I have to admit that I have never been a follower of Little Mix. I turn up to this shoot with Jade Thirwall with a little research about Jade but still no great knowledge of her music. This shoot however, was not so much about her music but about her influences and lookalikes. Jade is a big fan of Diana Ross, (here-here!) and with a little makeup, a wig and the right outfit, she is a lookalike too, (not here-here!). The Guardian had a special feature on celebrity lookalikes, and Jade (or Diana Ross lookalike Jade,) was the cover shoot.
Exactly what image of Diana Ross that would be on the cover was still in dispute, so I ended up trying to complete 3 different covers that related to three known images of Diana Ross. The red dress (chain reaction) was obviously one of the favourites we wanted to try. But as is often the way with these things, the one we expect to be our favourite is not always in the end. Diana is known for being a bit of a diva, and I had maybe expected the same of Jade. However, Jade was sweet and fun. A genuine woman with sensibilities, a sense of humour and a like of music not unlike my own. A lot of laughs and a genuinely fun woman to work with.
Shot for The Guardian Weekend Magazine
