{{Short description|English singer-songwriter and actress (born 2003)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2026}} {{Use British English|date=February 2026}} {{Infobox person | name = Jess Folley | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|2003|05|11|df=y}} | birth_place = Brentwood, Essex, England | years_active = 2017–present | occupation = {{Hlist|Singer-songwriter|actress}} | module = {{Infobox musical artist|embed=yes | genre = Pop | instrument = Vocals | past_member_of = RLY }} }}
'''Jess Folley''' (born 11 May 2003) is an English singer-songwriter and actress. She won the first series of ITV1's ''The Voice Kids'' in 2017, after which she went on to compete in ''The X Factor: The Band'' as part of girl group RLY. The group won the competition, after which they released an extended play, ''Generation''. Folley has since portrayed the role of Ali in the stage musical ''Burlesque'' and Éponine in ''Les Misérables''.
==Life and career== Folley was born on 11 May 2003 in Brentwood, Essex.<ref name="auto">{{Cite web |last=WestEndTheatre |date=27 May 2025 |title=Jess Folley in Burlesque The Musical {{!}} West End Theatre |url=https://www.westendtheatre.com/216744/star-watch/jess-folley/ |access-date=28 July 2025 |website=www.westendtheatre.com |language=en-GB |archive-date=10 June 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250610180928/https://www.westendtheatre.com/216744/star-watch/jess-folley/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=West End performer 'empowered' by Burlesque role |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c2lx1qnn90jo |access-date=21 February 2026 |work=BBC News}}</ref> There, she attended St Martin's School.<ref>{{cite web |title=St Martin's School |url=https://www.st-martins.essex.sch.uk/assets/Documents/Attachments/04.10.2024-News-and-Views.pdf |publisher=St Martin's School |access-date=21 February 2026 |archive-date=16 March 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250316035855/https://www.st-martins.essex.sch.uk/assets/Documents/Attachments/04.10.2024-News-and-Views.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> She then attended the East London Arts and Music Academy.<ref name="auto"/> In 2017, Folley was a contestant on the first series of ITV1's ''The Voice Kids''. Coached by singer Pixie Lott at age 14, she went on to win the competition.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Teen wins £30k prize on The Voice Kids |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-england-essex-40646131 |access-date=28 July 2025 |work=BBC News |language=en-GB}}</ref> Then in 2019, she auditioned for ''The X Factor: The Band'', after which she was put into the girl group RLY. They went on to win the series.<ref>{{cite news |title=Who is Jess Folley? The Voice and Burlesque |url=https://www.whatsonstage.com/stage-names/jess-folley |access-date=21 February 2026 |work=WhatsOnStage |archive-date=8 February 2026 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260208114522/https://www.whatsonstage.com/stage-names/jess-folley/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Folley expressed that the group intended on releasing a musical project that was "new and original" and writing for it started in 2020.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://tellymix.co.uk/reality-tv/the-x-factor/428029-x-factor-the-band-winners-reveal-their-plans-for-debut-album.html?amp|title=X Factor: The Band winners reveal their plans for debut album|date=22 December 2019|access-date=29 August 2020|last=Darvill|first=Josh|work=TellyMix|archive-date=23 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201023085955/https://tellymix.co.uk/reality-tv/the-x-factor/428029-x-factor-the-band-winners-reveal-their-plans-for-debut-album.html?amp|url-status=live}}</ref> Their first and only extended play (EP), ''Generation'', was released in 2023.<ref>{{cite news |title=REVIEW: RLY drop era defining EP 'Generation' |url=https://celebmix.com/review-rly-drop-era-defining-ep-generation/ |access-date=21 February 2026 |work=CelebMix}}</ref>
In 2022, Folley became involved with the stage production ''Burlesque'', an adaptation of the 2010 film by Steven Antin starring Christina Aguilera. She wrote the opening song for the main character, Ali Rose, "Got It All From You".<ref>{{Cite news |date=27 June 2024 |title='It really shouldn't happen like this!' says Burlesque the Musical star |url=https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/24414147.burlesque-musical-jess-folleys-amazing-rise-stardom/ |access-date=29 July 2025 |work=Lancashire Telegraph |language=en-GB |issn=0307-1235 |archive-date=5 December 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251205075510/https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/24414147.burlesque-musical-jess-folleys-amazing-rise-stardom/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24x9n1SU39Q |title=Christina Aguilera, Orfeh and Jess Folley {{!