Jesy Nelson leaves Little Mix after 9 years
Jesy Nelson officially leaves Little Mix after 9 years, after deciding to look after her mental health.
Nelson and the British girl group announced the news on social media on Tuesday, December 15. Nelson, who has been part of Little Mix since their debut in 2011, has cited mental health as a reason.
"The past nine years in Little Mix (have) been the most incredible time of my life," the singer wrote in a statement. She went on to share her amazing experience with the group and achievements she "never thought possible."
But she also revealed that being in a girl group has taken a toll on her mental health. "The truth is recently being in the band has really taken a toll on my mental health. I find the constant pressure of being in a girl gorup and living up to expectations very hard."
Nelson also feels that "now is the time" for her to "reinvest in taking care of ourselves rather than focusing on making other people happy."
"I need to spend some time with the people I love, doing things that make me happy. I'm ready to embark a new chapter in my life—I'm not sure what it's going to look like right now, but I hope you'll still be there to support me."
She ends her note thanking her fans, supporters, and producers for "all the hard work and dedication" that made the group a success. Nelson also thanked her co-members for all the memories they shared, adding, "I hope that you'll continue to fulfill all of your dreams and keep on making music that people love."
The group also released a statement on social media along with their group photo, "After an amazing 9 years together Jesy has made the decision to leave Little Mix. 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 3 of us are not ready for it to be over. We know that Jesy leaving the group is going to be really upsetting news for our fans. We love you guys so much and are so grateful for your loyalty and continued support of all of us. We’re looking forward to seeing so many of you on tour."
It was signed by Nelson's fellow group members Jade, Perrie, and Leigh-Anne.
Photo from Jesy Nelson's Instagram