Everything you need to know about former Little Mix star Jesy Nelson
Ahead of the her new documentary Life Changing
She was one fourth of girl band Little Mix, but after making the decision to leave the band back in 2020, Jesy Nelson went on to release solo music, with hits like 'Boyz' and 'Bad Thing'. In more recent years, Jesy has taken a step back from the world of music, landing two documentary series with Prime Video, and now reportedly being in talks to appear on TOWIE.
Jesy has achieved so much in her career since she won The X Factor back in 2011 alongside Perrie Edwards, Jade Thirlwall and Leigh-Anne Pinnock. In January 2025, Jesy surprised her fans by announcing she was pregnant with twins, before giving birth to Ocean and Story in May 2025. Here's everything you need to know about the lovely Jesy.
Who is Jesy Nelson?
Jesy is a singer from the UK, best known as a former member of the girl group Little Mix, along with Perrie Edwards, Jade Thirlwall and Leigh-Anne Pinnock.
Jesy quit Little Mix in December 2020 and has since gone on to release solo material.
How tall is she?
Jesy is 5 ft 3 inches, which is 160cm.
Where is she from?
Jesy is from Romford in East London, and now lives in Essex.
How old is she?
Jesy's birthday is 14th June 1991, making her currently 35-years-old and a Gemini.
She shared a carousel of sizzling pics to celebrate her 35th birthday in June 2026, writing on Insta: 'Whatever will chapter 35 bring 🙊💚'.
Who are her parents and siblings?
Her parents John Nelson and Janice White split when Jesy was five, and she has three siblings — older sister Jade, older brother Jonathan and younger brother Joseph. Mum Janice appeared in Jesy's documentary, Odd One Out, and will also appear in her latest Prime Video show Life Changing.
Does she have kids?
She does! Jesy is a proud mum to twin girls after welcoming them into the world with her ex-fiancé Zion Foster on 15th May 2025.
Announcing the news to the world on Sunday 18th May, Jesy shared two cute photos of her daughters, writing: 'So… Our beautiful baby girls decided to come at 31weeks plus 5 days. It all happened so quickly, but we are so blessed that they are here with us, healthy and fighting strong! We’ve never felt more in love 🥹 Everybody meet
'Ocean Jade Nelson-Foster and Story Monroe Nelson-Foster
'Born on 15.05.2025 🌊📖'
On 15th May 2026, she celebrated their first birthday, sharing a touching tribute to them, saying how strong they were. She wrote: 'I cannot believe it has been a whole year since having my beautiful baby girls. They have been through so much. There will never be enough words to describe just how incredible they actually are.
'My tiny little super humans. The strongest, most resilient little fighters I’ve ever known. You inspire me and every single person that ever meets you both . One whole year old today what a mile stone to reach . I read this poem a little while ago by Emily Perl Kingsley “welcome to Holland” and I think this sums up their journey so beautifully. Happy Birthday my Ocean and Story you are my whole heart and soul I love you more than you will ever know 🤍🤍
'Adapted from “Welcome to Holland” by Emily Perl Kingsley.
'Original work by Emily Perl Kingsley.' (sic)
Twins' SMA diagnosis
In January 2026, the singer revealed her twins had been diagnosed with a rare muscular disease called Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA). Jesy explained in the video that her babies have now received treatment for the disease, however sadly it is unlikely they will ever be able to walk, or regain their neck strength.
She told her fans: "Thankfully the girls have had their treatment, which I'm so grateful for, because if they don't have it they will die. But it has just been endless, endless amounts of hospital appointments."
Jesy then appeared on This Morning, where she opened up about the support she had received since sharing the diagnosis with her fans. She told This Morning hosts Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard: “I’m actually overwhelmed. I wanted it to get as much reach as possible to raise awareness about it, and I actually can’t believe how amazing the response has been. Just people watching to learn, and other families that are dealing with this diagnosis… It’s a lot, but it’s what I wanted it to do.”
You can watch the full interview below...
What is Jesy Nelson campaigning for?
Following the her twins' diagnosis, Jesy has been campaigning to have Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) added to the NHS newborn blood spot screening in England.
