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If there's anything we think of when we think of XOMG POP!'s Leigha Rose Sanderson, it's butterflies. "I love butterflies in my clothes, in my accessories, my hair clips—pretty much anything," Leigha says—and, tbh, we completely understand why the adorable insects match the 15-year-old performer's vibe.

Onstage, she's a sparkly, bright and upbeat singer and dancer but, behind the scenes, Leigha's had some serious struggles she's had to go through. "I have spina bifida—I was born with a tumor on my spine and it's given me a lot of complications," Leigha explains. "I've probably had around fifty to seventy surgeries in my life."

RELATED: We played "Most Likely To" with the girls of XOMG POP!

Despite her health challenges, Leigha's always forged forward on the path to her biggest dreams—she started dancing at 7 years old and, from there, the rest was history (from performing on America's Got Talent to joining XOMG POP! with her role model and mentor JoJo Siwa).

Speaking of XOMG POP!, Leigha's got some *major* things going on with her girl group (which also includes her besties Bella, Brooklynn, Dallas, Kinley and Tinie T), especially following the release of their heartwarming friendship anthem "1234EVER." Leigha's fave lyric in the song: My girls and me, yeah we're best friends. "We're not just a group—we are best friends and this song shows our unity and true friendships," she dishes. "Being in this group has bonded us for life." 

When it came to filming the music vid for "1234EVER," Leigha had a blast creating memories with her go-to girls. "The whole video is just us having fun and being ourselves," she reminisces. "The girls really bring out the funny side in me and I love laughing and having a good time with them." 

Whether she's recording music, touring and performing or just hanging with her besties, Leigha doesn't take a single moment for granted. "When I was younger, I didn't even know if I'd be able to walk," she reflects, "and now I'm living out my dream." 

LEIGHA'S FAST FACTS
Dream place to travel? "Bora Bora or Hawaii—somewhere tropical."
Favorite season? "Spring! The weather is perfect and I can rock fun colors."
Go-to fashion trend? "Blazers and anything preppy."
Fave colors? "Lavender and teal."
Words of inspiration? "Don't let anything get in the way of your dreams."

Heart this interview? Read this next:
🦋 Brooklynn Pitts spills on her dream song to choreograph to (and more!) 
🦋 Dallas Skye opens up about *everything* XOMG POP!
🦋 Kinley Cunningham is bringing the good vibes 

Images: instagram.com/leigha.sanderson

by Katherine Hammer | 11/4/2022