Jessie J Apologizes To Ex-Girlfriend For Calling Bisexuality "A Phase"

Pop star Jessie J recently publicly apologized to her ex-girlfriend for referring to her bisexual experience as "a phase" in an unreleased song. The 'Bang Bang' singer publicly announced she was bisexual in 2011, but a few years later said she was only interested in men, a change that caused a lot of controversy.

Jessie J, 36, performed the unreleased song, tentatively titled "Complicated," at a show at the Teragram Ballroom in Los Angeles. The lyrics read, "In 2012, I broke up with my beautiful girlfriend. In the face of media pressure, I call it a phase, baby, I'm sorry." The lyrics made the audience gasp.

Jessie J has discussed her coming out in 2014 and the ensuing controversy in the past. In an interview with Billboard, she said she regretted using the word "phase" and said, "I'm a talker; I'm very talkative and good at expressing my feelings. But sometimes I just need to know when to shut up."

At the time, she was met with overwhelming hate on X (then Twitter), with some accusing her of "lying" about her sexuality. She responded, "The hate towards my TL is unnecessary and ridiculous! I have never lied about my sexuality, I have never labeled myself, and the media and some members of the public have done the same. I'm talking about almost 5 years ago. I've dated girls and boys. Do I deny it...? No!"

She continued, "I was young and I tried! Who hasn't? It's not just this topic, it's everything! It's part of life! There are no lies there. It just so happened that I became famous at the same time and felt the pressure to tell everyone all the things about me that really in retrospect no one really knew."

This public apology and sharing by Jessie J has reignited the debate about sexual orientation, identity and public image. Her experience reminds us that everyone's journey of sexual exploration is unique, and that sometimes public figures face additional pressures and challenges when dealing with their private lives and public image.