Confetti is the sixth studio album by British girl group Little Mix. The album was released on 6 November 2020, by RCA Records. The record was preceded by three singles: "Break Up Song", "Holiday" and "Sweet Melody". Upon release, the album received mostly positive reviews.
Background
On 12 March 2020, Little Mix released a music video for LM5's album track "Wasabi". At the end of the video, the album cover for LM5 is seen standing on a platform before being thrown out by a explosion of confetti, followed by the message 'New Era Pending'.
On 16 September 2020, Confetti was announced across multiple social media platforms by Little Mix, revealing the release date to be 6 November 2020, as well as the album art and the title. On 18 September, streaming services released pre-orders of the album. The standard edition has 13 tracks. On 27 October, Little Mix partnered with Amazon Alexa to release the official track listing. Fans were encouraged to say "Alexa, drop some Confetti" and they would receive a track name. The next day, 28 October, the full track listing was confirmed.
The album was "pretty much finished" before the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns were implemented, with "little tweaks" still to be made. As restrictions eased, each of the members individually visited the studios to add "final touches", whereas for their previous albums, they would complete the album process together. Member Perrie Edwards noted that it was a "weird process", but that they felt they had to complete it due to wanting "everyone to hear it". Member Jesy Nelson noted the contrast between Confetti and LM5 (2018), stating that LM5 was very "girl power", whereas with Confetti, she said: "With this album, we just had fun and wrote songs that we liked and it came together". Member Jade Thirlwall agreed with Nelson, adding: "Not every single song has to have this super deep meaning. People know what we’re about now and know what we stand for. I think LM5 was very much about solidifying that, whereas with this album it is just about writing brilliant pop songs that we love." Confetti was described by member Leigh-Anne Pinnock as the group's "biggest" album yet.
Composition
The opening track, "Break Up Song", is a 1980s synth-pop "kiss-off anthem" that has been compared to "The Boys of Summer" by Don Henley. "Holiday" has a "post-Daft Punk" feel and is set to house beats. "Sweet Melody" is a "TikTok-ready" song with reggaeton beats. Lyrically, the song is about getting over an ex-boyfriend. The title track is reminiscent of a compilation of early 2000s hits.
"Happiness" is a Europop and R&B song that has a "skillfully cheesy melody". "Not a Pop Song" has been described as having a "big sunny chorus", and is "perfectly pitched as the final stage of reality-TV rebellion". The lyric "I don't do what Simon says / Get the message 'cause it's read" received praise from critics for calling out Simon Cowell, their former manager. "Gloves Up" has a clattering rhythm that is reminiscent of 2000s R&B. "A Mess (Happy 4 U)" has been described as "the perfect balance between melodic pop sugar rush and sonic invention".
"My Love Won't Let You Down" is a gospel piano ballad. "Rendezvous" is a contemporary pop song with hints of retro, and has been compared to the work of the Pussycat Dolls, particularly their song "Buttons". The song has also been described as "sexy, radio-friendly, but still with a distinct sense of cheeky humour and fantasy". "If You Want My Love" is an R&B song, and has drawn comparisons to TLC and Destiny's Child. The closing track, "Breathe", has been described as a "moving torch song", and its lyrics are about heartbreak.
"Bounce Back", which appears on the Japanese edition as an exclusive bonus track, is a trap-pop song that interpolates "Back to Life (However Do You Want Me)" by Soul II Soul. Other bonus tracks that appear exclusively on the Japanese edition includes an acoustic version of "Break Up Song" and the Frank Walker remix of "Holiday".