Pop singer Jesy Nelson has parted ways with British girl group Little Mix after nine years of giving us goodies like “Black Magic” and “Shout Out to My Ex.” Our hearts go out to the band and the Mixers. Little Mix announced the news on their official Twitter account and Nelson herself penned a heartfelt note to supporters on Instagram. “The truth is recently being in the band has really taken a toll on my mental health,” she wrote. “I find the constant pressure of being in a girl group and living up to expectations very hard. There comes a time when we need to reinvest in taking care of ourselves rather than focussing on making other people happy and I feel like now is the time to begin that process.” She thanked fans and her bandmates, Jade Thirlwall, Perrie Edwards, and Leigh-Anne Pinnock, who will continue as Little Mix. The band was formed nine years ago in season eight of The X Factor UK. They went on to be the first group to ever win the series.
“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,” her three bandmates wrote on Twitter. “We are still very much enjoying our Little Mix journey and the 3 of us are not ready for it to be over.” In November, reports said Nelson, 29, was taking an extended break from the band for “private medical reasons.” Last year, she spoke candidly about her mental health in a BBC Three documentary Jesy Nelson: Odd One Out. “I need to spend time with the people I love, doing things that make me happy,” she wrote on Instagram. “I’m ready to embark on 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.”