After starting a petition and meeting with Health Secretary Wes Streeting on This Morning, Jesy announced screening for SMA would start in England in October 2026. However, in another update given in June, the singer was left 'let down' and 'disgusted' at the decision to only partially roll out the screening programme in England.
On 24th June, Jesy told her Instagram followers: 'Yesterday, MPs debated my petition after more than 150,000 people signed in support of newborn screening for SMA.
'Thank you to everyone who signed, shared and supported this campaign. Every single action helped bring this issue into Parliament and gave families affected by SMA a voice.
'We’ve already achieved incredible progress: newborn screening for SMA is due to begin in October, giving babies the chance of earlier diagnosis, earlier treatment and a healthier future.
'However, only 72% of babies in England will initially be covered. That means a baby’s access to life-changing treatment could still depend on where they’re born, and that simply isn’t fair.
'Every baby deserves the same chance, regardless of their postcode.
'I’m now calling on James Murray MP, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, and Sharon Hodgson MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Public Health and Prevention, to provide a clear timeline for when newborn SMA screening will reach 100% coverage across England and I’d welcome the opportunity to meet with ministers alongside SMA families to discuss the rollout and concerns raised during the debate.
'Early diagnosis saves lives, prevents irreversible damage and gives children the best possible start. No parent should ever wonder if their child missed that chance simply because of where they were born.
'Every baby deserves the same chance. Every life matters❤️'. (sic)
Jesy is also now a patron for SMA UK.
When did Jesy announce her pregnancy?
Jesy announced the exciting news on 12th January 2025 in a now-deleted post, telling her fans she was expecting twins. The singer posted a cute photo alongside her then-boyfriend Zion Foster, showing off her baby bump.
Is Jesy married?
No, she was engaged to Zion Foster, but they ended their four-year relationship in early 2026.
What documentaries does Jesy Nelson have?
Jesy Nelson: Life Changing
Due out on 17th July 2026, Jesy Nelson: Life Changing will document the moment Jesy discovers her twins have Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), and her campaign to have SMA added to the NHS newborn blood spot screening in England.
Jesy shared the trailer with her Instagram followers on 2nd July, writing: 'I’m really not sure where to start with this one…
'All I can say is that I urge everyone to watch this documentary. It’s the most heartbreaking series I’ve ever had to make, but it’s one that needed to be made if we’re ever going to see real change.
'This is only a small glimpse into what my girls have to go through every single day. It’s the reality that so many children born with SMA have to endure and this is only the beginning of their lives.
'I truly hope this helps people understand why the heel prick test and treatment from birth are so incredibly vital. Early diagnosis can change EVERYTHING.
'I’ll keep saying it until no family has to experience this again: no future babies born with SMA should have lives that look like this.
'Please if you watch one thing, let it be this: “Jesy Nelson: Life Changing” on @primevideouk, streaming from July 17th🤍'. (sic)
Jesy Nelson: Life After Little Mix
Just days after giving birth to twins, Jesy and her boyfriend Zion announced they'd signed a deal with Prime Video for a docu-series to follow their pregnancy and birth story. Titled Jesy Nelson: Life After Little Mix, the show landed on Prime Video in February 2026.
Taking to social media to announce the news, she wrote on 20th May: 'We have more exciting news to share… I feel so excited and proud that we can finally reveal we have been filming our own series for @primevideouk . We met with the creative director @demidoyle and Producer Gavin at @navybee.tv , letting the cameras in wasn’t an easy decision for us as it’s such a deeply personal time but I knew I wanted to tell my story in my own words.
'We opened the doors fully and I’m really looking forward to letting you all in as I navigate my way to becoming a first time mum to our beautiful baby girls Ocean and Story. I’ll be honest, it’s not been easy as it’s been such a high risk pregnancy, so you’ll see all the highs and lows and rollercoaster of emotions we have been going through. I hope you will all join me on this journey as I really open up and say goodbye to the past and enter this new chapter in my life… Coming to Prime Video 🎥' (sic)
Jesy Nelson: Life After Little Mix is out now on Prime Video.
Jesy Nelson: Odd One Out
Jesy cyberbullying documentary Odd One Out aired in September 2019. In the doc, Jesy opened up about her mental health and the relentless cyberbullying she'd suffered ever since appearing on The X Factor back in 2011. It's since won Best Factual at the National Television Awards and sparked petitions to be shown in schools.
