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From Beyonce to Geri Halliwell, did walking away from the world's biggest bands and going solo really pay off?
Sometimes it pays to take a creative risk— and sometimes it doesn't.
Brian Rasic/Getty Images
- Joanna Magill
Published: Thursday, 5 November 2026 at 7:00 am
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Being part of a successful band can bring about the life of your dreams: fame, fortune, chart-topping hits and a devoted fanbase. But for some artists, the idea of sharing the spotlight quickly grows old.
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Whether driven by personal ambition, creative differences or the desire to step out of someone else's shadow, there are plenty of notable examples of musicians that have walked away from hugely successful groups to go it alone.
But leaving a band at the height of its fame is a risk. For every artist who goes on to enjoy a highly successful solo career, there's another who struggles to recreate the magic outside the group that made them famous.
From chart-topping glory to forgotten solo projects, we're looking at the musicians who took the leap – and whether striking out on their own was worth it.
The stars who took a chance on going solo
Justin Timberlake
Justin Timberlake. Manny Carabel/Getty Images for Audacy
The '90s was the prime era for boybands; pop and R&B bangers made by heart-throbs with curly hair and baggy jeans. This was certainly the case for NSYNC, made up of Justin Timberlake, JC Chasez, Lance Bass, Chris Kirkpatrick, and Joey Fatone.
Together, the boys secured eight Grammy nominations, and won three American Music Awards, five Billboard Music Awards, and seven MTV Video Music Awards. However, after the global success of their 2001 album Celebrity, NSYNC took a hiatus, never to return (bar a one-off 2004 performance for Challenge for the Children).
During this indefinite hiatus, Justin Timberlake starting working on his own music. In 2004, it was confirmed that he wouldn't be returning to the band — although some say that producers had known this before.
Speaking to the Hollywood Reporter in 2017, Timberlake reflected on his departure, saying, "It started as a fun snowball fight that was becoming an avalanche.
"And, also, I was growing out of it. I felt like I cared more about the music than some of the other people in the group. And I felt like I had other music I wanted to make and that I needed to follow my heart."
How did his bandmates react?
NSYNC in 2000. Kevin Mazur/WireImage
While it didn't necessarily come as a surprise that Justin left to pursue his solo career, the general consensus in the rest of NSYNC was that more honesty would have been appreciated around his true intentions.
In a 2019 interview with Jenny McCarthy, Joey Fatone said, "I said, 'Listen, I'm all good with everybody doing their own s**t. I'm totally fine with it, just let us know next time.' Meaning: I could've done a lot more than sit around waiting for your dumb ass while you're going out on tour."
This was a sentiment echoed by Lance Bass when he appeared on Michael Rosenbaum's Inside of You podcast in 2020: "What I was most disappointed in was not just Justin leaving the band, it's that our whole team - our record label, our management, everything like that - they all knew.
"They all knew it was over for three years before they told me. And so for three years I'm sitting there getting ready for a new album as everyone else knows we're moving on."
However, there mustn't be too much bad blood between the former NSYNC members, as the group have reunited on several occasions, including for a surprise 2013 performance at the MTV Music Awards and being photographed at their newly unveiled star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2018.
Plus, they released their first song in over 20 years for the 2023 film Trolls Band Together, a film which Timberlake played a pivotal role in creating.
Was going solo worth it?
Justin Timberlake. Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Live Nation
Justin Timberlake's debut solo album Justified has fully cemented itself in noughties music history as one of the most iconic albums of the era. This record includes hit singles Cry Me a River and Let Me Love You, and received widespread critical and popular acclaim.
Across his solo career, Timberlake has received a whopping 10 Grammy Awards, four Emmy Awards, nine Billboard Music Awards, and the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award.
Not only is he a musician, Timberlake has also made a name for himself as an actor, starring in hit films such as The Social Network, In Time and Friends With Benefits.
With all of his accolades as a solo artist, it's clear that it was the right decision for Justin Timberlake to say Bye Bye Bye to NSYNC.
Beyoncé
Beyoncé. Kevin Mazur/WireImage for Parkwood
June 2005 was a dark time for girl group fans, as Kelly Rowland revealed the surprise news that the Destiny's Child would be disbanding.
Originally formed in Houston in 1990, Destiny's Child were one of the defining R&B girls groups. The trio, responsible for hits like Lose Your Breath, Bootylicious and Survivor, was made up of Beyoncé, Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams.
