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Her first audition was "
documentary ''Odd One Out'', Nelson was vocal about her struggle with body image. She said she would starve herself before TV performances or video shoots, then later binge eat. She said that abuse from
Jessica Louise Nelson (born 14 June 1991) is an English singer who rose to prominence as a member of the girl group
documentary based on her experiences with body image and online bullying, titled ''Jesy Nelson: Odd One Out.''
Since leaving Little Mix, Nelson signed to American label Little Mix
Little Mix are a British girl group, composed of group members Leigh-Anne Pinnock, Jade Thirlwall, and Perrie Edwards. Jesy Nelson was originally part of the group before she left in 2020. After becoming the first group to win the British ver ...
from 2011 to 2020, one of the world's best-selling girl groups. With Little Mix, she released six studio albums and achieved five number-one singles on the UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
.
Nelson auditioned as a solo act for the eighth series of ''The X Factor
''The X Factor'' is a television music competition franchise created by British producer Simon Cowell and his company Syco Entertainment. It originated in the United Kingdom, where it was devised as a replacement for ''Pop Idol'' (2001–2003 ...
,'' and successfully made it through to bootcamp stage, before being eliminated. Following her elimination, she was placed into a group with three other contestants to form the girl group Little Mix, making history by becoming the first group to win the British version of the series. In 2019, Nelson featured in a BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC
Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...Republic Records
Republic Records is a New York City–based American record label owned by Universal Music Group (UMG). It was founded by Avery Lipman and Monte Lipman as an independent label in 1995, and was acquired by UMG in 2000. Republic was initially an ...
and was formerly signed to Polydor Records
Polydor Records Ltd. is a German-British record label that operates as part of Universal Music Group. It has a close relationship with Universal's Interscope Geffen A&M Records label, which distributes Polydor's releases in the United States. ...
in 2021 but left a year later due to creative differences. In October 2021, she released her debut single " Boyz", featuring rapper Nicki Minaj
Onika Tanya Maraj-Petty (; born December 8, 1982), known professionally as Nicki Minaj ( ), is a Trinidadian-born rapper based in the United States. She is known for her musical versatility, animated flow in her rapping, alter egos and accent ...
, which debuted and peaked at number four on the UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
.
Early life
Jessica Louise Nelson was born inRomford
Romford is a large town in east London and the administrative centre of the London Borough of Havering. It is located northeast of Charing Cross and is one of the major metropolitan centres identified in the London Plan. Historically, Romford ...
, East London
East or Orient is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from west and is the direction from which the Sun rises on the Earth.
Etymology
As in other languages, the word is formed from the f ...
, on 14 June 1991, to John Nelson, a businessman, and Janis Nelson, a police community support officer. Her parents separated when she was five. She is the second youngest of four children with an older sister Jade, an older brother Jonathan and a younger brother Joseph.
Nelson attended Jo Richardson Community School
The Jo Richardson Community School, often referred to as Jo Richardson or simply JRCS, is a secondary school in Dagenham, East London. The headteacher is Lisa Keane. The school is named in honour of MP Jo Richardson.
Notable former pupils
* ...
and Abbs Cross Academy and Arts College
Abbs Cross Academy and Arts College (once known as Abbs Cross Technical High School) is situated on Abbs Cross Lane, Hornchurch, in the London Borough of Havering, England. Abbs Cross Academy and Arts College is an Arts College. The school has ...
in Hornchurch
Hornchurch is a suburban town in East London, England, and part of the London Borough of Havering. It is located east-northeast of Charing Cross. It comprises a number of shopping streets and a large residential area. It historically formed ...
, London. She also attended the Sylvia Young
Sylvia Young (born 1939 in Hackney, London, England) is the founder and principal of Sylvia Young Theatre School in London, England.
Sylvia Young Theatre School
Young founded her theatre school in 1981 in Drury Lane, London, before moving to i ...
and Yvonne Rhodes Theatre Schools. Prior to auditioning for ''The X Factor
''The X Factor'' is a television music competition franchise created by British producer Simon Cowell and his company Syco Entertainment. It originated in the United Kingdom, where it was devised as a replacement for ''Pop Idol'' (2001–2003 ...
'', Nelson worked as a barmaid in Dagenham
Dagenham () is a town in East London, England, within the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham. Dagenham is centred east of Charing Cross.
It was historically a rural parish in the Becontree Hundred of Essex, stretching from Hainault Forest ...
. In 2020, Nelson said that, as a child, she had small roles as an extra in '' About a Boy'' (2002) and ''Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
''Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire'' is a fantasy novel written by British author J. K. Rowling and the fourth novel in the ''Harry Potter'' series. It follows Harry Potter, a wizard in his fourth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and W ...
