Jesy Nelson Launches Solo Career With 'Boyz' Featuring Nicki Minaj

Jesy Nelson is launching her solo career after leaving Little Mix, and she's enlisted none other than Nicki Minaj for her solo debut, "Boyz."

The catchy single sees Nelson declare her love for "bad boys," the singer coming more into her own as she enters the made-up town, Perfectville, to shoot the video. Having her own mansion and getting up to shenanigans that disturb her neighbors, Nelson's new single throws listeners back to the '90s. Paying homage to Diddy, the legend himself even makes a brief cameo.

Minaj and Nelson first teased the track on social media toward the end of September. Allowing fans to see backstage moments of Nelson practicing her choreography for the music video and Minaj saying, "It's the UK baddie and the Barbie," the song announcement threw both Little Mix fans and Minaj's fans into a frenzy.

Nelson left Little Mix in December 2020, citing that she needed to focus on her mental well-being. "The truth is being in the band has really taken a toll on my mental health," Nelson said in her departing statement. "I find the constant pressure of being in a girl group and living up to expectations very hard. 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."

A few months after departing the girl group, Nelson began to drop hints that she would be releasing some solo material. In February 2021, her Instagram story showed a photo of her in the recording studio, and she even liked a comment from a fan that asked whether she was working on a solo album.

While further information about more solo material from the artist has not yet been announced, "Boyz" is sure to tide over fans of Nelson's for the time being.