Jesy Nelson faces more backlash after bizarre outfit choice reignites blackfishing row
Singer Jesy Nelson (Getty/Karwai Tang)
Singer Jesy Nelson is facing yet more backlash thanks to an unfortunate outfit choice at Capital’s Jingle Bell Ball.
The former Little Mix singer raised eyebrows on Saturday (11 December) when she posed for pictures at London’s 02 Arena wearing a jacket with the brand name Market Black emblazoned on it.
However, the 30-year-old’s long locks covered half of the motif, leaving just “Black” visible, in an unfortunate fashion blunder.
After the picture was shared on Nelson’s Instagram page, fans weren’t impressed as they questioned whether the star was poking fun at her “blackfishing” scandal.
Jesy Nelson wearing a Market Black jacket at Capital’s Jingle Bell Ball (Getty/Kate Green)
One wrote: “Jesy Nelson and her entire team are just trolling and mocking black women now. And it reeks of ignorance, arrogance, desperation and misogynoir.”
Another wrote: “Not ms jesy nelson wearing a jacket with “BLACK” written on it after everything im screaming [sic].”
The image was hastily deleted from her Instagram account before sources claimed the singer had been completely unaware of the styling blunder.
An insider told The Sun: “She had no idea, when her hair was pulled over one shoulder on the red carpet, that it was covering the start of the logo. Her team didn’t say a word when it was happening and even posted the picture on Instagram before deleting it a few minutes later.”
The source added that Jesy was “so upset” by the red carpet photos and claimed that those close to the singer were “furious” that she has been made to “look like a fool again.”
https://twitter.com/kaystheatrelove/status/1469786260478832646
Indeed, the singer has faced widespread criticism since the release of her debut solo single Boyz in October and its accompanying music video.
Nelson was immediately accused of “blackfishing” by fans – the term refers to a white person who appropriates Blackness using make-up, fake tan and lip fillers, as well as by co-opting clothing and hairstyles made popular by Black people.
Saturday also saw the former X Factor contestant’s performance of her controversial single trending for all the wrong reasons as viewers commented on her constantly sticking out her tongue.
One confused viewer tweeted: “Nothing could’ve prepared me for that Jesy Nelson performance. Nothing.”
Nelson previously addressed the blackfishing allegations during an Instagram Live with her collaborator Nicki Minaj.
The singer said she never intended to “offend people of colour” with the music video – instead, she wanted to “celebrate” ’90s R&B because “that era of music is what I love”.
“It actually does really hurt me that may have offended people,” she said.
PinkNews has contacted representatives for Jesy Nelson for comment.
