at the moment either. Girl power, right? It's got to be all about the girls!

Who has a cool hobby or talent you can tell us about?
Leigh-Anne: Jesy can beatbox. We can all do accents really well. We put some of the beatboxing on the album, too.

Do you have any advice for 'X Factor' or reality show contestants?
Jade: The best thing to do is to be confident and be yourself, and stand out, but for the right reasons, not the wrong reasons. All of us always said that we were different but normal. But more importantly, we were not afraid to be ourselves and we weren't afraid to work. Don't expect for it to just happen to you. You have to work hard. We worked so hard on to the show to make sure that we were the winners.

Leigh-Anne: What people saw about us was how normal we truly are. We are four normal girls who are really down to earth. If one of us wasn't like that, then the group as a whole wouldn't work. But the fact that we can all be cool and down to earth is what made this thing work.

Since America is your dream market to break through in, care to deliver a special message to pop music fans across the pond?
Jade: We want to thank all of the American fans, and to let them know that we will be seeing them soon! We want to thank them for supporting us already. It's because of that dedication and their support at this stage that we be able to come over there and see them.

Watch the Little Mix 'Wings' Video