'' (2005).
Career
2011–2020: Little Mix and departure
Her first audition was "Bust Your Windows
"Bust Your Windows" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Jazmine Sullivan from her debut album '' Fearless''. The song was available as a digital download on Amazon in the U.S. on September 16, 2008. The song was then later released as ...
" by Jazmine Sullivan
Jazmine Marie Sullivan (born April 9, 1987) is an American R&B and soul singer. Born and raised in Philadelphia, her debut album, ''Fearless'' was released in 2008. The record topped ''Billboards Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and was certifie ...
, and successfully auditioned as a soloist for the eighth series of the UK version of ''The X Factor
''The X Factor'' is a television music competition franchise created by British producer Simon Cowell and his company Syco Entertainment. It originated in the United Kingdom, where it was devised as a replacement for ''Pop Idol'' (2001–2003 ...
'' in front of judges Louis Walsh
Michael Louis Vincent Walsh (born 5 August 1952) is an Irish music manager and television personality. He has managed Johnny Logan, Boyzone, Jedward and Westlife, four of Ireland's most successful pop acts in the 1990s and 2000s. He later bec ...
, Gary Barlow
Gary Barlow (born 20 January 1971) is an English singer, songwriter, record producer, and television personality. He is the lead singer of the British pop group Take That.
Barlow is one of the United Kingdom's most successful songwriters, havi ...
, Tulisa Contostavlos
Tula Paulinea Contostavlos (Greek: Τούλα Παυλίνα 'Τουλίσα' Κοντόσταυλου; born 13 July 1988) professionally known as Tulisa, is an English singer, songwriter, television personality, and actress. As a part of the ...
and Kelly Rowland
Kelendria Trene Rowland (born February 11, 1981) is an American singer, actress, and television personality. She rose to fame in the late 1990s as a member of Destiny's Child, one of the world's List of best-selling girl groups, best-selling girl ...
, but failed the first challenge of the "bootcamp" section to progress through to the Girls category (solo females aged 16–24). Nelson and Perrie Edwards
Perrie Louise Edwards (born 10 July 1993) is an English singer. She rose to prominence in the 2010s as a member of the British girl group Little Mix, one of the world's best-selling girl groups. With Little Mix, she released six studio albums ...
were put in a group called "Faux Pas" while Jade Thirlwall
Jade Amelia Thirlwall (born 26 December 1992) is an English singer-songwriter. She rose to prominence in the 2010s as a member of Little Mix, one of the world's best-selling girl groups. With Little Mix, she released six studio albums and ach ...
and Leigh-Anne Pinnock
Leigh-Anne Pinnock (born 4 October 1991) is an English singer, actress and songwriter. She rose to prominence in the 2010s as a member of the girl group Little Mix, one of the world's best-selling girl groups ever. With Little Mix, she release ...
were to be put in a group named "Orion". Both groups, however, failed to progress. A later decision by the judges recalled two members from each group to form the four-piece group Rhythmix, sending them through to the "judges' houses" section. They eventually reached the live shows and were mentored by Tulisa Contostavlos
Tula Paulinea Contostavlos (Greek: Τούλα Παυλίνα 'Τουλίσα' Κοντόσταυλου; born 13 July 1988) professionally known as Tulisa, is an English singer, songwriter, television personality, and actress. As a part of the ...
. On 28 October 2011, it was announced that the band's new name would be Little Mix
Little Mix are a British girl group, composed of group members Leigh-Anne Pinnock, Jade Thirlwall, and Perrie Edwards. Jesy Nelson was originally part of the group before she left in 2020. After becoming the first group to win the British ver ...
. On 11 December 2011, Little Mix were announced as the winners, making them the first band ever to win the British version of the show.
After winning the show, Little Mix signed a record deal with Syco Music
Syco Music is a defunct division of Syco Entertainment founded by British entrepreneur and record executive Simon Cowell. Originally founded as S Records, the label launched while Cowell was still employed by BMG, the label oversaw music relea ...
, owned by Simon Cowell
Simon Phillip Cowell (; born 7 October 1959) is an English television personality, entrepreneur and record executive. He is the creator of ''The X Factor'' and ''Got Talent'' franchises which have been sold around the world. He has judged on t ...
. Since joining Little Mix, Nelson has faced cyber-bullying
Cyberbullying or cyberharassment is a form of bullying or harassment using electronic means. Cyberbullying and cyberharassment are also known as online bullying. It has become increasingly common, especially among teenagers, as the digital ...
and struggled to cope during her time on ''The X Factor''. Nelson released six albums with the group; '' DNA'' (2012), ''Salute
A salute is usually a formal hand gesture or other action used to display respect in military situations. Salutes are primarily associated with the military and law enforcement, but many civilian organizations, such as Girl Guides, Boy Sco ...
