After nine years with the group, Jesy Nelson has announced she is leaving Little Mix.
"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," the band shared in a statement via Instagram Monday (December 14). "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."
The group continued, "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. We’re looking forward to seeing so many of you on tour. Love always, Jade, Perrie and Leigh-Anne xxx."
Nelson, who has been an original member of the group since Little Mix's inception in 2011, also shared a lengthy statement explaining her decision to part ways with the group.
"To all my Mixers, the past nine years in Little Mix has been the most incredible time of my life," the 29-year-old wrote. "We have achieved things I never thought possible. From winning our first Brit Award to our sold out shows at the O2. Making friends and fans all over the world, I can't thank you all enough from the bottom of my heart for making me feel like the luckiest girl in the world."
"You have always been there to support and encourage me and I will never forget it. 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," the singer explained. "There comes a time in life where we need to reinvest in taking care of ourselves rather than focussing [sic] on making other people happy, and I feel like now is the time to begin that process. So after much consideration and with a heavy heart, I'm announcing I'm leaving Little Mix."
The announcement comes nearly a month after Nelson took an extended break from the group back in November.
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