Biography
Jess Glynne: From Featured Vocalist to Chart Record-Holder
Early Life and Musical Beginnings
Jessica Hannah Glynne was born on 20 October 1989 in Hampstead, London, and raised in Muswell Hill, North London, in a Jewish family. Her mother Alexandra worked in A&R in the music industry, and the family surname was originally Goldstein before her grandfather changed it to Glynne. At age 15 she was invited to audition for the second series of The X Factor but withdrew after a disagreement with producers.
She attended Fortismere School, completing A-levels in 2008, then worked various retail and service jobs while travelling. In her late teens she took a position at a music management company, where she began networking with songwriters and producers. A month-long course at Access to Music in East London proved pivotal: there she met songwriter Jin Jin and producer Bless Beats, who became her core creative collaborators. One of their compositions attracted Black Butter Records, which signed her to a publishing deal and introduced her to management.
Breakthrough: Rather Be, My Love, and Debut Album
In 2013, deep-house producer Route 94 approached Glynne to rewrite and sing on "My Love." Released February 2014, it reached number one on the UK Singles Chart and was certified platinum. Clean Bandit heard the track and invited her to feature on "Rather Be," which also hit UK #1, became the third fastest-selling single of 2014, and was the year's most-streamed song. It peaked in the top ten of the US Billboard Hot 100 and won the Grammy Award for Best Dance Recording at the 57th Annual Grammy Awards.
Glynne's first solo single, the Gorgon City-produced "Right Here," arrived in July 2014 and peaked at UK #6. She performed at major UK festivals including Glastonbury, Bestival, and Wireless. A second Clean Bandit collaboration, "Real Love," reached UK #2 in November 2014. During this period she also co-wrote for Little Mix, Rudimental, and Tinie Tempah. Her second solo single "Hold My Hand" debuted at UK #1 in March 2015, spending three weeks at the summit. The Tinie Tempah feature "Not Letting Go" became her fourth UK #1 in June 2015.
I Cry When I Laugh and Vocal Health Challenge
Glynne's debut album I Cry When I Laugh was released in August 2015, preceded by the fifth UK #1 single "Don't Be So Hard on Yourself." The album entered the UK Albums Chart at number one and was later certified triple platinum by the BPI. Contributors included Knox Brown, Naughty Boy, Starsmith, Talay Riley, Switch, and her regular collaborators Bless Beats and Jin Jin. The record was inspired by a 2013 breakup with a woman, though Glynne has resisted labels regarding her sexuality.
In mid-2015 she underwent surgery on her vocal cords, forcing cancellation of several performances including Glastonbury Festival. She recovered to embark on her first UK arena tour, the Take Me Home Tour, in late 2015. The track "Take Me Home" served as the official BBC Children in Need 2015 charity single, peaking at UK #6. In October 2015 she appeared as a guest judge on The X Factor and presented the Vice-produced documentary The Brit Invasion about British dance music's US crossover.
Always In Between and the Seven Number-One Record
Work on the second album began in 2016 with reports of sessions involving Ed Sheeran. The lead single arrived in January 2018: "These Days" with Rudimental, Macklemore, and Dan Caplen. After stalling at #2 behind Drake's "God's Plan" for seven weeks, it reached #1 in March 2018, making Glynne the first British female solo artist with six UK chart-toppers. The follow-up "I'll Be There" claimed #1 in June 2018, extending the record to seven — a mark she still holds as of 2026 according to the Official Charts Company.
Always In Between was released in October 2018 and debuted at #1 on the UK Albums Chart, her second consecutive chart-topping album. Additional singles "All I Am" (UK #7), "Thursday" (UK #3), and "One Touch" with Jax Jones (UK #19) sustained the campaign. The Always In Between Tour spanned Europe, the UK, and the US across 50+ dates from November 2018. In November 2018 she was announced as opening act for the Spice Girls' Spice World 2019 stadium tour, performing across the UK the following summer.
Label Transition, Hiatus, and Third Album Jess
In January 2022, following reported creative differences over musical direction, Glynne split from Atlantic Records after nearly a decade. That October she signed with United Talent Agency and Roc Nation for worldwide representation and management. In November 2022 she confirmed a new recording deal with EMI Records, describing the split as amicable and driven by a desire to explore a new sonic direction.