Jesy Nelson: Odd One Out is out now on BBC iPlayer.
Is she going on TOWIE?
Although nothing has been announced just yet, rumours were swirling in June 2026 that Jesy could be about to join the cast of The Only Way Is Essex.
A source told The Sun: “It’s a total natural fit.
“Jesy is from Essex and knows a lot of the cast anyway so it’s not going to feel forced. She’s been talking a lot to Lauren (Goodyer) and Amy (Childs) in particular so it’s likely she’ll be a part of their glam mums group.
“While nothing is confirmed yet, to even have Jesy in talks for the show is a huge deal for Towie.
“She’s an internationally famous Essex girl who was part of one of the world’s most successful girl groups – to say they’re excited would be an understatement.”
When did Jesy leave Little Mix?
Little Mix's publicist announced on 17th November 2020 that Jesy was taking some time out of Little Mix: 'Jesy is having extended time off from Little Mix for private medical reasons. We will not be issuing any further comment currently and ask media to please respect her privacy at this time.'
A month after the statement from the group's publicist, Little Mix then announced in December 2020 that Jesy had decided to leave the group after nine years.
The girls posted on Instagram: '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.'
After breaking her silence in a lengthy statement and thanking fans for their messages of support, Jesy Nelson shared a photo of herself looking sensational, just days after she announced she'd quit Little Mix.
Jesy, who left the band after nine amazing years, uploaded the beautiful snap of herself to her Instagram page, showing off her stunning curly locks. The singer simply captioned the shot with: '❤️'.
Jesy's solo music:
'Boyz'
After months of teases, Jesy dropped her debut solo single 'Boyz' featuring Nicki Minaj on Friday 8th October 2021.
'Bad Thing'
In April 2023, Jesy announced her next single would be 'Bad Thing', which later released on 14th April. The singer shared the news on her socials telling her fans: 'Bad Thing - 14th April 🤍 Pre-save NOW! Link in bio'.
When the song was released she also shared an emotional music video for it. The video showed three characters. Set in the 60s, Jesy is working in a bar and gets into a relationship with a customer which ends in violence, but despite the problems, she's still in a relationship with him.
Is she releasing a solo album?
Since leaving Little Mix, Jesy has got her fans excited by teasing some potential solo music, however there is no news yet on an album just yet.
How much is she worth?
As of 2026, reports are rife Jesy's estimated worth is around £5.8-£6.3 million.
Jesy's The X Factor audition:
Jesy was 20-years-old when she auditioned for the eighth series of The X Factor in 2011, singing 'Bust Your Windows' by Jazmine Sullivan and made it through to Boot Camp! The judges then decided that they couldn't see Jesy as a solo artist, and paired her up with Perrie, who was in the same situation, and they formed a duo called Faux Pas.
The same thing had happened to Leigh-Anne Pinnock and Jade Thirlwall, whose duo group was named Orion. Although neither duo managed to make it through to the Judges' Houses round, they were invited to come together as a four-piece, and named Rhythmix.
They sang a gorgeous rendition of 'Big Girls Don't Cry' by Fergie for mentor Tulisa Contostavlos and Jessie J, and progressed to the live shows, changing their name to Little Mix after a music charity named Rhythmix complained about the band name.
On 11th December 2011, Little Mix became the first ever group to win the show, coming first on the show ahead of Marcus Collins and Amelia Lily.
WATCH: Little Mix Judges' Houses audition - The X Factor 2011 Judges' Houses (Full Version)
Who is she dating?
Jesy was in a relationship with rapper Zion Foster, but it recently came to an end. The pair first started dating in December 2022, and despite a brief split in August 2023, the pair got back together, and had their twin daughters and got engaged. They've since decided to end their relationship, but remain committed parents to the girls.
In the past, Jesy has dated Love Island's Chris Hughes and Our Girl actor Sean Sagar.