'' (2013), ''Get Weird
''Get Weird'' is the third studio album released by British girl group Little Mix, on 6 November 2015, through Syco Music and Columbia Records. The group began work on a previous album before it was scrapped in 2014, with only a few tracks makin ...
'' (2015), '' Glory Days'' (2016), '' LM5'' (2018) and ''Confetti
Confetti are small pieces or streamers of paper, mylar, or metallic material which are usually thrown at celebrations, especially parades and weddings. The origins are from the Latin ''confectum'', with ''confetti'' the plural of Italian ''con ...
'' (2020) The last of which was released a month before she left the group.
Nelson released her documentary on BBC Three
BBC Three is a British free-to-air public broadcast television channel owned and operated by the BBC. It was first launched on 9 February 2003 with programmes targeting 16 to 34-year-olds, covering all genres including animation, comedy, curre ...
in 2019, titled ''Jesy Nelson: Odd One Out.'' The documentary was based on her experiences with body image and online bullying. It was BBC Three's top factual title since the channel moved online and on BBC One
BBC One is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network owned and operated by the BBC. It is the corporation's flagship network and is known for broadcasting mainstream programming, which includes BBC News television bulletins, p ...
it was watched by 3.3 million viewers. The documentary won the Factual Entertainment Award at the 25th National Television Awards
The 25th National Television Awards were held at The O2 Arena on 28 January 2020, and was the only time to be hosted by David Walliams.
Performances
*Pet Shop Boys – " Monkey Business"
Awards
Programmes with multiple nominations
Pr ...
.
In December 2020, she announced her departure from the group due to prolonged issues with her mental health. She said: "I find the constant pressure of being in a girl group and living up to expectations very hard."
2021–present: Solo projects and upcoming debut album
In May 2021, she announced that she had signed a record deal withPolydor Records
Polydor Records Ltd. is a German-British record label that operates as part of Universal Music Group. It has a close relationship with Universal's Interscope Geffen A&M Records label, which distributes Polydor's releases in the United States. ...
and that she is releasing solo music later in the year. In early August, Nelson wiped her Instagram account in anticipation of her solo debut, titled " Boyz", which she confirmed US rapper Nicki Minaj
Onika Tanya Maraj-Petty (; born December 8, 1982), known professionally as Nicki Minaj ( ), is a Trinidadian-born rapper based in the United States. She is known for her musical versatility, animated flow in her rapping, alter egos and accent ...
featured on.
On 29 July 2022, it was announced that Nelson had split from Polydor Records
Polydor Records Ltd. is a German-British record label that operates as part of Universal Music Group. It has a close relationship with Universal's Interscope Geffen A&M Records label, which distributes Polydor's releases in the United States. ...
, amid "creative differences" fourteen months after signing with them.
It was revealed in December 2022 that Nelson had filmed the video to her next single, titled "Cried Out".
Personal life
Nelson has said that being bullied at school may have contributed to her suffering from stress-inducedalopecia
Hair loss, also known as alopecia or baldness, refers to a loss of hair from part of the head or body. Typically at least the head is involved. The severity of hair loss can vary from a small area to the entire body. Inflammation or scarri ...
as a teenager. In her BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC
Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...online troll
In slang, a troll is a person who posts or makes inflammatory, insincere, digressive, extraneous, or off-topic messages online (such as in social media, a newsgroup, a forum, a chat room, a online video game), or in real life, with the in ...
s on Twitter
Twitter is an online social media and social networking service owned and operated by American company Twitter, Inc., on which users post and interact with 280-character-long messages known as "tweets". Registered users can post, like, and ...
drove her to attempt suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Mental disorders (including depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, personality disorders, anxiety disorders), physical disorders (such as chronic fatigue syndrome), and s ...
in 2013, stating: "I felt that I physically couldn't tolerate the pain any more."
In 2014, Nelson began dating Rixton
Push Baby (stylised in all lowercase) are a British pop duo from Manchester, England consisting of singer Jake Roche and multi-instrumentalist Charley Bagnall. They are signed to their own indie label, Wow, Big Legend.
In 2012, the band started ...
lead singer, Jake Roche
Jake Peter Roche (born 16 September 1992) is an English singer and actor. He is known as the lead vocalist of the band Rixton, charting at number 1 on the UK Singles Chart with " Me and My Broken Heart". In 2010, he appeared in the ITV soap op ...
