BRIT Awards 2021: Jesy Nelson celebrates Little Mix’s history-making British Group win

Her former band made history as they were crowned winners in the British Group category at Tuesday’s BRIT Awards 2021.

And Jesy Nelson, who left Little Mix in December, revealed her joy over the impressive accolade as she shared a sweet snap of her ex-bandmates to Instagram. 

The singer, 29, posted the lovely image of pregnant Leigh-Anne Pinnock and Perrie Edwards alongside Jade Thirlwall, with a lines of heart and clapping hand emojis. 

Impressive: Jesy Nelson, who left Little Mix in December, revealed her joy over the band’s achievement at the BRITS as she shared a sweet snap of her ex-bandmates to Instagram

Jesy didn’t attend the ceremony at London’s O2 Arena, instead spending the day in the studio working on her solo music and teasing fans with an ‘exciting’ new track. 

Taking to Instagram Stories, Jesy gushed that she had almost got emotional while penning a new track with her collaborators.

She wrote: ‘I nearly just cried at the song we’ve wrote today wosixjxkakamzossi that’s how excited I am for you guys to hear this [sic].’ 

And while she was working on her new material, Little Mix finally bagged the title of British Group after being nominated three times, becoming the first girlband to EVER win the award during the star-studded event.  

Support: The singer, 29, posted the lovely image of pregnant Leigh-Anne Pinnock and Perrie Edwards alongside Jade Thirlwall, with a lines of heart and clapping hand emojis

Support: The singer, 29, posted the lovely image of pregnant Leigh-Anne Pinnock and Perrie Edwards alongside Jade Thirlwall, with a lines of heart and clapping hand emojis

They had also been the only female group in the category and were up against The 1975, Young T & Bugsey, Bicep and Biffy Clyro.

When accepting their well-earned award Leigh-Anne, Perrie and Jade ensured to give a shoutout to their former fourth member Jesy.

Taking to the stage, Leigh-Anne said: ‘We have been together for 10 years it’s been the best years of our life, we’ve had so much fun we’ve made so many memories, we want to thank your incredible fans, Jesy.

‘It’s not easy being a female in the UK pop industry, we’ve seen the misogyny, dominance and lack of diversity, we’re proud of how we’re stuck together and we’re using our voices more than ever.’

Working hard: Jesy didn't attend the ceremony, instead spending the day in the studio

Creating a hype: Jesy teased that her latest song almost made her cry while she was writing it

Working hard: Jesy didn’t attend the ceremony, instead spending the day in the studio to write her solo music and teasing fans with an ‘exciting’ new track

While Jade added: ‘This award isn’t just for us, it’s for Spice Girls, Sugababes, All Saints, Girls Aloud, all the incredible girls bands we love you.’ 

It was an especially big night for Little Mix, with two members debuting their baby bumps on the red carpet while donning stunning floor-length, white ball gowns.

It had been reported in the lead-up to the event that despite Jesy being part of the group in the period that the nomination covers, she wouldn’t be attending.

These claims came amid allegations of the singer wanting to ‘sever ties’ with the trio and reports of them not speaking directly with each other in months, however she did show her support for their achievement with the Instagram post on Tuesday.  

Thoughtful: While excitedly accepting their latest accolade the trio ensured to give a shout out to their former bandmate Jesy, who left the group in December

Thoughtful: While excitedly accepting their latest accolade the trio ensured to give a shout out to their former bandmate Jesy, who left the group in December

Glowing: The trio coordinated in glamorous white ball gowns for the big night, with the two mums-to-be cradling their stomachs as they posed for some snaps

Glowing: The trio coordinated in glamorous white ball gowns for the big night, with the two mums-to-be cradling their stomachs as they posed for some snaps

An insider told The Sun on Thursday: ‘The plan was always to stay in touch but that just hasn’t happened because Jesy didn’t want it.  

‘She wants to sever ties and start again — that seems to be both professionally and personally.’

