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Jesy Nelson shares release date and first promo shot for solo single with Nicki Minaj

Jesy Nelson Nicki Minaj
Jesy Nelson and Nicki Minaj release 'Boyz' next week. (Getty)

Jesy Nelson has finally shared the release date of her first solo single, along with a look at the artwork.

The former Little Mix star has teamed up with Nicki Minaj for debut single Boyz, which she told fans she would be releasing on 8 October in an Instagram post that also showed off a promo shot.

Read more: Jade Thirlwall on which Little Mix songs bring back bad memories

It featured Nelson and Minaj leaning towards the camera in black and white outfits against the backdrop of a shiny white recording studio.

Nelson captioned the post: "ITS TIME @nickiminaj 8.10.21 #Boyz"

Fans commented on the post with their excitement at the collaboration and hearing what Nelson had to offer outside of Little Mix.

One person wrote: "OMG SHE'S IN THE MUSIC VIDEO I LOVE YOU BOTH QUEENS"

Someone else added: "Best single cover of the year."

Another fan commented: "ICONS!! Can’t wait for this!"

Nelson, 30, had been teasing the news in the run-up to the announcement, including posting a clip from dance rehearsals which showed her performing with all-male backing dancers.

She had been rumoured to be debuting Boyz at the MTV VMAs in New York recently, but it was reported that the performance was cancelled when Minaj pulled out of the show.

LONDON, ENGLAND - JANUARY 28: Jesy Nelson attends the National Television Awards 2020 at The O2 Arena on January 28, 2020 in London, England. (Photo by Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)
Jesy Nelson quit Little Mix in December. (Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)

Little Mix went from a four to a three in December when Nelson quit the group citing mental health reasons, and she has since called the group "a machine" that made her unhappy.

In a recent interview for Reign With Josh Smith, she said: "I feel a lot of people think that it’s selfish I’ve left the group. I really didn’t want to upset people and I didn’t want people to think that about me, but I don’t care any more.

“It was 10 years of my life that I was very unhappy with and I needed to take myself out of that and genuinely do what’s going to make me happy.

Read more: Jesy Nelson defends making solo music after quitting Little Mix over anxiety

“Some people may not understand that, but you live once and you have to do what makes you happy.

“Being in Little Mix is literally like a machine. You don’t have any time off. You can’t switch off.

“Even when you go home, your phone is constantly going off about work and your life is planned out.”

Watch: Jesy Nelson 'felt trapped' in Little Mix