Ever since her vocal on Clean Bandit’s 2014 earworm hit ‘Rather Be’ sent her stratospheric, Jess Glynne has been among the most successful acts in recent British music history. She’s won Grammys, been streamed over 10 billion times, and remains the only British solo female artist to score seven number ones in the UK singles charts.

Despite her success, she’s been keeping things relatively low-key of late, returning from a substantial hiatus last year, and commencing a drip feed of singles from her recent third album.

“I think going through the motions of finishing my world tour, and then taking a break, inspired me to rediscover my passion for music,” Glynne reflects. “I’ve grown so much – six years is a long time. The age I’m at, especially for a woman, is quite an important time in your life. There’s a lot of self-discovery and it’s important to nurture that evolution.”

The aptly titled Jess is being cited as her most intimate work to date, with the Londoner exploring themes of self-worth and acceptance, tackling her insecurities head-on over the LP’s 15 glittery pop numbers.

“Every album of mine is incredibly personal,” she says, almost by way of correction. “But the journey I’ve been on over the past few years has set me free to be incredibly authentic, real and creative in my own way. I think calling it Jess feels very poignant.”

This new-found freedom is partly down to a switch-up in her professional network. In 2022, Glynne parted ways with label Atlantic after a string of disagreements about her future. While she says the split was amicable, she’s nonetheless relishing a fresh environment at EMI. She has also got new management, having joined the roster at Jay-Z’s Roc Nation.

“I’ve been very fortunate with my new team,” says Glynne. “They’ve allowed me to flourish. I haven’t been dictated to as much as I was in the past, and there hasn’t been so much opinion around what I’ve wanted to create. That’s allowed me to really discover myself, my artistry and where I am creatively in my life.”

Jess album artwork

NO ONE IS PERFECT

This mature, relaxed approach extended to the recording process, with Glynne underlining the importance of being in the right headspace throughout.

“I started this album with Knox Brown and P2J, two incredible producers from the UK,” she notes. “I worked on both my previous albums with Knox, and when I got back into it, we were super invested in making sure I was in a safe space to create. It was such an incredible few months of writing and diving into the different sounds, lyrics and emotions which created the bones of where I wanted to go.”

The singer was also delighted to get the chance to work with esteemed Adele producer Greg Kurstin, with the pair linking up in LA to work on Jess, a period she describes as a “really beautiful experience”.

“He’s somebody I’ve wanted to work with my whole career,” Glynne beams. “He’s so humble, chill and talented. It’s a free-flowing space, which allows you to bounce off each other.”

She also credits her rediscovery of figures like Joni Mitchell, Lauryn Hill, Aretha Franklin and Whitney Houston as a driving force in her rekindled love of music. Even among these legends, however, there’s one lioness who stands out.

“She’s from a similar place to where I grew up, so I was very inspired by her,” says the Hampstead native of Amy Winehouse.

“She’s one artist that urged me to get into music, and it was a real challenge watching somebody that you’re such a fan of be brought down by the media. I think watching that film [the recently released Marisa Abela-starring Back To Black] reminded me why I love music, because you do get lost along the way.”

Speaking of getting lost, there was a period when Glynne was unsure if she’d ever return from her aforementioned career break. In 2021, she received death threats after being accused of transphobia for using what is seen as a slur during a podcast.

The singer, who is bisexual and considers herself a staunch supporter of the LGTBQ+ community, pleaded ignorance over the situation, saying she was unaware of the word’s harmful connotations, issuing public apologies and making active efforts to educate herself since. The backlash over the incident, she told Independent in January, caused her to “fall out of love with music.”

“It’s really challenging, it’s an unnatural world to be in,” she says of the online furore. “It feels like there’s no control when it’s millions of people and just little you. What I’ve learned is that I’m human, and the nature of being human is that we fall and we get back up again. We grow and that’s how we become better people. We all make mistakes in life and I think everyone has to accept that not one person on this planet is perfect.”

STRUTTING HER STUFF

While she’s usually not inclined to talk at length about her private life, Glynne is in a proud relationship with pundit and ex-Arsenal player Alex Scott. Does she see any similarities between her own experiences and the way women footballers are treated in the public eye?

“I’ve always been a football fan, I used to go Arsenal with my dad as a kid,” she says. “Over the years, I’ve gotten more into the women’s game and now, I’m standing by somebody who experiences that side of it.

“I think as a woman, and it goes for being in football, in music, in any public space, there’s always so much scrutiny. It’s amazing to be able to stand by someone who gets it.

“It’s the hardest part of being a female, but also the most beautiful, because we are in a position where we are urged to break down doors and smash down ceilings, to make a difference and push for our voices to be heard. The fight is endless. It’s really fricking hard – and it does wear you down.

“Sometimes you’re like ‘Why do I do this?’ Because you’ll get so far and every single time, there’s a knock-back, but then you get further and something beautiful happens.

“For me, what’s super-important is that I invest my time in the right spaces and do the things that make me happy. And that’s why I’m excited to release this album and get back onstage, and do what I love the way that I love it.”

As promised, she’ll be back strutting her stuff this summer, with Irish fans having the opportunity to catch a glimpse of Glynne when she comes to Galway for the Heineken Big Top festival.

“One of the greatest things about touring the world is experiencing all the different cultures,” she says ahead of her eager return to the live setting. “You can go to certain places and hear a pin drop when you step out, and that’s their way of showing appreciation. Ireland is a whole other thing. I’ll never forget my 3Arena shows. I love coming over. You guys are nuts and are always just up for it.”

• Jess is out now. Jess Glynne plays the Heineken Big Top Festival, Galway on July 24.