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Jess Glynne (full name — Jessica Hannah Glynne; born October 20, 1989, London, United Kingdom) is a British singer and songwriter whose music blends pop, soul, R&B, house and dance-pop. She gained international recognition in 2014 through her appearances on My Love by producer Route 94 and Rather Be by Clean Bandit.
Over the following years, Glynne became one of the most successful British pop singers of her generation. Seven recordings featuring her reached No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart, while her first two studio albums — I Cry When I Laugh (2015) and Always In Between (2018) — both topped the UK Albums Chart. In 2015, Rather Be earned her a Grammy Award for Best Dance/Electronic Recording.
Jess Glynne's best-known songs include Rather Be, My Love, Hold My Hand, Don't Be So Hard on Yourself, Take Me Home, I'll Be There, These Days, All I Am, Thursday, One Touch and Back to Me.
Childhood and early years
Jessica Hannah Glynne was born on October 20, 1989, in the Hampstead area of London and grew up in Muswell Hill in North London.
She developed an interest in singing during childhood. Among the artists Glynne has cited as influences on her vocal style are Whitney Houston, Aretha Franklin, Lauryn Hill, Amy Winehouse and other major figures in soul and R&B.
She did not begin her professional singing career immediately, however. After finishing school, Glynne worked in several different fields, including retail and the service industry, and later spent some time working in music management.
Working within the music industry gave her an opportunity to meet songwriters and producers and to learn how professional recordings were developed. At the same time, she continued writing her own songs and searching for the sound that best suited her.
Access to Music and first professional recordings
Glynne studied on a music course at London's Access to Music, where she met songwriter Jin Jin and producer Bless Beats.
Their demo recordings attracted the attention of representatives from independent label Black Butter Records. The company signed the young artist to a publishing deal and helped her establish new connections within the industry.
By this point, Glynne had already written a large number of songs, experimenting with soul, pop, electronic music and R&B. She later recalled that finding her own sound required her to write more than one hundred compositions.
In 2013, the singer signed with Atlantic Records, after which music became her full-time professional career.
My Love with Route 94
Her first major success came through a collaboration with British producer Route 94.
Glynne recorded the vocals for his deep-house track My Love. The track received strong club support and, after its official release in 2014, climbed to No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart.
My Love became Jess Glynne's first UK No. 1 and introduced her voice to a mainstream audience.
Her distinctive slightly raspy tone and expressive soul delivery stood out against the track's minimalist house production. That quality soon caught the attention of another British electronic group.
Rather Be with Clean Bandit
The members of Clean Bandit heard Glynne's voice on My Love and invited her to record the vocal part for a new song, Rather Be.
The single was released in January 2014 and became one of the decade's biggest European pop hits.
Rather Be spent four weeks at No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart, charted in dozens of countries and reached No. 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States.
The track combined electronic dance music with strings and Jess Glynne's prominent pop vocal. This approach became one of the defining features of the British dance-pop scene of the mid-2010s.
Grammy Award for Rather Be
At the 57th Grammy Awards in 2015, Clean Bandit and Jess Glynne won the award for Rather Be in the category Best Dance/Electronic Recording.
For Glynne, it was both her first Grammy nomination and her first win.
The award came before the release of her debut solo album, underlining the unusually rapid nature of her international breakthrough.
Right Here and the beginning of her solo career
Following the success of her first two major guest appearances, Glynne began releasing music more actively under her own name.
Her first significant solo single was Right Here, produced by British electronic duo Gorgon City.
The song was released in summer 2014 and reached No. 6 on the UK Singles Chart.
Later that year, she collaborated with Clean Bandit again. Their song Real Love reached No. 2 on the UK chart.
Hold My Hand
In spring 2015, Jess Glynne released Hold My Hand, which became one of the biggest solo hits of her career.
The song topped the UK Singles Chart and remained at No. 1 for several weeks.
Unlike the more club-oriented Rather Be and My Love, the track presented Glynne's own musical identity more clearly — a combination of soul vocals, piano-driven pop, gospel influences and light dance rhythms.
Vocal cord surgery
At the height of her first major solo success, the singer experienced serious vocal problems.
In 2015, she was diagnosed with a polyp on a vocal cord. Glynne was forced to cancel several concerts and festival appearances, including a planned performance at Glastonbury, and underwent surgery.