However, despite not much being said on the subject by the group members, there have been plenty of accusations levelled towards Beyoncé about stealing the spotlight from the other girls.
A 2004 piece in The New York Times stated, "It's been a long-held belief in the music industry that Destiny's Child was little more than a launching pad for Beyoncé Knowles's inevitable solo career." Of course, these accusations weren't helped by the fact that Destiny's Child was managed by Beyoncé's father Mathew Knowles.
Destiny's Child officially announced their breakup on stage in Barcelona, with an official statement being published the next day.
The statement read, "We have been working together as Destiny’s Child since we were 9, and touring together since we were 14.
"After a lot of discussion and some deep soul searching, we realised that our current tour has given us the opportunity to leave Destiny’s Child on a high note, united in our friendship and filled with an overwhelming gratitude for our music, our fans, and each other."
When it came to the success of the girls' solo projects, the numbers don't lie.
According to Billboard, Michelle Williams' Heart to Yours, "sold 17,000 copies in its top week;" Kelly Rowland's Simply Deep, sold "77,000 units in its strongest week;" but Beyoncé's Dangerously In Love "sold 317,000 copies" its first week.
What did her bandmates say?
Destiny's Child in 2005. Gie Knaeps/Getty Images
Aside from the initial statement made by the band, not much has been said on the record about the split by the former members of Destiny's Child.
Relationships between the group members seem to have remained strong since the 2005 split, with Williams and Rowland joining Beyoncé's 2013 SuperBowl halftime show and her 2018 Coachella headline show.
Kelly and Michelle also appeared on stage during Beyoncé's most recent Cowboy Carter tour, performing a selection of Destiny's Child hits.
Was going solo worth it?
Beyoncé at the 2021 Grammy Awards. Kevin Winter/Getty Images for The Recording Academy
Do we even need to say it? Yes.
Beyoncé is one of the most famous women in the world, boasting not only a huge solo music career, but also a career as an actress, starring in Dreamgirls and The Pink Panther. Oh, and she's a business mogul thanks to her athleisure empire Ivy Park.
Since going solo, Beyoncé has had eight Number One albums and nine Number One hit songs. She is currently the record holder for the most Grammys of any artist in history and the most certifications from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) among female artists.
She also has two diamond singles: Halo and Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It).
So yes, we'd say it was a good thing that Beyonce went solo.
Geri Halliwell
Geri Halliwell in 1999. Eric VANDEVILLE/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images
The world was rocked on 31 May 1998, as Geri Halliwell, aka Ginger Spice, left the Spice Girls... in the middle of their American tour.
What caused this sudden departure? Well, there isn't one straightforward answer. According to her 1999 autobiography If Only, around the time she left the Spice Girls, Geri was struggling heavily with bulimia, as well as mourning the recent death of her father.
The book also touches on the extreme working schedule of the group, which put members of the band under extreme pressure and only intensified after firing their manager.
However, there may be more to the story than meets the eye. There have been long-term rumours that during the band's heyday, Geri was in a relationship with bandmate Mel B, aka Scary Spice.
In 2019 on The Piers Morgan Show, Mel B said that her and Geri had had sex (claims that were denied by Geri, now Geri Halliwell-Horner), but that it was a one-time thing that "just happened and we giggled at it".
However, tabloids have speculated that there may have been more to the relationship- and an explosive breakup certainly would make sense in the context of a rapid departure, especially considering that Geri left the group on Mel B's birthday. That being said, the nature of Scary and Ginger Spice's relationship remains speculative.
There is also the matter of Geri embarking on a solo career shortly after leaving the Spice Girls, releasing her first solo single almost exactly a year after departing the group.
While the Spice Girls didn't break up immediately after Geri's exit, it was clear that the wind had gone from their sails. Their third album Forever was released in November 2000 and the Spice Girls went on indefinite hiatus a month later, which was then announced as an official disbandment in 2001.
What did her bandmates say?
Spice Girls. John Stanton/WireImage
It's no secret that Geri's abrupt departure in the middle of the tour came as a shock to the rest of the Spice Girls.
Speaking on Alex Cooper's Call Her Daddy podcast in 2025, Victoria Beckham said, "She just left... She just left, and we did not have any idea until she just didn't turn up."