Check out Jesy amazing career so far:
2011: Little Mix are formed and win The X Factor
With both Beyoncé and Missy Elliot as her inspirations, Jesy Nelson signed up to audition for Simon Cowell's prime-time entertainment show The X Factor in 2011, performing 'Bust Your Windows' to judges Gary Barlow, Kelly Rowland, Louis Walsh and Tulisa. With Kelly and Tulisa both impressed, Jesy made it through to the Bootcamp stage of the competition.
After failing to impress all four judges at bootcamp, Jesy, along with Perrie Edwards and two other solo auditionees, were put into a group called Faux Pas. At the same time, Jade Thirlwall and Leigh-Anne Pinnock were placed into another four-piece called Orion. After The X Factor judges witnessed both performances, Jesy was later put into a group called Rhythmix alongside Perrie, Jade and Leigh-Anne, with the band later changing their name to Little Mix for legal reasons.
With four amazing vocalists, the girls sailed through the rounds with their mentor Tulisa, and became the first ever band to win The X Factor in December 2011.
2011-2019: Jesy Nelson's time with Little Mix
Jesy Nelson managed to pick up four Number 1 singles during her nine-year stint in the band. That included 'Cannonball' in 2011, 'Wings' in 2012, 'Black Magic' in 2015 and 'Shout Out to My Ex' in 2016. With Jesy in the band, Little Mix released an incredible six studio albums, with three off them gaining 1 billion Spotify streams each. Little Mix released 'DNA' in 2012, 'Salute' in 2013, 'Get Weird' in 2015, 'Glory Days' in 2016, 'LM5' in 2018 and 'Confetti' in 2020.
During her time in the band, Jesy took part in six mammoth tours with the Little Mix girls, playing across the world to millions of fans in sold-out arenas and stadiums. They went on the 'DNA Tour' in 2013, 'The Salute Tour' in 2014, 'The Get Weird Tour' in 2016, 'The Glory Days Tour' in 2017, 'Summer Hits Tour' in 2018 and 'LM5 - The Tour' in 2019.
Little Mix won an incredible three BRIT Awards. The girls won British Single for 'Shout Out To My Ex' in 2017, before picking up the award in the Video of the Year category for 'Woman Like Me' in 2019. Jesy then won her final BRIT with the band in May 2021, as they become the first female band to win British Group. Although she didn't attend the ceremony, Jesy reacted to the news by posting a picture of the girls accepting the award to her Instagram Story. They also thanked Jesy in their powerful acceptance speech.
September 2019: Odd One Out documentary
Jesy teamed up with the BBC in 2019 to release a ground-breaking documentary called Odd One Out, which highlighted the affects of bullying and raised awareness for mental health.
Odd One Out followed Jesy Nelson's journey of self-acceptance after being bullied by online trolls incessantly following her rise to fame on The X Factor, with the star even bravely opening up about the moment she tried to take her own life.
Odd One Out aired on BBC One on Thursday 12th September 2019 at 9pm, and it was later added to BBC iPlayer.
January-May 2020: Jesy wins an NTA Award
After picking up a nomination for her Odd One Out documentary, Jesy attended the 2021 National Television Awards in January 2020, where she was crowned the winner in the Factual Award category.
After winning the award, Jesy told fans: 'Guys I honestly do not even know where to begin with this post! I woke up this morning and my heart is bursting with happiness! I cannot thank you all enough for making this moment happen, there are no words to describe how this moment felt and because of you guys you made this one of the most magical nights of my life! I love you all so much thank you ❤️'. (sic)
As it continued to break BBC iPlayer viewing records, Jesy's documentary Odd One Out picked up another prestigious award in May 2020, this time a Visionary Award for Documentary of the Year.
Sharing a photo of herself holding the award, Jesy wrote on Instagram: 'This morning I received this incredible award for my documentary Odd one out from @visionaryartsuk and my heart feels so happy! Thank you so much to every single person that voted for me this honestly means the world and I'm so thankful that it still continues to have such a positive impact on others ❤️.' (sic)
September 2020: The Search
Despite initially being scheduled to air in Spring 2020, Little Mix's very own TV talent show The Search, was postponed until later in the year due to the Coronavirus pandemic.
Jesy, along with Perrie, Leigh-Anne and Jade, served as both mentors and judges on the singing competition, with the girls looking for a brand new band!
