Jesy Nelson of Little Mix performs on stage during MTV Crashes Plymouth. (Matthew Horwood/Getty Images for MTV UK)
Little Mix star Jesy Nelson has said she would never rule out dating a woman after her last relationship ended in heartbreak.
The singer opened up about her mental health struggles and her difficult decision to leave Little Mix last year in a wide-ranging interview with The Guardian.
Jesy Nelson also discussed a song she plans to release as a solo artist, which sees her singing about being attracted to bad boys.
Discussing her last relationship with actor Sean Sagar, Nelson said she had come to realise that she didn’t want to be with one person long-term.
“Part of me feels like I should be single for ever because in relationships you have to sacrifice so much,” Nelson said.
“I like waking up and knowing this day is just for me and I don’t need to worry about anyone but me. I’m really not looking for a relationship any more.”
When the interviewer suggested that the problem might be men, Nelson replied: “I wish I liked women, I really do. I said that to my sister the other day because she’s gay.
“I said, ‘Jade, I wish I loved women,’ and she was like, ‘Well, just try it – you never know.’ And I said, ‘No, I love men too much.’ I just love the way men smell, I love muscles, and women don’t have that, do they?”
When the interviewer told Nelson that some women do have those attributes, the singer replied: “Ha ha! I’ll never rule it out, I’ll just say that.”
Jesy Nelson left Little Mix after her mental health deteriorated
Elsewhere in the interview, Nelson opened up about her decision to leave Little Mix in December 2020. In a statement at the time, she said being in a girl group had led to her own mental health fraying.
Speaking to The Guardian, Nelson revealed that shooting the music video for the song “Sweet Melody” was a turning point for her.
She had a panic attack while filming the video and she went into a “dark place” after the shoot, ultimately ending up “back in hospital”.
In the end, Nelson and the remaining three members of Little Mix agreed that she should leave to look after her mental health.
“I know there are people who think I’ve let the other girls down, and that I’m so selfish, but I do think there comes a time in life when you do have to be selfish and look after yourself, and it was really affecting me mentally,” Nelson said.
Readers affected by the issues raised in this story are encouraged to contact Samaritans free on 116 123 (www.samaritans.org) or Mind on 0300 123 3393 (www.mind.org.uk). Readers in the US are encouraged to contact the National Suicide Prevention Line on 1-800-273-8255.