It’s a hard day for Mixers as a member of one of the biggest girl groups has officially announced that she is leaving.
Today, Jesy revealed that she was leaving Little Mix, publishing a heartfelt goodbye letter to the group’s fans explaining her decision. “The truth is[,] being in the band has really taken a toll on my mental health. I find the constant pressure of being in a girl group and living up to expectations very hard. There comes a time in life when we need to reinvest in taking care of ourselves rather than focusing on making other people happy, and I feel like now is the time to begin that process,” she said.
She also thanked her fans who joined her journey over the past nine years since the group was formed on “The X Factor.” “To every single fan who came to see us in concert, who listened to our songs and sung their hearts out, sent me messages and supported me along the way[,] I want you to know [that] I love you all so much and I could never have done this without you and I appreciate it endlessly,” she said.
Jade, Perrie and Leigh-Anne assured us that while they support Jesy’s decision, the rest of the group isn’t going anywhere. “This is an incredibly sad time for all of us but we are fully supportive of Jesy. We love her very much and agree that it is so important that she does what is right for her mental health and well-being. We are still very much enjoying our Little Mix journey and the [three] of us are not ready for it to be over,” they said in a post.
Although Mixers are understandably heartbroken over the news, they made their outpouring of love known through trending hashtags such as #ThankYouJesy and #WeLoveYouJesy.
In 2019, Jesy opened up about the abuse and fat-shaming that she had experienced from cyberbullies on her award-winning BBC documentary titled “Jesy Nelson: Odd One Out.” She said in the film, “The whole world had an opinion on me and they weren’t good ones. From the minute [those] comments started, it became the worst time of my life.”
This year, Little Mix stated in an interview that they had insisted on providing aftercare for contestants on “The X Factor” after experiencing firsthand how badly the music industry treats young artists. “There’s a lot more awareness now about mental health, but people still just see the pop, the smiles and the stage, and they don’t really understand what goes on. I kind of wish there was a lot more help along the way,” said Leigh-Anne.
We’re so proud of what the group has accomplished so far. We will continue to support them, along with their efforts to make the industry safer for fellow artists. We wish Jesy the best of luck on her new chapter.
Photo screengrabbed from the “Sweet Melody” music video
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