For the four other members, Hernandez has become the rock of the group. Secure and strong, Hernandez often provides an ear to those who need it, but even she has her moments. She hints to the magazine that she has suffered from "awful mental health situations" and "pain on a lot of levels."

Even though most of the girls don't outright explain where their unhappiness stems from, Jauregui flat out attributes it to "the industry."

"They sell you this present of rainbows and butterflies, and as a 16-year-old that's what I bought. It's why I did X Factor and why I ended up in a group. But then you're working so hard, so young," she spills. "[Meanwhile] my friends are in college, telling me about their days and what they're studying. You're having to put on a smile on a red carpet. It's like, 'Who am I? Am I for myself or for this?'"

Ever since the five members left X Factor and started touring internationally, they've all experienced moments when they recollect their life before music and fame. Sadly, each starlet has experienced grief while on the road and without the ability to turn to her family.

"I love touring, but the schedule traumatized me," admits Hansen. "I was like, 'What kind of job are we doing?' I watched my great-grandmother be buried on FaceTime. We're all so family-oriented, and we've all lost people on the road."

Despite it all, however, they know they can always turn to each other when need be. Legendary music producer L.A. Reid chalks it up to their "sisterhood."

The group has a new album coming out, 7/27, later this month, and even Simon Cowell is surprised these girls are genuinely happy to be working together after all this time. "It was incredible how quickly they jelled, had each other's backs and understood their roles," Cowell tells the magazine. "It was the same with One Direction. I've seen idiot managers [in other situations] try to control everything. With a group like that, you respect their talent and let them lead you."

Regardless of the low points, these five are excited to see what happens next. "It has been an incredible journey, and it'll continue as long as it can," says Jauregui. "But this will be that chapter that got us wherever we needed to go. We're ­learning the business, meeting people we need to know, getting knowledgeable about our craft. This is basically us being in college for our majors."