Little Mix reveals that they confronted Jesy Nelson over Blackfishing accusations before she left the group

• Little Mix addressed criticism regarding former member Jesy Nelson and Blackfishing accusations.
• Little Mix told Stella Magazine they approached Nelson about Blackfishing before she left the group.

Members of Little Mix addressed former bandmate Jesy Nelson and her recent Blackfishing accusations.

Leigh-Anne Pinnock, Jade Thirlwall, and Perrie Edwards spoke to Stella Magazine for an interview in which they discussed Nelson. Earlier this month, fans suggested that Nelson engaged in Blackfishing - when a non-Black person alters their appearance to seem Black or racially ambiguous for social or financial gain - in the music video for her debut solo, "Boyz." The term was coined by freelance writer Wanna Thompson, who wrote a Twitter thread about the issue in 2018.

"Capitalising on aspects of blackness without having to endure the daily realities of the black experience is problematic and harmful to people of colour," Leigh-Anne, 30, told the outlet. "We think it's absolutely not OK to use harmful stereotypes. There's so much to say on that subject that it's hard to sum up in a sound bite."

Thirlwall, 28, continued to say that "as a girl band coming from a show like The X Factor, it always felt like there was this point to constantly prove." She added that Little Mix is hesitant to speak about what Stella Magazine referred to as a "feud" between them and Nelson.

"We don't really want to dwell, because we have so much to celebrate as a three," Thirlwall said.

However, the "Confetti" singers confirmed that they previously spoke with Nelson about Blackfishing before leaving the band last year.

"We've dealt with it in the best way that we know how, and got each other through it. 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," the group said.

Following the accusations, Nelson told Vulture that she meant no offense.

"The whole time I was in Little Mix I never got any of that. And then I came out of [the band] and people all of a sudden were saying it," Nelson said. "I wasn't on social media around that time, so I let my team [deal with it], because that was when I'd just left. But I mean, like, I love Black culture. I love Black music. That's all I know; it's what I grew up on."

This month, Nicki Minaj, a featured artist on "Boyz," came to Nelson's defense during an hour-long Instagram Live video.

"As long as you're not hurting anybody or speaking negatively about anyone's race or culture, you should be able to enjoy your body, your makeup, how you want to," Minaj said.

Nelson gave a more detailed explanation for her appearance and sound in the music video, saying she grew up idolizing Black music. She added that the video showcased her natural hair and that she had been vacationing in Antigua before the shoot.

"When I was in the video with you I didn't even have any fake tan on, I'd been in Antigua prior to that for three weeks," Nelson said. "I'm just really lucky as a white girl that when I'm in the sun, I tan so dark."

Representatives for Little Mix and Jesy Nelson did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.