It was also alleged that Little Mix were shocked at some of what Jesy has said since leaving the band and thought she’d take longer to get back into the studio to launch her solo career, claiming that it has felt like a bit of a ‘dig’.

MailOnline contacted Little Mix and Jesy’s representatives for further comment at the time

A Third Little Mix baby! Jade cradled the gongs while her bandmates held onto their stomachs

A Third Little Mix baby! Jade cradled the gongs while her bandmates held onto their stomachs 

Claims: It had been reported in the lead-up to the event that Jesy wanted to 'sever ties' with the trio (pictured) and reports of them not speaking directly with each other in months

 Claims: It had been reported in the lead-up to the event that Jesy wanted to ‘sever ties’ with the trio (pictured) and reports of them not speaking directly with each other in months

The 2021 BRIT Awards celebrated the achievements of British and international artists over the last 18 months.

The ceremony truly belonged to Dua Lipa, 25, as the evening saw her scoop the accolade for Female Solo Artist and the Mastercard British Album of the Year Award for her lockdown hit Future Nostalgia.

This year’s Rising Star award winner Griff was handed the baton for the honour by 2020’s Rising Star winner Celeste, who herself was up for three further awards.

And Arlo Parks was crowned Breakthrough Artist, one of the three awards the star was nominated for, after what has been an incredible year for the London artist.

She also made her debut BRITs performance with an elegant rendition of Hope and decorated the set as a sunflower field in a nod to the name of her debut album. 

Four become three: Jesy (far left) decided to walk away from the chart-topping band in December last year (pictured at the BRIT Awards in 2017)

Four become three: Jesy (far left) decided to walk away from the chart-topping band in December last year (pictured at the BRIT Awards in 2017)

Meanwhile, the International Group category followed a similar suit, with the California girlband HAIM in attendance to accept their award.

And the accolade for International Female was given to the Bad Guy hitmaker Billie Eilish, 19, who accepted the award via a pre-recorded video acceptance speech.

The Weeknd emerged victorious in the International Male Solo Artist category with his award presented by the former First Lady of the United States, Michelle Obama.

The Blinding Lights hitmaker treated the audience to an unforgettable performance of his single Save Your Tears, pre-recorded from the US.

Dem Boy Paigon hitmaker JHUS scooped the Male Solo Artist award, which was accepted on his behalf by DJ Semtex in his absence.

How did BRIT Awards go ahead during the Covid pandemic?

The 2021 BRIT Awards marked the first live music event in the UK since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The indoor ceremony and live show formed part of the Government’s scientific Events Research Programme.

Enhanced testing approaches will examine how events can take place without the need for social distancing after all restrictions are lifted on June 21.  

4,000 tickets were made available for the live ceremony, just one fifth of the venue’s 20,000 capacity, with 2,500 of those being given to key workers. 

The BRITs will play an important role in paving the way for the return of live music at scale as the UK emerges from the past year’s restrictions. 

Audience members were not socially distanced or required to wear face coverings once seated inside the arena, though they were required in communal areas such as the toilet or main concourse.

All attendees were allowed to purchase alcohol and concessions once inside the O2 Arena.

Attendees were also required to follow existing Government guidance when travelling to the venue and adhere to rules set out by the event organisers.

Among the rules, attendees had to provide proof of a negative lateral flow test result to enter the venue, and said test had to be taken at an asymptomatic testing site within 36 hours of the ceremony.

Upon arrival at the venue, all attendess were asked to take a PCR test, and will then take another test five days after the ceremony 

It’s hoped this will gather further evidence on the safety of indoor settings, reduced social distancing and the removal of non-pharmaceutical interventions like face coverings.

Following a successful awards season stateside, One Direction heartthrob Harry Styles scooped Best British Single with his summertime track Watermelon Sugar.

The first female artist to win the highest BRITs accolade and the UK’s biggest selling artist of the year to date, Taylor Swift, appeared in person to accept the special Global Icon award, which was presented by Game Of Thrones’ Maisie Williams.

Each winner was presented with the BRITs’ first-ever collaborative double-trophy, designed by Es Devlin OBE and Yinka Ilori MBE, with each recipient encouraged to re-gift the smaller trophy to someone else.

