British pop icon Jessie J is back after a seven-year break from the music scene. But this comeback comes woven with the rawest of realities, as Jessie bares her truth to fans and heals from the tragedies of her past through what she’s since called “the saddest song” she’s ever written.
Jessie’s brand new single, “I’ll Never Know Why,” captures it all. Her one-take, black and white music video has been taking YouTube by storm, creating a community of strength, hope, and recovery in the comments section as Jessie J moves both fans and haters to tears with her poignant, personal message. Amassing over 1.4 million views in a mere eleven days, Music Man readers can check out Jessie’s new music video below, but prepare to have some tissues at hand!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLORby6KE_g%20
This clip sees Jessie sing through a blur of tears in an ultra-minimalist set, drawing all focus to her tender voice and heart-shattering lyrical story. It pulls back the curtain completely, proving that pop’s top stars aren’t untouchable creatures, but are human, vulnerable, breakable, and subject to the same horrors of reality as us common plebs.
Jessie’s lyrics reveal the story behind her unstoppable tears. This ballad was composed following the death of Jessie’s bodyguard, Dave, who Jessie had “described as family.” Its lyrics run like a letter of grief, as Jessie spills her innermost emotions, traumas, and spiraling thoughts to her departed friend. But through it all, an atmosphere of therapeutic healing and ‘letting go’ underscores Jessie’s sorrow, as she battles her past to claim a brighter future.
Jessie’s certainly been sent through the wringer this decade. And it all comes circling back in this new single. Dave’s passing wasn’t the only loss Jessie has suffered as of late. In 2021, she revealed the tragic news of her miscarriage to the media. Then, earlier this year, the 37-year-old singer revealed her early breast cancer diagnosis, spurring her to cancel her summer tour dates and undergo a mastectomy.
Listening to “I’ll Never Know Why,” and viewing Jessie’s tortured display of grief in her bare-bones music video, it becomes clear that this song isn’t simply about Dave. It captures every ounce of suffering and hope that Jessie has accumulated over these last few years; countless pushed-back traumas all bubbling up as one monstrous force.
But, like the inspiration she is, Jessie navigates through the sightless misery, using lyrics to comprehend and accept her past, whilst providing a blueprint for her fellow sufferers. The response from her fans has been immense, with countless YouTube viewers sharing their own tragedies of untimely loss, survival, and healing in the comments section, like an internet support group.
“I’ll Never Know Why” was recently released on Jessie J’s sixth studio album, “Don’t Tease Me with a Good Time,” in November 2025. But this isn’t the only heart-wrenching song on the album. As Jessie revealed herself, “The music journey in this album is about deep grief to finding your joy and happiness again. This song is the saddest point of the album and I wanted to capture that in this visual. One take. Real Grief. Simple, sad, and honest. I don’t hide from emotion. I like to stand in it and feel it. You can’t heal what you don’t acknowledge.”
Jessie J’s comeback is a brave, heart‑wrenching reminder of the power of honesty in pop — “I’ll Never Know Why” reintroduces her as both fragile and fearless. To dive deeper into the video, song and fan reactions, check the useful links below this paragraph and discover more from Jessie J.