Jess Glynne

Jess Glynne Bio

Jessica Hannah Glynne (born 20 October 1989) is an English singer and songwriter from Hampstead, London. She rose to prominence in 2014 after featuring on the UK number-one singles “Rather Be” (Clean Bandit) and “My Love” (Route 94). Glynne’s debut album, I Cry When I Laugh (2015), and her second album, Always In Between (2018), both reached number one on the UK Albums Chart; her third album, Jess, was released in 2024. Known for blending pop, R&B, dance and soul, she has achieved multiple chart-topping singles in the UK and won a Grammy Award.

Early Life and Background

Jessica Hannah Glynne was born in Hampstead and raised in Muswell Hill, North London, in a Jewish family. Her mother, Alexandra (née Ingram), worked in A&R in the music industry. The family name was originally Goldstein, but her grandfather changed it to Glynne. She was requested to participate in the second season of The X Factor when she was 15 years old, but dropped out of the audition process following a disagreement with the producers.

She attended Rhodes Avenue Primary School, then Fortismere School, where she completed her A-levels in 2008, and took various jobs at a boutique, a fitness centre and a hairdresser’s. After a period spent travelling the world, Glynne worked for a music management company in her late teens and began networking with songwriters and producers, eventually honing her artistry for four years.

Path to Singer

Glynne completed a month-long music course at Access to Music London in East London, where she met her future collaborators: songwriter Jin Jin and producer Bless Beats. One of Glynne and Jin Jin’s compositions caught the attention of Black Butter Records, who signed Glynne to a publishing deal and introduced her to music managers and lawyers. Black Butter co-president Joe Gossa said of Glynne, “her voice just flipped me out, there was a fierceness to it. She can talk about everyday things in this way that’s just epic”.

In August 2013, Glynne signed a contract with Atlantic Records, consequently leaving her job at the time in brand management for a drinks company. In 2013, deep house producer Route 94 approached Glynne about rewriting and providing vocals for his song “My Love.” It was later released as a single in February 2014 and reached number one on the UK Singles Chart.

Jess Glynne Career

Early Career (2013-2016)

In 2013, deep house producer Route 94 approached Glynne about rewriting and providing vocals for his song “My Love.” It was later released as a single in February 2014 and reached number one on the UK Singles Chart. British band Clean Bandit heard “My Love” and approached Glynne to feature on their song “Rather Be.” The collaboration produced the single which also charted atop the UK charts, becoming the third fastest-selling single and most streamed song of 2014.

In July 2014, Glynne’s debut solo single, the Gorgon City-produced “Right Here,” was released. It charted in several countries, including at number six in the UK. Glynne appeared at many British music festivals during mid 2014, including Bestival, Glastonbury, Lovebox, V Festival and Wireless. She toured around the UK from October 2014, beginning in Sheffield and finishing at the Electric Brixton in London.

Breakthrough (2014-2018)

For her work on “Rather Be,” Glynne won the Grammy Award for Best Dance Recording and was nominated for Song of the Year at the inaugural BBC Music Awards. Glynne’s second solo single, “Hold My Hand,” was released in March 2015. It debuted at number one in the UK, where it spent three weeks. In June 2015, Glynne was featured on “Not Letting Go,” a single by English rapper Tinie Tempah. It also reached number one in the UK, bringing Glynne’s total of UK number one singles to four.

Glynne’s debut album I Cry When I Laugh was released in the UK in August 2015, following the number one single “Don’t Be So Hard on Yourself.” It entered the UK Albums Chart at number one and later received a triple Platinum certification. Her second studio album, Always In Between (2018), debuted at number one in the UK and saw continued success with the singles “I’ll Be There,” “These Days,” “All I Am,” “Thursday” and “One Touch”; the first of these made Glynne the first British female solo artist to have seven number one singles on the UK Singles Chart.

Notable Works and Milestones

Glynne has achieved multiple chart-topping singles in the UK including “Rather Be,” “My Love,” “Hold My Hand,” “Don’t Be So Hard on Yourself,” and “I’ll Be There.” She has released three number-one albums: I Cry When I Laugh (2015), Always In Between (2018), and Jess (2024). Her notable signature song is “Rather Be” which won her a Grammy Award for Best Dance Recording.

Jess Glynne Award Nominations

Throughout her career, Jess Glynne has received numerous award nominations, including nine Brit Awards nominations. She has been recognized for her work on various singles and albums, with nominations spanning multiple categories including Best British Female and Best British Single.

Jess Glynne Awards Won

Jess Glynne has won several prestigious awards during her career, most notably a Grammy Award for Best Dance Recording for “Rather Be” and the BRIT Billion Award in 2024 for achieving over 1 billion streams in the UK.

Jess Glynne Family

Jessica Hannah Glynne was born to her mother Alexandra (née Ingram) in Hampstead, London. Her mother worked in A&R in the music industry. The family name was originally Goldstein, but her grandfather changed it to Glynne. Glynne does not have any children.

Personal Life

Jess Glynne has been in a relationship with sports broadcaster and former England women’s and Arsenal women’s footballer Alex Scott since the summer of 2023. She has previously been in relationships with both men and women, though she has stated that she does not wish to be labelled as lesbian or bisexual. Glynne is an Arsenal supporter.