Jesy Nelson almost had a "breakdown" when Little Mix went back on tour.

Little Mix

Little Mix

The 26-year-old singer and her bandmates - Leigh-Anne Pinnock, Jade Thirlwall, and Perrie Edwards - have been able to buy new houses thanks to their pop success but have barely spent a night in their own homes and sometimes find their punishing schedule "too much".

Leigh-Anne said: "This year we've all bought houses, and none of us have slept in them."

Jesy added: "I got back from Europe and had to pack to go again. I was looking at all of my suitcases on my floor and burst out crying. I was like: 'I can't do this.' Literally I nearly had a breakdown like, 'I need help. This is too much. I just want to be home.' "

But the 'Shout Out to my Ex' hitmakers know it would be hard on their careers if they took any time out.

Jesy told the Observer magazine: "In the pop industry, it's hard to pause. With pop music if you go missing for more than a year, they've forgotten about you."

The quartet - who shot to fame when they won 'The X Factor' in 2011 - believe the key to their strong bond is knowing they are better as a unit.

Jade said: "None of us wants to be the frontrunner."

Jesy added: "[The trick is] knowing when to leave each other alone... The main thing though, is that we've learned we are stronger together."

But even though they have one another for support, the 'Wings' group can still find their life lonely.

Leigh-Anne said: "Even in a group it can be the loneliest place.

"Our mums came on tour and mine was baffled by it all. She kept saying in the car, 'You just do this on your own? Don't you want to be with people? This is so lonely!' I guess we're just used to it. It is a funny little world."

However, the band don't feel like they have missed out on a normal life because they know stardom won't last forever.

Asked if they think they've missed out, Jade said: "No, it's nice to know that we'll do this for a few years and then in the future we've still got that part to come."

Perrie added: "This is our frickin' dream!"

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