These sentiments had been expressed by Mel B years earlier when she appeared on Larry King in 2014. She said, "When Geri left the group, it was bad. She left on my birthday, and didn’t tell anybody. She just didn’t show up. We had the rest of the tour, the American part of the tour to continue."
King asked Scary Spice if there was any bitterness between her and Halliwell, to which she replied: "Yeah, for a long time between me and her.
"Like, I saw her a couple weeks ago and I said, 'Do you remember when you left on my birthday?' She talks about it to this day, she had [an] eating disorder, pressure, she just felt the pressure too much, so she decided to take a break."
However, it's clear that all is forgiven as the Spice Girls have reunited on several occasions: a reunion tour in 2007, a performance at the London 2012 Olympics, and another reunion tour in 2019 (sans Posh).
Was going solo worth it?
Geri onstage in March 2001. JMEnternational/Redferns
Most pop music fans dream about what could've been if the Spice Girls had stayed together. How many more infectious pop albums could we have enjoyed? Would we have seen a Spice World 2?
Geri left the Spice Girls right at the height of their global fame. It's impossible to say what could have been if they continued, but one thing's for sure: world domination was on the cards.
Instead, Geri went on to enjoy notable success in her solo career, with two UK top 10 albums and four top singles. Would Geri have achieved more success if she continued being a member of the Spice Girls? Probably.
However, with grief and an eating disorder among the reasons Geri has cited leaving the group, the personal cost of remaining in the Spice Girls may have been too much to bear.
Cheryl Cole
Cheryl Cole in 2009. Dave Hogan/Girls Aloud/Getty Images
Long before we had Dream Academy, we had ITV's Popstars: The Rivals, which, in 2002, brought together Cheryl Tweedy, Nadine Coyle, Nicola Roberts, Kimberley Walsh and Sarah Harding to form the one, the only, Girls Aloud.
As one of the most iconic noughties girl groups, Girls Aloud need no real introduction. The five girls were the hit makers behind absolute bangers including Sound of the Underground, Love Machine, Jump, The Promise and Biology.
In 2009, the group went on an unofficial hiatus, during which, several members of the group embarked on different solo projects. Cheryl released a number of wildly successful albums and singles, while Nicola's album Cinderella's Eyes received widespread critical acclaim, while Nadine's album Insatiable received a more lukewarm reception, reaching Number 47 on the UK album charts.
Girls Aloud officially disbanded in 2013, announcing their split on Twitter following their final gig at Liverpool's Echo Arena.
How did her bandmates react?
Girls Aloud in 2004. Justin Goff Photos for cd:uk/Getty Images
It's often said that there's no winner or loser in a breakup; however, if media interviews are to be believed, Nadine Coyle was the loser in the Girls Aloud breakup.
Speaking to The Mirror in 2014, Coyle said, "I didn't think we were going to end – we had done all the promo saying we were all together, having a great tour, wearing Victoria's Secret wings and stomping up and down the catwalk every night, loving every single minute of it.
"And then, on the very last night of the tour, our management and publicist came up to me and said the girls wanted to split up the band. I was thinking, 'What?!' I was in hair and make-up, about to get into my costume, and the show was starting in 20 minutes. I was shocked."
Nadine refused to sign the formal paperwork confirming the split, which means that she is officially the only remaining member of Girls Aloud to this day.
At first glance, it may seem clear-cut that Cheryl pushed for the Girls Aloud split. Her solo career had taken flight and she had become a foremost figure in the British public thanks to her stints as a judge on The X Factor.
However, Cheryl has since stated that it was actually Nadine who had pushed for a solo career and the negotiation of initial deals.
This was all revealed in the explosive 2014 Attitude interview, during which Cheryl famously said, "She's [Nadine] full of s**t.
"She was the one who wanted to make a solo record. Which is why we took the hiatus. OK, so do you want us to tell the truth? She wasn’t going to make another Girls Aloud record until she got a solo deal. I feel she held us to ransom. And then made her solo record deal."
With two band members arguing over who was trying to call the shots, this is fertile soil for a decades-long feud. However, Girls Aloud managed to set their differences aside in 2020, after bandmate Sarah Harding was diagnosed with breast cancer.
After Harding's tragic passing in 2021, Cheryl, Nadine, Kimberly and Nicola held a gala evening called The Primrose Ball, which saw them raise over £1 million for The Sarah Harding Breast Cancer Appeal, a branch of The Christie Charitable Fund.