The 2021 BRIT Awards, hosted by Jack Whitehall, marked the first major indoor music event in over a year as bosses released 2,500 free tickets to key workers.

Shock: The singers seemed overjoyed at their win on the night, thanking their fans and Jesy as they took to the stage to accept the trophy

Shock: The singers seemed overjoyed at their win on the night, thanking their fans and Jesy as they took to the stage to accept the trophy

The band's growing! The BRIT Awards come just days after Leigh-Anne (far left) and Perrie (far right) both announced they were pregnant within a week of each other

The band’s growing! The BRIT Awards come just days after Leigh-Anne (far left) and Perrie (far right) both announced they were pregnant within a week of each other  

The show saw a total of 11 awards handed out alongside nine unbeatable show-stopping performances, six of which were able to be staged live in stadium.

The show officially opened with fireworks and a UK exclusive performance by Coldplay of their new song Higher Power from the River Thames.

The BRITs is known for its unique collaborations and this year was no different, with Elton John and Years & Years’ Olly Alexander joining forces for a spectacular performance of the Pet Shop Boys’ classic It’s A Sin.

The recorded version of the song will now be available to purchase as a single in support of the Elton John AIDS Foundation charity.

A second collaboration saw Rag’n’Bone Man and P!nk perform their new single Anywhere Away from Here, with P!nk joining remotely from the US.

And the musical duo were joined by special guest singers from the Greenwich and Lewisham NHS Trust Choir, providing an emotional climax to the show.

BRIT AWARDS WINNERS 2021

FEMALE SOLO ARTIST 

ARLO PARKS

CELESTE 

DUA LIPA – WINNER

JESSIE WARE 

 LIANNE LA HAVAS

MALE SOLO ARTIST 

AJ TRACEY

HEADIE ONE 

J HUS – WINNER

JOEL CORRY 

YUNGBLUD

BRITISH GROUP 

BICEP

BIFFY CLYRO 

LITTLE MIX – WINNER

THE 1975 

YOUNG T & BUGSEY

BRITs RISING STAR 

GRIFF WARNER – WINNER

PA SALIEU

RINA SAWAYAMA 

MASTERCARD ALBUM 

ARLO PARKS COLLAPSED IN SUNBEAMS 

CELESTE NOT YOUR MUSE 

DUA LIPA FUTURE NOSTALGIA – WINNER

J HUS BIG CONSPIRACY

JESSIE WARE WHAT’S YOUR PLEASURE? 

INTERNATIONAL GROUP

BTS 

D.C. PARTISAN 

FOO FIGHTERS 

HAIM – WINNER

RUN THE JEWELS

RISING STAR

Griff

BREAKTHROUGH ARTIST 

ARLO PARKS – WINNER

BICEP 

CELESTE 

JOEL CORRY 

YOUNG T & BUGSEY

BRITISH SINGLE

220 KID & GRACEY DON’T NEED LOVE

AITCH & AJ TRACEY FT TAY KEITH RAIN 

DUA LIPA PHYSICAL

HARRY STYLES WATERMELON SUGAR – WINNER 

HEADIE ONE FT AJ TRACEY & STORMZY AIN’T IT DIFFERENT 

JOEL CORRY FT MNEK HEAD & HEART

NATHAN DAWE FT KSI LIGHTER

REGARD & RAYE SECRETS 

S1MBA FT DTG ROVER PARLOPHONE 

YOUNG T & BUGSEY FT HEADIE ONE DON’T RUSH

INTERNATIONAL FEMALE SOLO ARTIST 

ARIANA GRANDE

BILLIE EILISH – WINNER

CARDI B

MILEY CYRUS 

TAYLOR SWIFT 

INTERNATIONAL MALE SOLO ARTIST 

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN  

BURNA BOY 

CHILDISH GAMBINO 

TAME IMPALA FICTION

THE WEEKND – WINNER

GLOBAL ICON

Taylor Swift