Jesy Nelson

For Jesy Nelson, an eighteenth month hiatus from releasing music equates to the vocal, sonic and lyrical growth that characterises her latest release, ‘Bad Thing’. Released independently following Nelson’s split with Polydor, ‘Bad Thing’ sees the former Little Mix member move from the R&B infused nature of her debut solo track ‘BOYZ’ to the adult contemporary genre - a leap which, in my opinion, most effectively showcases Nelson’s unique and instantly recognisable vocal range. The track also highlights the versatility and talent of production duo ‘Loose Change’, serving as the second collaboration between the two musical spearheads.
      
A predominantly 'jazz fusion' track, 'Bad Thing' indisputably catapults Nelson into the direction of solo stardom in more ways than one. Don't get me wrong, I was a huge fan of 'BOYZ'. As a member of Little Mix, Nelson was candid about her love for RnB and Hip-Hop music and so it was immensely refreshing to see her releasing music reflective of the genre she was so passionate about. Having said that, I am not ignorant to the fact that the track was plagued by accusations of blackfishing, and a disastrous Instagram live with Nicki Minaj. In the months that followed, Nelson announced her decision to leave Polydor Records, citing creative differences as the main contributing factor, though it was reportedly an amicable split.
      
The Bond theme-esque and string instrumentation heavy nature of 'Bad Thing' absolutely oozes maturity and, similarly to 'BOYZ', lyrically alludes to Jesy's infatuation with toxic men. However, whilst 'BOYZ' adopted a trivial, tongue-in-cheek approach, 'Bad Thing' is of a far more serious nature. Specifically, the track calls attention to women suffering from domestic abuse - a highly sensitive and deeply upsetting topic which certain women in Nelson's life have personal experiences of. Pairing with the domestic abuse charity, 'Women's Aid', the music video also serves as a platform for Jesy to showcase her incredible storytelling capabilities.

Overall, I'm deeply impressed with the track. I sincerely hope that the 'baddies', Nelson's die-hard fan base, get behind the single and such support subsequently lands Jesy a spot on the official chart. 5 stars!