Jesy Nelson, former Little Mix member has just released her first solo single “Boyz” which samples the famous “Bad Boys for Life” track from P.Diddy and the Family’s 2001 album “The Saga Continues”. It is a major deviation from the heavily pop influenced music she used to make with her former bandmates. The song also features hip-hop superstar Nicki Minaj, and the music video also features a cameo from the original bad boy himself P.Diddy.
Speaking in various promotional interviews recently Jesy spoke about how she feels liberated and is genuinely happy for the first time in 10 years since she had joined the group which was created on the UK X-Factor in 2011. The Essex girl, born in Romford suffered highly publicised online abuse from trolls for most of her career due to her weight. Some people felt because she did not fit into the stereotypical slim model body type often associated with pop stars. People like far-right columnist Katie Hopkins joined in the bandwagon when she famously teased the group as “Pick and Mix”.
Jesy reported that she was constantly under pressure to try and fit in with her bandmates such that she often wore a corset just to try and make herself as slim as possible. Oftentimes she would get bruises from the corsets and was often very uncomfortable when they were shooting videos or performing on stage. Jesy would also constantly check the footage just to make sure that she is not looking too big or that her face was not too wide. Sometimes she would miss appearances altogether if she knew they were going to be videoed or photographed. She would also wear huge wigs and heavy make-up to mask the shape and size of her face.
As a result of this she suffered from depression and in 2013 she attempted suicide. However, due to the group’s image and persona as ambassadors of “girl power” and strength she refused treatment because she was worried about what people would say and how that would impact the groups’ stellar image and reputation. Even her family members tried to convince her to quit the group, but she pressed on. It wasn’t till the COVID-19 lockdown that she did some soul searching and decided she finally needed to quit the group.
She has made a total transformation and now aspires to make the music that she has always wanted to make. She has always been a hip-hop and rnb fan and now she gets the opportunity to make the music she loves. And if her new single is anything to go by, she is destined for dizzy heights!
The Roddy Chasewater Show
The Roddy Chasewater Show 