. The couple became engaged on 19 July 2015, but broke up in November 2016. She had a brief relationship with Chris Clark in 2017, followed by a 16-month relationship with musician Harry James that ended in November 2018. In January 2019, Nelson began dating '' Love Island'' contestant Chris Hughes
Chris Hughes (born November 26, 1983) is an American entrepreneur and author who co-founded and served as spokesman for the online social directory and networking site Facebook until 2007. He was the publisher and editor-in-chief of ''The New R ...
. In April 2020, Nelson and Hughes broke up due to personal reasons. Four months later, she announced that she was in a relationship with actor Sean Sagar.
Nelson has 15 tattoo
A tattoo is a form of body modification made by inserting tattoo ink, dyes, and/or pigments, either indelible or temporary, into the dermis layer of the skin to form a design. Tattoo artists create these designs using several Process of tatt ...
s, including a quote on her upper right arm: "Music is the strongest form of magic".
In June 2018, Nelson posted an image of herself on Instagram
Instagram is a photo and video sharing social networking service owned by American company Meta Platforms. The app allows users to upload media that can be edited with filters and organized by hashtags and geographical tagging. Posts can ...
wearing her hair in dreadlocks
Dreadlocks, also known as locs or dreads, are rope-like strands of hair formed by locking or braiding hair.
Origins
Some of the earliest depictions of dreadlocks date back as far as 1600–1500 BCE in the Minoan Civilization, one of Europe' ...
. The photo was later deleted after she was criticised over accusations of cultural appropriation
Cultural appropriation is the inappropriate or unacknowledged adoption of an element or elements of one culture or identity by members of another culture or identity. This can be controversial when members of a dominant culture appropriate from ...
. In May 2021, Nelson was accused of "blackfishing
Cultural appropriation is the inappropriate or unacknowledged adoption of an element or elements of one culture or identity by members of another culture or identity. This can be controversial when members of a dominant culture appropriate from ...
" (a form of cultural appropriation). Her name trended on Twitter
Twitter is an online social media and social networking service owned and operated by American company Twitter, Inc., on which users post and interact with 280-character-long messages known as "tweets". Registered users can post, like, and ...
after some users realised that she is white, having previously believed that Nelson was a woman of colour. A BuzzFeed
BuzzFeed, Inc. is an American Internet media, news and entertainment company with a focus on digital media. Based in New York City, BuzzFeed was founded in 2006 by Jonah Peretti and John S. Johnson III to focus on tracking viral content. Ken ...
article documented how Nelson had changed her physical appearance since joining Little Mix. The article suggested that darkening her skin tone and increasing her lip size had led Nelson to become racially ambiguous, also noting how her skin tone has frequently appeared darker than that of former colleagues Pinnock and Thirlwall, both of whom are women of colour. In 2021, after the release of " Boyz", Nelson faced criticism online for her appearance in the music video, with comments on her accent and darkened skin. This led to further accusations of blackfishing.
In November 2020, Little Mix's publicist stated that Nelson would take an extended break from the pop group for "private medical reasons". On 14 December 2020, Nelson announced her departure from Little Mix due to struggles with her mental health.
In August 2021, Nelson spoke in an interview about her time on ''The X Factor'' and criticised the show for the lack of support she received after being subjected to online trolling. In the interview she spoke about the eating disorder she had developed through extreme dieting during her time with Little Mix, and the panic attacks she would experience.
Online bullying and body image
In 2019, Nelson spoke about her experiences with body image and the impact of online bullying on her life and mental health. Before Little Mix's 2020 studio album ''Confetti'' was released, Nelson took some time out of the group's promotion schedule, citing a private medical matter. On 14 December 2020, she announced she was leaving the group due to the impact on her mental health. In a statement, she said: "I find the constant pressure of being in a girl group and living up to expectations very hard." In August 2021, Nelson told ''The Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
'' that since her first appearance on ''The X Factor'' with Little Mix she had been trolled about her physical appearance on social media. Although the group supported Nelson's frailties, she said that ''The X Factor'' should pair a therapist or psychologist with the coaches. Nelson underwent therapy, where she was told she had an eating disorder.
Nelson said that she was often dressed differently from the other three members of Little Mix because her body shape did not lend itself to the outfits. After the COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
and the decision to shoot the video for " Sweet Melody" she had gained weight and did not feel fit for filming, deciding to go on a drastic diet without getting results. After she was hospitalised, her mother told the other members that she had to leave the group. She said that some backstage people associated with Little Mix were glad to see her go.
Discography
Singles
Songwriting credits
Filmography
Awards and nominations
References
External links
* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Nelson, Jesy 1991 births Living people 21st-century English women singers 21st-century English singers English women pop singers Little Mix members People from Romford Singers from London Victims of cyberbullying