The newly formed Girls Aloud then performed a reunion tour across the UK and Ireland in 2o24.
Was going solo worth it?
Cheryl Cole. David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images for The Londone
Whatever your opinion on who really was behind the Girls Aloud split, it's undeniable that Cheryl came out well from it.
After releasing four solo albums between 2009 and 2014, she was the first British female solo artist to achieve five UK number-one singles, including the iconic Fight For This Love, Promise This and Call My Name.
Cheryl is also a prominent figure in British culture, with two stints as an X Factor judge and an unforgettable run starring in the play 2:22: A Ghost Story.
Who knows what could have been if Girls Aloud stayed together? All we do know is Cheryl Tweedy Cole Fernandez-Versini had what it takes to go solo.
Alesha Dixon
Alesha Dixon. ©Syco/Thames
Combining R&B, UK garage, and hip-hop, Mis-Teeq is an iconic UK girl group who rose to fame in the early noughties with hits like Scandalous and One Night Stand.
The group formed in 1999, made up of Sabrina Washington, Su-Elise Nash and the unforgettable MC skills of Alesha Dixon.
Their split came in 2006, which Alesha Dixon later described as the worst year of her life. On top of the band separating, this was the year that Dixon discovered her ex-husband Harvey had been cheating on her, plus she missed out on a record deal. After all, bad things do come in threes.
Talking to Apple Music's The Dotty Show, she said, "I’d split with the girls, then in October 2006 I had no money, my marriage had ended. I had no record deal. I had to hit rock bottom... that was the making of me."
Shortly before the split, MisTeeq seemed right on the verge of breaking into America, with their single Scandalous in the Top 10 and a third album in the works.
However, their record label went bust, which, according to rumours, was due to the expense of signing on Victoria Beckham as an artist.
This wasn't necessarily the end of Mis-Teeq, as the band were offered another record deal. However, Dixon decided to turn it down, telling Apple Music's Dotty, "I knew if I signed that deal, I'd be tied into the group for several more years. I thought, 'Here's a clean out. Here's a way out without me having to fight. I can just walk away.'"
What did former bandmates say?
Mis-Teeq in 2001. Justing Goff Photos for SM:tv/Getty Images
Not much was said by the members of Mis-Teeq at the time of the split. Several news outlets quoted that a record spokeswoman simply stated, "After having a great time, they've decided to do their own thing."
Not much collaboration was seen between the girls in the years following the split, as each decided to take different paths.
Relationships between the trio were looking solid earlier this year, as Mis-Teeq announced their comeback gig, the first time they'd be playing together in 22 years, at London's Wembley Arena.
However, the band are now feuding thanks to news of Sabrina Washington ditching future performances as a trio in favour of solo gigs.
Following this news, which broke in September 2026, bandmate Su-Elise has taken to social media to vent her frustration at being "blindsided" by this split. Sharing a post about Sabrina's solo tour, Su-Elise said, "To find out that a press release went out to media today saying 'Mis-Teeq have split' has taken me by surprise. That’s news to me…
"Either way, I’m incredibly proud of what we achieved at Wembley and so grateful to everyone who came out and supported us."
While Mis-Teeq may not be performing together in the near future, we're sure to see a lot of the individual members, as Alesha has been confirmed as a new co-host of The Voice UK, Su-Elise is tipped to enter the I’m a Celebrity jungle and Sabrina is embarking on her solo tour.
Was going solo worth it?
Eurovision 2023 presenters Alesha Dixon, Julia Sanina, and Hannah Waddingham. Twitter/@bbceurovision
After leaving Mis-Teeq in 2005, Alesha Dixon released her debut solo album in 2006. In 2007, Dixon featured on Strictly Come Dancing, which she went on to win with partner Matthew Cutler.
Following this success, the record company that had previously dropped Dixon came back to her with a bigger deal, but Dixon refused.
In 2008, her second studio album The Alesha Show was released, featuring hit singles The Boy Does Nothing, which reached number 5 in the UK singles chart, and Breathe Slow.
Nowadays, Alesha is best-known as a judge on Britain's Got Talent and a regular face across British television than for her solo music career.
Considering that it comes as a surprise to many that Alesha made her start in Mis-Teeq, it seems that the decision to go her own way paid off well.
