In a deeply personal episode of the Great Company with Jamie Laing podcast, Jesy Nelson opens up about the transformative power of motherhood, the highs and lows of Little Mix, and her journey to reclaiming the confidence she lost as a bullied teenager.
A Newfound Power in Motherhood
Reflecting on her recent journey into motherhood, Jesy reveals a surprising shift in her self-image. While many fear losing themselves, she explains: “Since becoming a mum, I feel like I've found my confidence... It's just the most powerful I've ever felt.” Drawing strength from her daughters, she recalls a poignant moment with her daughter, Story, in an ambulance: “She was on a little stretch chart, and she was just smiling at me the whole way. I just remember thinking... how can I ever now be sad? Look at her. She’s going through all of this, and she’s still smiling.”
The Heart of Little Mix
Jesy speaks fondly of her decade in Little Mix, emphasizing the bond that made them a global phenomenon. “The real heart and soul of Little Mix was that we were all best mates,” she says. “Actually, being in a band is, like, way more powerful than being a solo artist. There’s a real difference to when one woman walks into a room than when four girls walk into a room.”
However, she is candid about the internal struggle that led to her departure in 2020. “I had to show up every day to a music video or an interview and I felt like I was faking it the whole time,” she admits. Though she initially wanted to “leave the industry completely,” it was her brother who encouraged her to persevere for her family’s future.
From Bullying to Healing
Jesy’s childhood was marked by a passion for performing—recalling an audition with Denzel Washington at age eight—but also by severe school bullying that led to stress-induced alopecia. “It completely like broke my confidence... I eventually left that school because I couldn't deal with it.”
Now, she views her past tormentors with empathy rather than anger. “I actually feel sad for them... if you were truly happy, you wouldn't be doing that.” Today, Jesy credits her resilience to her mother, whom she calls “Wonder Woman,” and a newfound perspective that allows her to be “genuinely within myself, happy.”
