Fans of the girl group Little Mix found themselves blindsided as Jesy Nelson, one of the group's four members, announced that she would be leaving the band. The 29-year-old broke the news on her Instagram account.

The BBC quotes the singer as saying that while she had an “incredible time” being part of the band since it was formed in 2011 on The X Factor, it had started to affect her mental health negatively. Nelson said her decision to leave the group was made with “a heavy heart” and something that she did not take lightly.

While Nelson’s departure comes a month after she announced an “extended break” from Little Mix, fans did not expect it to be her last appearance with the group. Back then, she had cited “private medical reasons” as the cause of her break.

Before this break, Nelson had been open about her struggles with her own mental health. She participated in a documentary for BBC Three, where she shared about her experiences being cyber-bullied and how it almost drove her to suicide.

Page Six quotes the three other band members -- Leigh-Anne Pinnock, Perrie Edwards, and Jade Thirlwall -- as supporting Nelson’s decision. A statement released on the group’s Instagram account expressed their full support for their former bandmate.

Pinnock, Edwards, and Thirlwall also affirmed their commitment to the band in their statement. According to the trio, they are still not ready for their time as Little Mix to be over as they are still enjoying the experience.

The remaining members also acknowledged that Nelson leaving would be painful for some of their fans but also expressed their gratitude for those who have stuck with them through the years. 

Nelson also returned the love to her former bandmates, saying that the time she spent with Pinnock, Edwards, and Thirlwall was one of the most amazing she'd had. She also encouraged the trio to continue pursuing their dreams and making music.

The amicable break-up between Nelson and the rest of Little Mix is the complete opposite of what happened with One Direction, who were also formed on The X Factor. Friction has continued to exist between the group members ever since member Zayn Malik left the group in 2015.

Even back in April, when rumors of a One Direction reunion was running rampant, it was clear that the members’ feelings for each other had not improved. Malik had not re-followed his former band members Lima Payne, Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, and Niall Horan on Twitter, even after the other four have followed his account again.