The first EMI single "Silly Me" arrived 28 April 2023, co-written with Knox Brown, P2J, and Mike Horner. "What Do You Do?" followed on 14 July 2023. The album sessions, spread across 2022–2023, involved producers Greg Kurstin, Malay, Boots, and Jim-E Stack. Jess was released 26 April 2024 as a 15-track collection blending soul, dance-pop, funk, R&B, and electronic pop. It debuted at #6 on the UK Albums Chart, making it her third consecutive top-10 studio album. On the release date she was presented with the BRIT Billion Award by the BPI, recognizing over one billion UK career streams across her catalogue.
Artistry, Influences, and Public Recognition
Glynne's music blends pop, R&B, soul, and dance, with a vocal style characterized by a gritty rasp and emotive delivery. She cites Frank Ocean and Amy Winehouse as primary musical influences, and names Adele, Sam Cooke, Destiny's Child, Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, Etta James, Eminem, Jay-Z, Kendrick Lamar, India Arie, Beyoncé, Mary J. Blige, Girls Aloud, Spice Girls, Mariah Carey, and Mavis Staples as inspirations. Lauryn Hill's The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill motivated her to start songwriting.
Her commercial achievements have been recognized with a Grammy Award, nine Brit Award nominations, three Ivor Novello Awards (including Most Performed Work for "Rather Be" and "These Days"), the ASCAP Vanguard Award, the Silver Clef Award for Best Newcomer, and the NatWest British LGBT Award for Music Artist of the Year (2018). Forbes named her one of the 30 Most Influential People Under 30 in Europe in 2019. In 2025 TikTok UK awarded her Song of the Year for "Hold My Hand," reflecting the track's enduring digital resonance.
Personal Life and Public Incidents
Glynne has been open about her Jewish heritage and upbringing in North London. She has stated she does not wish to be labelled lesbian or bisexual despite a past relationship with a woman that inspired her debut album. Since summer 2023 she has been in a relationship with sports broadcaster and former England and Arsenal women's footballer Alex Scott, a detail confirmed in reputable UK press.
In March 2021, Glynne faced criticism for using a transphobic slur during an appearance on The Mo Gilligan Podcast. She subsequently apologised, stating she was "unaware of the potency of the term until now." The incident was widely reported in UK media. In June 2019 she received a lifetime ban from the Isle of Wight Festival after cancelling her set with ten minutes' notice following the Spice Girls tour; she later acknowledged a heavy night of celebration and cancelled further shows on medical advice. The ban was revoked within a year.
Selected moments
Career highlights
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Breakthrough with "Rather Be" and "My Love"
Featured on Clean Bandit's "Rather Be" and Route 94's "My Love"; both singles reached #1 on the UK Singles Chart, with "Rather Be" becoming the most-streamed song of 2014 and winning the Grammy Award for Best Dance Recording.
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Debut album I Cry When I Laugh
Released August 2015; debuted at #1 on the UK Albums Chart, certified triple platinum by the BPI. Spawned solo #1 singles "Hold My Hand" and "Don't Be So Hard on Yourself," plus the Tinie Tempah collaboration "Not Letting Go" (#1).
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Grammy Award win
Won the Grammy Award for Best Dance Recording for "Rather Be" (with Clean Bandit) at the 57th Annual Grammy Awards — her first nomination and first win.
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Record-setting seventh UK #1 single
"I'll Be There" reached #1 on the UK Singles Chart in June 2018, making Glynne the first British female solo artist to achieve seven UK number-one singles, a record verified by the Official Charts Company.
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Second album Always In Between
Released October 2018; debuted at #1 on the UK Albums Chart. Included the #1 singles "These Days" (with Rudimental, Macklemore & Dan Caplen) and "I'll Be There," plus top-ten hits "All I Am" and "Thursday."
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Spice Girls tour support and Forbes recognition
Served as opening act for the Spice Girls' Spice World 2019 UK stadium tour. Named to Forbes 30 Under 30 Europe list for influential figures in entertainment.
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Label change to EMI and Roc Nation
Departed Atlantic Records in January 2022; signed with EMI Records for recording and Roc Nation for management later that year, citing desire for new creative direction.
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Third album Jess and BRIT Billion Award
Released third studio album Jess on 26 April 2024 via EMI; debuted at #6 on the UK Albums Chart (third consecutive top-10 album). Received the BRIT Billion Award for surpassing one billion UK career streams.
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TikTok UK Song of the Year
Awarded Song of the Year at the TikTok UK Awards for "Hold My Hand," recognizing the track's sustained popularity on the platform a decade after its release.