Robbie Williams
Robbie Williams. Photo by Gus Stewart/Redferns via Getty Images
Take four lovable Northern lads, add a suave lounge singer/composer and you've got the recipe for a hit group. Initially called Cutest Rush, then Kick-It, Take That is one of the UK's most popular boy bands, made up of Gary Barlow, Mark Owen, Howard Donald and Robbie Williams.
Originally marketed towards gay listeners, Take That's fame grew mostly thanks to a fandom of teenage girls, boosting hits like Relight My Fire or Pray right to the top of the charts.
It was always clear that Barlow was the foundation of the group, as the main songwriter, but as time went on, he became effectively the only songwriter, disallowing other group members from contributing to the music.
Williams described his frustration with this in the 2026 documentary Take That, saying, "My problems have always been with Gary, my problem has always been with Gary. I wanted to crush him. I wanted to crush the memory of the band."
At the same time, Robbie Williams was deep in both drug and alcohol addiction, almost suffering an overdose the night before the 1995 MTV Europe Music Awards.
Tensions grew to a head, causing the band to issue Williams an ultimatum, and he departed in 1995. One year later, the band had officially split.
Sans Robbie, the band then reformed in 2005, creating some of their biggest hits to date, including Shine and Patience. Robbie re-joined the group in 2010 for the album Progress and its subsequent tour, before leaving the band to focus on caring for his second child in 2014.
Jason Orange then left the band in the same year, and they have continued as a trio.
What did former bandmates say?
Robbie Williams, Mark Owen, Gary Barlow, Jason Orange and Howard Donald of Take That. L. Busacca/WireImage
In the 2026 documentary Take That, Jason Orange and Mark Owen discussed how they became frustrated with Robbie Williams, believing that he was no longer taking the band seriously.
Orange described growing frustration with how Williams became "more rebellious and more belligerent", while Owen added, "I think the lack of interest was obvious and I think Gaz and Jay were p****d off about it."
Barlow has also spoken up about experiencing jealousy after his solo career didn't work out as well as Robbie's had. In the 2026 documentary Take That, he said of Williams's success, "I remember sitting there and thinking I can't catch that.
"I was incredibly competitive, so yes, I think I was jealous. It was just so excruciating, you just want to crawl into a hole. And there was a period of about 13 months where I didn't leave the house once."
However, tensions between Barlow and Williams have settled, especially after the reunion of the band in 2010. Performing at a 2010 concert in aid of Help For Heroes charity, Williams introduced Barlow to the stage as follows: "It has been 15 years in the making. My wife calls him my boyfriend, I call him my captain, you call him Gary Barlow."
Was going solo worth it?
Robbie Williams. Roger Wimmer/ISI Photos/Getty Images
While going solo wasn't Robbie's initial motivation to leave Take That, it certainly worked out well for him.
As a solo artist, Robbie Williams has enjoyed astronomical success. He's sold 75-80 million albums worldwide and set a considerable amount of records, including the most BRIT awards (18) and most UK Number One albums by a solo artist (16).
Despite famously not being able to crack the American market, Robbie Williams is one of the best-selling musical artists in British history, enjoying huge success across Europe and Australia as well.
Plus, is there any greater measure of success than your songs being British karaoke staples?
Diana Ross
Diana Ross. Scott Legato/Getty Images
Given the wild success and staying power of The Supremes, it's hard to believe that they weren't an immediate success. The band started off as The Primettes, initially made up of Diana Ross, Mary Wilson, Florence Ballard and Betty McGlown.
After being renamed The Supremes, the group were cruelly nicknamed the 'No-Hit Supremes' by the public. However, fortunes turned after the release of Where Did Our Love Go in 1964, which went to No. 1 on the pop charts and started a run of five chart-toppers in a row.
Despite their success, relationships between the group deteriorated due to accusations of favouritism towards Diana Ross from both the Motown record label and manager Berry Gordy, exacerbated when Gordy began a relationship with Ross.
This was made even more apparent in 1967, when Motown officially changed the name of the group to Diana Ross and The Supremes.
In 1969, Diana Ross left The Supremes to pursue a solo career and was replaced by Jean Terrell. Reflecting on the decision to leave in a 1981 interview in Record Mirror, she said, " It was time for me to see if I could make it on my own. It's like growing up."
What did former bandmates say?
