British pop star Jessie J has spoken candidly about the complex emotions and guilt she felt after deciding to postpone vital cancer surgery in order to take to the stage one last time.
The Decision to Perform Before Treatment
The 37-year-old singer, whose real name is Jessica Cornish, received a diagnosis of early breast cancer in June 2025. Merely a week after receiving this life-altering news, she made the controversial choice to delay her scheduled operation. Her reason? To perform at the Capital Summertime Ball, an event she felt would personally impact her deeply.
"I p**sed off a lot of people," Jessie J admitted in a raw interview with Women's Health UK. She performed what she announced would be her final show before undergoing surgery, delivering an emotional speech to the 80,000-strong crowd. She expressed immense gratitude for her life, career, her young son, partner, family, and her team.
A Moment of Collective Support and Personal Guilt
Reflecting on that powerful performance, the 'Bang Bang' singer described a unique sense of solidarity. "There were 80,000 people cheering, not because I could sing well or wore an outfit they liked," she recalled. "It was: we love you, we’re behind you and we hope this goes well."
However, this profound experience was tinged with a sense of remorse. "I feel guilty that not everyone who has to have cancer surgery gets that moment," Jessie J confessed. She is determined to challenge the stereotypical image of a cancer patient, stating: "We’re not handcuffed to having to sit down and be quiet and cry because we’ve got cancer. I’m going to sing Bang Bang as loud as I can."
Treatment, Recovery, and a Changed Perspective
Following the gig, Jessie J did disappear from the public eye to undergo a mastectomy. She has since humourously referred to the results as "wonky boobs," noting a temporary difficulty with outfits until things are "matched up." Her health journey forced the postponement and cancellation of part of a planned tour, though she did release her album 'Don’t Tease Me With a Good Time'.
Her motivation for sharing such intimate details is to actively reshape the conversation around illness. Rejecting the idea that one must only return to public view when "everything’s great," she drew a parallel to performing the day after a miscarriage, stating, "I sat on stage and I was grieving – and that was the show."
Now having undergone further surgery and treatment, with doctors' approval to return to performing, Jessie J's outlook is irrevocably altered. Speaking at the Music Industry Trust Awards last month, she reflected on a year that changed her whole world. "When death comes knocking at your door, and you kind of have to answer and f***ing kick it away, it just changes everything," she said, highlighting a new clarity on "what battles I’m going to pick."
The full interview is available in the Jan/Feb issue of Women’s Health UK, on sale from 23 December.
