Little Mix: Wings (2012) Online

Little Mix: Wings (2012) Online

The music video follows no story-line. Each group member wears three different outfits throughout, all of which portray their individual styles. The video is introduced with a screen split into four in which each member is shown singing to the camera. They then dance separately in front of different, brightly-colored backdrops which manifest their individual personalities: a flower and gramophone record backdrop (Edwards), a bow tie backdrop (Thirlwall), graffiti-decorated (Pinnock), and boomboxes (Nelson). Near the end of the video, the group are accompanied by male backing dancers for a hip hop and chair-dance dance routine in front of a large Union Jack.

The song was co-written by the group in collaboration with Iain James, Erika Nuri, Michelle Lewis, Mischke, Heidi Rojas.

It was released as their second single after winning the eighth series of the X Factor in 2011, and the lead single from their debut studio album DNA (2012).

Syco serviced the single to BBC Radio 1 in the United Kingdom on 2 July 2012 and it was released for digital download on 10 July 2012.

The uptempo song, which features modern beats, drums, horns and clapping, is a pop arrangement with elements of R&B and old school.

Lyrically, the song has themes of girl power, maternal advice and individuality.

"Wings" was the group's most successful single, until they released "Black Magic" in 2015.

The song topped the UK Singles Chart with sales of 107,000 copies in its first week.

The single also reached number one in Ireland and Scotland and number three in Australia, where it was certified triple platinum.

It charted in the top 40 in three other countries, peaking at number 79 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and number 26 on the US Billboard Pop Songs chart.

The accompanying music video was filmed at an abandoned warehouse.

The video received favorable reviews from critics, who praised the group's fashion sense, dancing and confidence.

Little Mix promoted the song by performing it live on a number of television shows (including Red or Black? and The X Factor Australia) and during their 2013 DNA Tour.

Little Mix also wrote the song with an American audience in mind, and found inspiration from singers Beyoncé and Michael Jackson.

The lyrics were inspired by the first week of live shows of The X Factor (UK) where Little Mix were the favorites to be eliminated and felt disheartened by hearing the odds in the show's green room.

The group recorded "Wings" at TMS' studio in London, The Music Shed.

"Wings" is an upbeat, bubblegum pop and 1990s-style R&B song with a length of 3 minutes and 39 seconds.

The song is composed in simple time and in the key of E minor with a fast tempo of 115 beats per minute.

According to Nelson, "Wings" is about "believing in yourself, listening to what your mom says (because she's always right!) and just not letting any negativity bring you down."

In Australia, the single was released as a digital EP and CD single on 5 October and 30 October 2012, respectively.

"Wings" placed at number 21 on Popjustice's list of The Top 45 Singles of 2012.

The song was ranked at number 35 on No Ripcord's Top 40 Tracks of 2012 list.

Nerisha Penrose of Billboard magazine described "Wings" as a "fiery empowerment anthem".

Joe Rivers of No Ripcord gave the song a rating of nine out of ten, regarding it as "vivacious, fun, brash and confident", and noting its "absolute belter of a chorus".

Tim Lee from musicOMH called it "an absolutely stomping pop song" and "possibly the best mass market pop song since Girls Aloud's heyday", complimenting its brass production and call and response.

The single placed at number three on About.com's list of Top 100 Pop Songs of 2013.

The song received a nomination for Best Song to Dance To at the 2014 Radio Disney Music Awards.

In 2015, "Wings" was voted the favorite girl group single by Billboard magazine readers, ahead of the Spice Girls' "Wannabe".

"Wings" debuted at number one on the UK Singles Chart - for the week ending 8 September 2012 - with first-week sales of 106,766 copies, becoming Little Mix's second consecutive number-one single on the chart after 2011's "Cannonball".

The group became only the third winner from The X Factor (UK), after Leona Lewis and Alexandra Burke, to follow up their winner's single with a second number one single.

By the end of 2012, "Wings" had sold more than 380,000 copies, placing at number 40 on the year-end chart.

The single spent a total of 25 weeks on the UK chart.

On 22 July 2013, the single was certified gold by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI), denoting sales in excess of 400,000 copies in the UK.

As of 24 July 2015, "Wings" has sold 526,717 units in the UK.

The track had similar success in Ireland where it bowed at number one on the Irish Singles Chart.

The song became the group's highest-charting single in Australia, debuting at number 34 and peaking at number three on the ARIA Singles Chart in its fourth week.

"Wings" is among the best-selling girl group singles in Australia, having been certified triple platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) for sales of 210,000 copies.

The track entered at number 17 on the New Zealand Singles Chart, and reached a peak of number 15 in its third week.

The song received a gold certification from Recorded Music NZ (RMNZ), denoting sales of 7,500 copies.

"Wings" debuted on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart at number 98 for the week ending 11 April 2013.

According to Nielsen SoundScan, the single had already sold 97,000 copies prior to its chart debut.

Brian Mansfield of USA Today wrote that "Wings" was poised to become " 2013's 'What Makes You Beautiful'" in the US. However, it stalled at number 79 and spent a total of nine weeks on the chart.

The single fared better on the US Mainstream Top 40 chart where it reached number 26.

On 16 August 2013, "Wings" received a gold certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), denoting sales in excess of 500,000 copies.

In Canada, the song peaked at number 69 on the Canadian Hot 100, and was certified gold by Music Canada for sales of 40,000 copies.

"Wings" became Little Mix's highest-charting single in Japan where it climbed as high as number seven on the Japan Hot 100.

The accompanying music video for "Wings" was directed by Max & Dania.

The music video was filmed at Elstree Studios on 6-7 June 2012.

The group's wardrobe in video included outfits from Topshop, American Apparel and Dr. Martens.

The music video premiered on The Box on 25 July 2012.

Sarah Deen of Metro wrote that the visual demonstrated the group's dancing abilities and "truly shows off their individual style".