The Supremes circa 1962. James Kriegsmann/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
While there were disagreements between the bandmates, the other members of The Supremes draw a clear distinction between their working relationship and their friendship with Ross.
In a 1975 interview in The Advocate, Cindy Birdsong (who replaced Florence Ballard) said, "All those rumours about fights are completely untrue. I think our relationship with her is better than when she was singing with us," to which Mary Wilson added, "We're probably better friends now than we've ever been."
This relationship appears to have changed somewhat over time, with Wilson telling The Guardian in 2019 regarding Ross: "We’re friends but we don’t call each other constantly.
"We’ve grown apart, but it’s not because we don’t like each other. My love for Flo (Florence Ballard) and Diane is pretty much almost the same as for my sisters – we had so much together, we grew up together."
Was going solo worth it?
Diana Ross. GettyImages/Jim Dyson
While the clear favouritism was painful for the rest of The Supremes, it certainly paid off for Diana Ross.
As a solo artist, Ross went on to dominate the charts over the coming years, scoring multiple number one and top ten hits including I'm Coming Out, Ain't No Mountain High Enough, Upside Down and Endless Love.
Her sound covers pop, R&B, Broadway covers, disco, rock, and more, and she has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame; one with The Supremes and one as a solo artist.
Ross has also had a successful film career, even earning an Oscar nomination for her lead role in the 1972 Billie Holiday biopic Lady Sings the Blues.
Perhaps one of the biggest indicators of Diana Ross's success is the theatrical release of her documentary film Diana Ross: Her Life, Love and Legacy, brought out on her 75th birthday in 2019. That's something you don't see every day.
Jesy Nelson
Jesy Nelson. Lia Toby/Getty Images for The NTA's
If there's one thing the X Factor judges are good it, it's creating a hit band out of solo acts.
Jesy Nelson, Leigh-Anne Pinnock, Jade Thirlwall and Perrie Edwards all originally auditioned as solo acts for the X Factor in 2011, before being brought together by the judges and mentored by Tulisa.
After winning the competition, the group went on to become one of the most popular bands in the UK, defining pop music in the 2010s with hits like Black Magic, Shoutout to My Ex and Power.
However, despite mainstream success, it wasn't smooth sailing. Jesy Nelson suffered extreme online bullying right from the very inception of Little Mix, often focusing on her appearance and her weight.
The relentless trolling led Nelson to develop severe depression and an eating disorder.
Jesy then quit the band in 2020, citing mental health reasons. In a statement posted on Instagram, the singer said, "The past nine years in Little Mix has been the most incredible time, but the truth is recently being in a 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.
"There comes a time in life when we need to reinvest in taking care of ourselves rather than focusing on making other people happy, and I feel like now is the time to begin that process."
Nelson then went on to pursue a solo career, releasing her first single in 2021, while Little Mix remained together as a trio.
What did former bandmates say?
Little Mix in 2019. Stuart C. Wilson/Getty Images
On the same day that Jesy released her statement, the Little Mix X (formerly Twitter) account posted the following: "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."
However, relationships have soured in recent years. Although the three remaining members of Little Mix have been notoriously tight-lipped about any potential feud, the trio all unfollowed Jesy on Instagram after the release of her first solo single.
That being said, after Nelson revealed that her twin daughters were diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) Type 1, she confirmed on ITV's This Morning that all the members of Little Mix had reached out to her to offer her support.
Although the girls haven't since refollowed her on Instagram, Leigh-Anne said in an interview with Heart Breakfast that "You can imagine we were all together for so long, we are sisters and yeah, I think that relationship is really important to us."
Was going solo worth it?
Jesy Nelson promoting her single BOYZ in 2021. Neil Mockford/GC Images
Jesy Nelson released her first solo song on 8 October 2020, a single titled Boyz with Nicki Minaj.
This single immediately caused controversy due to accusations of blackfishing. Nelson's appearance in her solo music videos, including braids and a dark tan, was the main driver of these accusations.
Jesy responded to these claims on Instagram live, saying, "My intention is never to offend people of colour with this video and my song."
This backlash wasn't helped by Nelson's performance of the song at Capital's Jingle Ball, which was abruptly turned into a meme.
Since then, Nelson has released two more singles, both of which achieved little commercial success. This solo career is definitely one that probably should have been left on the shelf.
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