Following the procedure, she observed several weeks of complete vocal rest before gradually returning to performing.
She later said that the experience changed her attitude toward touring schedules and made her more attentive to recovery and vocal technique.
Not Letting Go and a new UK chart record
In summer 2015, Glynne featured on Not Letting Go by rapper Tinie Tempah.
The song topped the UK Singles Chart and became another major commercial success for the singer.
It was followed by Don't Be So Hard on Yourself, which also reached No. 1.
Within a very short period, Glynne accumulated five UK No. 1 singles, equalling Cheryl's then-record among British female solo artists.
I Cry When I Laugh
Jess Glynne's debut studio album I Cry When I Laugh was released on August 21, 2015.
The album debuted at No. 1 on the UK Albums Chart and became one of the year's most successful British pop releases.
The title referred to a characteristic habit of Glynne's — crying when she laughs intensely. At the same time, it reflected the emotional concept of the album, much of which was written after a difficult breakup.
The album included:
- Right Here;
- Rather Be with Clean Bandit;
- Real Love with Clean Bandit;
- Hold My Hand;
- Don't Be So Hard on Yourself;
- Take Me Home;
- Ain't Got Far to Go;
- You Can Find Me;
- Why Me and other songs.
Musically, the album combined pop, soul, R&B, funk, gospel and electronic dance music.
Take Me Home
One of the most emotional songs on the debut album was Take Me Home.
Unlike Glynne's upbeat dance singles, the track is structured as a soul ballad with a strong piano foundation.
The song reached No. 4 on the UK Singles Chart and later became one of the most enduring songs in her live repertoire.
These Days with Rudimental
At the beginning of 2018, Glynne featured on These Days by Rudimental alongside Macklemore and Dan Caplen.
The song spent several weeks at No. 2 on the UK chart before eventually reaching the top spot.
These Days became the sixth No. 1 single featuring Jess Glynne and allowed her to set a new record among British female solo artists.
I'll Be There and a seventh No. 1
In spring 2018, Glynne released the solo single I'll Be There.
In June, the song topped the UK Singles Chart and became the seventh UK No. 1 single featuring Glynne.
With this result, she set a record for the most UK No. 1 singles by a British female artist. The record has remained intact: Jess Glynne is still the first and only British female singer to have achieved seven such chart-topping recordings.
Always In Between
Her second studio album, Always In Between, was released on October 12, 2018.
The album once again debuted at No. 1 on the UK Albums Chart.
It included:
- I'll Be There;
- All I Am;
- Thursday;
- No One;
- Rollin;
- Nevermind;
- These Days and other songs.
Compared with her debut, the album adopted a more mature and restrained sound. Soul and R&B became more prominent, while the lyrics more frequently explored self-worth, relationships and emotional vulnerability.
All I Am and Thursday
All I Am became one of the biggest singles from the second album and reached the UK Top 10.
On Thursday, Glynne addressed the pressure created by social standards and the need to accept one's own appearance without constantly trying to meet other people's expectations.
A special version of the song featuring American R&B singer H.E.R. was later released.
One Touch with Jax Jones
In 2019, Jess Glynne and British electronic producer Jax Jones released the collaborative single One Touch.
The song brought Glynne back to a more pronounced house and dance-pop sound and reached the UK Top 20.
Hiatus and departure from Atlantic Records
After several years of intensive studio work and touring, Glynne's activity noticeably decreased.
She continued to release occasional tracks and take part in collaborations, but no new album followed Always In Between for several years.
In the early 2020s, the singer ended her relationship with Atlantic Records. She later explained that at one point she had stopped enjoying the process of making music and needed to reassess her career.
After the break, Glynne assembled a new team, began working with Roc Nation and signed a record deal with EMI.
Return in 2023
A new chapter began in 2023.
Her first solo release after the extended break was Silly Me, followed by What Do You Do?.
Unlike the heavier emotional material of her second album, the new songs returned to a more energetic dance-pop production style with disco and house influences.
In autumn, she released Friend of Mine, a song about the painful end of a close relationship.
JESS
On April 26, 2024, Jess Glynne released her third studio album, JESS.
It was her first full-length studio release in six years and her first album released through EMI.
The record contains 15 tracks and combines soul, dance-pop, funk, R&B and electronic pop.
