FEATURE:
High in the Mix
IN THIS PHOTO: Jesy Nelson (who announced her departure from Little Mix after nine years)/PHOTO CREDIT: Karwai Tang
Jesy Nelson and the Artists Putting Their Mental-Health First
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I am a little late to a story….
that broke on Monday. Rather than give my reaction to the fact Jesy Nelson left Little Mix, I wanted to use her as an example of something we may see more of in years to come. Before I get to that, the BBC reported the news of Nelson leaving Little Mix:
“Jesy Nelson has left Little Mix, saying being part of the pop group had "taken a toll on my mental health".
She explained: "I find the constant pressure of being in a girl group and living up to expectations very hard."
Writing on Instagram, the 29-year-old said being in the band had been "the most incredible time" but it was now time to "embark on a new chapter".
Her former bandmates said it was "an incredibly sad time for all of us but we are fully supportive of Jesy".
The news comes a month after Nelson said she was taking an "extended" break from the pop group for "private medical reasons".
Leigh-Anne Pinnock, Perrie Edwards and Jade Thirlwall performed as a trio on Strictly Come Dancing at the weekend.
In her statement, Nelson said she had made her decision "after much consideration and with a heavy heart".
"I need to spend some time with the people I love, doing things that make me happy," the singer continued.
The remaining members added: "We know that Jesy leaving the group is going to be really upsetting news for our fans.
"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".
The group will continue without her, but I can only imagine how tough it has been for her for a while now. I think there is so much pressure on artists to keep producing and promoting and, when trying to balance that with normal life, the impact on mental-health can be devastating. Little Mix are one of the most successful groups in the world, and they have legions of fans. It couldn’t have been easy for Nelson to announce her departure, as she will be aware of how many fans idolise her. Nelson put out a documentary where she discussed how she has labelled and insulted when in Little Mix – being judged on her weight and the way she looked. I can only imagine how stressful and harrowing it must have been at times (as she revealed in an interview with The Guardian in 2019), so she will have time to put her emotional health first and see where she goes from here. It is clear she can have a successful solo career, but I would not be surprised if she took a long time to come back into music and have a think about her career plans. There was a lot of sadness when Nelson said she was leaving Little Mix, but many noted how brave it was and the impact it will have on others. There are artists around the world who must be going through a lot of what Jesy Nelson has experienced in terms of bullying, stress levels and the general toxicity of social media - even though there is a lot of love out there for her. The Guardian published a feature on Tuesday that called Nelson one of Pop’s unfiltered voices who was very real and relatable. It is sad, therefore, that the abuse she received was so relentless and unjustified (she has come out and thanked fans for their well wishes and support).
It is clear that music (for now) has lost a genuine article and someone who was a role model to many women. I just want to source from The Guardian’s article, as the final passages really stood out:
“And yet there’s a sad inevitability about Monday’s announcement that Nelson is leaving. In a pop culture where misogyny is still rife, with a woman’s very silhouette given such narrow parameters for acceptance, if you stand out a target is placed over you. During her time on the X Factor live shows, when she wasn’t fine-tuning her trademark husky vocal on stage, she was often shown in tears, the face of bullying at the hands of online trolls who marked her out as different, ie not pop-star thin. In last year’s Bafta-winning documentary, Jesy Nelson: Odd One Out, she was disarmingly honest about her resulting mental health issues, recalling how on the day the band won the show she was in tears, having read a Facebook message referring to her as ugly and suggesting she deserved to die. In 2013, she attempted to kill herself shortly after returning to the X Factor stage, her new slimmed-down appearance causing another wave of online abuse. In 2018, having tried to own and celebrate her body via the band’s Strip single and its accompanying video showing the band naked, daubed in the insults they’d endured, Piers Morgan used his national TV show to dismiss the move as a publicity stunt.
Nelson would refer to him as a “twat” live on BBC Radio 1 days later, but you can only puff out your chest and pretend it doesn’t hurt for so long. The abuse came in waves from all directions, and was often repeated back at Nelson for a quote, because fighting against poisonous trolls had become her default stance since she became famous. Nelson helped make the dialogue around mental health much clearer, much more honest, but when you become a symbol the person underneath can sometimes get lost. “I find the constant pressure of being in a girl group and living up to expectations very hard,” read Nelson’s typically honest departure statement. “There comes a time in life when we need to invest in taking care of ourselves rather than focusing on making other people happy.”
• In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org or jo@samaritans.ie. In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Other international helplines can be found at www.befrienders.org.”.
PHOTO CREDIT: @benwhitephotography/Unsplash
I wonder how much support there is from big labels regarding their artists’ wellbeing and whether that is ever factored in to any plans. This is not something that only applies to groups, but it can be hard for members of a group to have their voice heard as they (a group) are often seen as an entity. Such is the commercial expectation and slog of touring and recording that it can have this immense toll that many do not realise. This year has been especially tough for all artists, and I do think that many out there have been battling with mental-health issues and they have found things a bit heavy. Maybe there was a bit of trepidation from Jesy Nelson to leave Little Mix before, as she may have been worried about backlash or judgement. Perhaps there are fellow artists in the same position, but I do think that we will see others make the same sort of hard decision and put their mental-health and happiness first. I have talked about mental-health and the sort of abuse artists have to face online. Even if you are not the recipient of pressure and negativity, I don’t think the stability and welfare of artists is considered that much by labels and management. That may sound all-sweeping, but there are countless artists who have to keep going and push their music out when they are struggling.
PHOTO CREDIT: @ionass86/Unsplash
I think 2021 should be a year where the health and happiness of artists is placed first, rather than the sales and streaming figures. Venues will reopen next year, and many artists will be thrust out there to sort of make up for some lost time. I do worry that there is going to be even more pressure imposed on some musicians and, from rising acts to global megastars, changes need to be made. Maybe other artists will not quit music or depart from a band, but I do feel that there needs to be more awareness and care; not just how we treat artists and interact but the sort of workrate that is on their shoulders. Everyone wishes Jesy Nelson well - and we know that she had to face a lot of crap. That situation is neither unique to her or the norm, so I do hope that artists who are going through some tough times or feel the strain take some time out. That can be hard when all artists rely on the income they make and keeping busy, but the damage of keeping going and absorbing all the strain around can lead to some big problems. Whilst there will not be a massive wave of artists taking time away or going on a hiatus, there are going to be more discussions around artists (especially women) and some of the awful treatment they receive. It is pleasing to see that there are organisations and support channels opening up to help artists and those struggling. Steps are being made and there are improvements, but I worry about artists who might be keeping their heads down or feel like they cannot get this support as it may compromise their career. It can be very hard speaking out, but more and more artists are talking about their mental-health. It must have been tough for Jesy Nelson to leave such a high-profile group and make such a big decision, but I know her brave step will…
STRIKE a chord with many other artists.