It was Vocal and Instruments Group Since September, made up of Harry, Patrick, Matthew and Jacob, who were crowned the winners.
December 2020: Jesy quits Little Mix
After an amazing nine years in the band, alongside Jade, Perrie and Leigh-Anne, Jesy made the tough decision to leave Little Mix in December 2020, admitting it had recently been 'taking a toll' on her mental health. She released this emotional statement thanking fans at the time.
Following Jesy's statement, Little Mix wrote online: '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.' (sic)
February-April 2021: Jesy works on solo music
Uploading this stunning snap of herself to Instagram in February 2021, Jesy got EVERYBODY talking in the comments section with her caption. The singer captioned the shot with a number of music emojis, writing: 'Let's go', leading many to think she was back in the studio.
As if that wasn't enough, Jesy later shared a number of photos and videos in the studio alongside songwriters Patrick Patrikios and Hanni Ibrahim, who have previously worked with Little Mix on a number of their albums. Jesy then sent her fans into overdrive in March 2021, sharing a video from inside of the recording studio! Despite muting the video so we couldn't hear the track, Jesy filmed a computer screen with soundwaves, writing: 'I can't wait for you to hear this'. (sic)
Then speaking during a candid interview with Cosmopolitan Magazine in April 2021, Jesy confirmed the news we were all hoping for... That she WAS working on solo music. She said: "Music is my life. It's so powerful for me. I'm in the studio just having fun. I loved the music I made with Little Mix, but it wasn't the kind of music I listen to. It just feels so nice to be making music that I love. I don't know when I'm going to bring it out. I feel really content and happy. It's the weirdest, best feeling in the world."
May-June 2021: Solo deal
After months of teasing her fans, in May 2021 Jesy finally confirmed she'd signed her first ever solo record deal with Polydor Records. She shared this snap of herself on Instagram, writing: 'So excited to announce that I've signed my first ever solo record deal with @polydorrecords @universalmusicgroup. This is such a pinch me moment. I cannot wait for you guys to hear what I've been working on 🙊❤️'. (sic)
Fans were treated to a six second snippet of Jesy's debut solo single in June. Although it didn't give much away, you can clearly hear Jesy's vocals on the short clip she posted to Instagram.
October 2021: Jesy drops debut single 'Boyz'
After months of teasing, Jesy finally dropped her debut solo single 'Boyz' featuring Nicki Minaj on Friday 8th October. The track samples P Diddy's hit 'Bad Boys For Life'. Jesy then appeared on The Graham Norton Show on Friday 29th October, giving the first live performance of her debut single.
2023: Jesy begans teasing new music
Jesy began 2023 by teasing brand new music! Sharing a video of herself singing along with rapper Zion Foster accompanying her on the piano, Jesy could be heard singing a beautiful R&B style melody — very far removed from her days in Little Mix! This came after rumours in December 2022 that she was preparing to release single 'Cried Out'. To date, the song still hasn't been released.
2023: Jesy announced her second single was 'Bad Thing'
Jesy Nelson announced her second solo single was be called 'Bad Thing', with the track later being released on 14th April 2023. It peaked at Number 98 in the UK charts.
2026: Jesy's Prime Video docu-series Life After Little Mix is released
Just days after giving birth to twin girls Ocean and Story in 2025, Jesy delighted fans by announcing she'd signed a deal with Prime Video for a docu-series called Jesy Nelson: Life After Little Mix — which was later released in February 2026. She told fans: 'We have more exciting news to share… I feel so excited and proud that we can finally reveal we have been filming our own series for @primevideouk . We met with the creative director @demidoyle and Producer Gavin at @navybee.tv , letting the cameras in wasn't an easy decision for us as it's such a deeply personal time but I knew I wanted to tell my story in my own words. We opened the doors fully and I'm really looking forward to letting you all in as I navigate my way to becoming a first time mum to our beautiful baby girls Ocean and Story. I'll be honest, it's not been easy as it's been such a high risk pregnancy, so you'll see all the highs and lows and rollercoaster of emotions we have been going through. I hope you will all join me on this journey as I really open up and say goodbye to the past and enter this new chapter in my life… Coming to Prime Video 🎥'.