Jade Thirwall, Leigh-Anne Pinnock, and Perrie Edwards have finally spoken out about the Jesy Nelson blackfishing backlash that has remained in the news over the past several weeks.
Speaking with The Telegraph in a recent interview, the remaining Little Mix members told the outlet that, they had previously confronted Nelson about Blackfishing in a “friendly, educational manner” while she was in the group, with Pinnock reportedly telling her that “Capitalising on aspects of Blackness without having to endure the daily realities of the Black experience is problematic and harmful to people of colour.
Adding: “We think it’s absolutely not okay to use harmful stereotypes. There’s so much to say on that subject that it’s hard to sum up in a sound bite.”
Thirwall also went on to say that, while the band isn’t looking to “dwell” on the incident, as they are currently focused on their present successes, Nelson had previously been approached on the matter.
“We don’t want to talk about the video, or be critical, but one thing we will clarify regarding the Blackfishing situation is that Jesy was approached by the group in a very friendly, educational manner,” she explained.
The band’s comments come after their former bandmate Jesy Nelson was met with massive criticism following the release of her debut solo single, ‘Boyz’ featuring Nicki Minaj, which was accompanied by a highly-energetic music video that many claimed was filled with aesthetics of Black culture, and the singer sporting a heavy tanned look throughout the video.
Speaking with Vulture amidst the backlash, Nelson explained that she’s “very aware that I’m a white British woman, I’ve never said that I wasn’t. But I mean, like, I love Black culture. I love Black music. That’s all I know; it’s what I grew up on,” and that she never meant to “offend anyone.”
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