Key songs include:
- Silly Me;
- What Do You Do?;
- Friend of Mine;
- Enough;
- Easy;
- Promise Me;
- Say No;
- Enough;
- Love Me and other tracks.
The album title emphasizes its more personal character. Glynne described the project as a return to her own musical identity after a period in which she had stopped enjoying the music industry.
JESS debuted at No. 6 on the UK Albums Chart, becoming her third consecutive studio album to enter the UK Top 10.
BRIT Billion Award
In April 2024, Jess Glynne received a BRIT Billion Award.
The British Phonographic Industry presents the award to artists whose recordings have collectively surpassed one billion official streams in the United Kingdom.
The total includes both Glynne's solo releases and songs on which she appeared as a featured vocalist.
My Love 2024 and Summer's Back
In 2024, the singer continued working actively with the electronic music scene.
Together with Route 94, she returned to one of her earliest hits and presented an updated version titled My Love (2024).
During the summer, Glynne also appeared on Summer's Back with Alok, continuing her long-running connection with club-oriented pop and house collaborations.
Back to Me with Rudimental
In 2025, Jess Glynne reunited with Rudimental for the track Back to Me.
It marked their first major collaboration since the success of These Days.
The song returned Glynne's vocals to a recognizably British dance-pop production style with elements of drum & bass and electronic music.
Back to Me entered the UK Singles Chart and reached No. 42, while peaking at No. 11 on the UK Dance Singles Chart.
Jess Glynne in 2026
In 2026, the singer continues to perform and record new material.
Her digital catalog has also expanded with new versions and remixes of earlier recordings, including an updated version of I'll Be There.
At the same time, Glynne continues to work on new material and performs at concerts and festivals across Europe.
Her most recent major studio project remains JESS, the album that marked her return to regular musical activity following an extended break.
Musical style
Jess Glynne's sound developed at the intersection of several musical styles.
Her most recognizable feature remains her voice — high, slightly raspy and emotionally expressive. Even in club-oriented tracks, Glynne's vocals usually retain a strong soul inflection and noticeable dynamic range.
During the early stage of her career, this quality was especially effective on house tracks such as My Love and Rather Be. In her solo discography, more traditional pop structures, live instrumentation, gospel backing vocals and emotional ballads became increasingly prominent.
UK Singles Chart record
Jess Glynne holds a distinctive place in the history of the British charts.
Seven songs featuring her have reached No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart:
- Rather Be — Clean Bandit feat. Jess Glynne;
- My Love — Route 94 feat. Jess Glynne;
- Hold My Hand;
- Not Letting Go — Tinie Tempah feat. Jess Glynne;
- Don't Be So Hard on Yourself;
- These Days — Rudimental feat. Jess Glynne, Macklemore & Dan Caplen;
- I'll Be There.
This remains the record for a British female solo artist.
Awards and achievements
- Grammy Awards — 1 win from 1 nomination: Best Dance/Electronic Recording for Rather Be;
- 7 No. 1 singles on the UK Singles Chart;
- 2 No. 1 albums on the UK Albums Chart;
- BRIT Billion Award — more than 1 billion official UK streams;
- three consecutive studio albums reached the UK Top 10.
Jess Glynne studio discography
- I Cry When I Laugh — 2015;
- Always In Between — 2018;
- JESS — 2024.
Jess Glynne in British pop music
Jess Glynne's career began at a time when British electronic music in the first half of the 2010s was increasingly converging with mainstream pop and soul. Her first major recordings — My Love and Rather Be — became characteristic examples of that movement while simultaneously moving her from the role of studio vocalist into an independent career as a recording artist.
I Cry When I Laugh demonstrated that her success was not limited to the electronic scene. Hold My Hand, Don't Be So Hard on Yourself and Take Me Home established a recognizable solo style, while Always In Between cemented her position as one of the leading British pop singers of the late 2010s.
After an extended break, JESS opened a new phase in which Glynne returned to music with a new team and greater personal control over her material. At the same time, her early connections to electronic music remained visible through collaborations with Route 94, Alok and Rudimental.
The clearest objective measure of Jess Glynne's place in contemporary British pop remains her UK Singles Chart record: seven No. 1 songs — a total no British female solo artist had achieved before her.
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