Early life and The X Factor
Jessica Louise Nelson was born on 14 June 1991 in Romford, London, and grew up in Essex. She trained in performing arts and dance before auditioning as a solo singer for the eighth series of The X Factor in 2011.
On 19 August 2011, the programme brought Jesy together with Perrie Edwards, Jade Thirlwall and Leigh-Anne Pinnock. The group first performed as Rhythmix and changed its name to Little Mix in October. On 11 December, Little Mix became the first group to win the British edition of The X Factor.
Nine years in Little Mix
Jesy appeared on the group’s first six studio albums: DNA, Salute, Get Weird, Glory Days, LM5 and Confetti. Little Mix built one of the most successful British pop catalogues of the 2010s, with UK number-one singles including Wings, Black Magic, Shout Out to My Ex and Sweet Melody.
In 2017, Shout Out to My Ex won the BRIT Award for British Single. Jesy’s time in the group also included international touring, television performances and a large body of music videos.
Odd One Out
The 2019 BBC documentary Jesy Nelson: Odd One Out examined the effect of cyberbullying, public criticism and body image pressure on her mental health. It became BBC Three’s most-watched factual programme of its online era during its first week and won the Factual award at the 2020 National Television Awards.
Leaving the group
Jesy took an extended break in November 2020 and announced her departure from Little Mix on 14 December. She said the pressure of being in the group and meeting expectations had affected her mental health. The other members continued as a trio.
Solo music
Jesy signed with Polydor Records in May 2021 and released Boyz with Nicki Minaj that October. The single reached number four in the United Kingdom. Her second solo single, Bad Thing, arrived independently in April 2023. A collaboration with Zion Foster, Mine, followed in August 2024.
No solo album or EP had been released by 27 September 2026. Jesy said in 2026 that she had stepped away from music while focusing on her family and campaigning.
Motherhood, documentaries and advocacy
Jesy became the mother of twin daughters, Ocean and Story, in May 2025. After publicly sharing their SMA type 1 diagnosis in January 2026, she supported a campaign for newborn screening. Her six-part Prime Video series Life After Little Mix premiered in February, followed by the film Life Changing in July.
In July 2026, the UK government announced a national evaluation of SMA newborn screening across England. Jesy welcomed the decision while recognising the families, clinicians, researchers and charities who had campaigned on the issue for years.