Is Jesy Nelson Still Friends With The Members Of Little Mix?

Perrie Edwards, Jesy Nelson, Jade Thirlwall, and Leigh-Anne Pinnock rose to fame as members of the British girl group Little Mix after winning "The X Factor" in the UK in 2011. With friendship anthems such as "Always Be Together" and "Told You So," many believed the award-winning stars would always remain best friends, no matter what.

However, after being absent for a number of weeks, Nelson announced in December 2020 that she would be leaving Little Mix in a now-deleted Instagram post, per Capital FM. The "Think About Us" hitmaker explained it was her decision to part ways with Little Mix after describing the last nine years with the group as "the most incredible time of my life," adding, "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 group and living up to expectations very hard." In a series of tweets, the remaining three members of Little Mix expressed their support for Nelson and wished her all the best.

With that being said, since Nelson's departure from the chart-topping group, she told Glamour UK in October that she hasn't been in touch with her former band members. "It is weird because for so many years we were as close as sisters, together every hour of the day for weeks, sharing beds, laughing, crying just 24/7 the four of us together," she said. Does that mean they are no longer friends?

Since parting ways with Little Mix, Jesy Nelson has pursued a solo career and released her debut single, "Boyz," with rap star Nicki Minaj. As noted by Grazia, the singer has been accused of cultural appropriation and Blackfishing in the music video. For those who are unaware, Blackfishing is when someone changes their image to appear Black or mixed race. This can be achieved by tanning, changing their natural features, wearing wigs, or donning hairstyles that are rooted in Black culture. While many fans were outraged by Nelson, her former band member Leigh-Anne Pinnock — who previously made a documentary on colorism within the industry, "Leigh-Anne: Race, Pop and Power" — was, too.

Pop Crave originally reported that Pinnock, Perrie Edwards, and Jade Thirlwall had all unfollowed Nelson on Instagram the day after the release of "Boyz." However, according to leaked DM's from Pinnock that can be seen on The Sun, she explained that it was Nelson who had blocked them. The DMs saw Pinnock responding to an influencer who asked their followers if they should do a reaction to Nelson's music video. Pinnock replied saying, "Do a video about her being a black fish instead," adding, "She blocked us" and "She cut us off." Even though Pinnock insists you should not believe everything you read in the press, she told the influencer they are telling the truth about Nelson this time.

Nelson and the other members of Little Mix have yet to speak out on the matter.