}} Burlesque the Musical West End opening night highlights |date=23 July 2025 |last=WhatsOnStage |access-date=29 July 2025 |via=YouTube}}</ref> Folley was then invited to portray the role in the workshop, after which she was then cast in the lead role for the show's opening in 2024 at the Manchester Opera House.<ref>{{Cite web |date=25 June 2024 |title=Burlesque musical world premiere – first look |url=https://www.whatsonstage.com/news/burlesque-musical-world-premiere-first-look_1608964/ |access-date=28 July 2025 |language=en-US |archive-date=1 September 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250901165243/https://www.whatsonstage.com/news/burlesque-musical-world-premiere-first-look_1608964/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Admin |title=Burlesque – Opera House, Manchester {{!}} Musical Theatre Review |url=https://musicaltheatrereview.com/burlesque-opera-house-manchester/ |access-date=28 July 2025 |language=en-GB |archive-date=8 December 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251208114834/https://musicaltheatrereview.com/burlesque-opera-house-manchester/ |url-status=live }}</ref> After a successful run and a short transfer to Glasgow,<ref>{{Cite web |date=26 June 2024 |title=Burlesque The Musical theatre review: World premiere at Manchester Opera House starring Todrick Hall and Jackie Burns |url=https://www.mancunianmatters.co.uk/arts-and-culture/26062024-burlesque-the-musical-theatre-review-world-premiere-at-manchester-opera-house-starring-todrick-hall-and-jackie-burns/ |access-date=28 July 2025 |website=Mancunian Matters |language=en-GB |archive-date=14 August 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250814235501/https://www.mancunianmatters.co.uk/arts-and-culture/26062024-burlesque-the-musical-theatre-review-world-premiere-at-manchester-opera-house-starring-todrick-hall-and-jackie-burns/ |url-status=live }}</ref> she was announced to be reprising the role on the West End at the Savoy Theatre.<ref>{{Cite web |date=23 July 2025 |title=Christina Aguilera, Orfeh and Jess Folley – watch the full West End opening highlights of Burlesque the Musical |url=https://www.whatsonstage.com/news/christina-aguilera-orfeh-and-jess-folley-watch-the-full-west-end-opening-highlights-of-burlesque-the-musical_1687942/ |access-date=29 July 2025 |language=en-US |archive-date=23 July 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250723131128/https://www.whatsonstage.com/news/christina-aguilera-orfeh-and-jess-folley-watch-the-full-west-end-opening-highlights-of-burlesque-the-musical_1687942/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=13 June 2024 |title=Theatre Review: Burlesque the Musical |url=https://tanstopics.com/2024/06/13/theatre-review-burlesque-the-musical-christina-aguilera/ |access-date=28 July 2025 |website=Tan's Topics |language=en |archive-date=25 July 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250725070324/https://tanstopics.com/2024/06/13/theatre-review-burlesque-the-musical-christina-aguilera/ |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2026, she was cast as Éponine in ''Les Misérables'' at the Sondheim Theatre.<ref>{{cite news |title=New cast members join 'Les Misérables' in the West End |url=https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatre-news/news/new-cast-members-join-les-miserables-in-the-west-end |access-date=21 February 2026 |work=London Theatre |archive-date=11 February 2026 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260211025808/https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatre-news/news/new-cast-members-join-les-miserables-in-the-west-end |url-status=live }}</ref>
==Discography== {{For|her discography as part of RLY|RLY#Discography}} === Extended plays === {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" ! scope="col" style="width:9.5em;" | Title ! scope="col" style="width:21.5em;" | Details |- ! scope="row" | ''18&Anxious'' | * Released: 27 June 2025 * Label: Independent * Formats: Streaming, digital download |}
=== Singles === {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" border="1" ! scope="col" style="width:14em;"| Title ! scope="col" style="width:2em;"| Year ! scope="col" style="width:12em;"| Album |- ! scope="row" | "Chasing Shadows" | rowspan="3" | 2019 | rowspan="3" {{Non-album singles}} |- ! scope="row" | "Got It Bad" |- ! scope="row" | "I Love" |- ! scope="row" | "Where the Women?" | 2026 | {{TableTBA}} |}
==Stage== {| class="wikitable" ! Year ! Title ! Role ! Venue ! {{Ref.}} |- | 2024–2025 | ''Burlesque'' | Ali Rose | Savoy Theatre, West End; King's Theatre, Glasgow and Manchester Opera House | align="center" | <ref>{{cite news |title=Burlesque the Musical Jess Folley's amazing rise to stardom |url=https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/24414147.burlesque-musical-jess-folleys-amazing-rise-stardom/ |access-date=21 February 2026 |work=Lancashire Telegraph}}</ref> |- | 2026 | ''Les Misérables'' | Éponine | Sondheim Theatre | align="center" | <ref>{{cite news |title=New stars to join Les Misérables in the West End next month |url=https://www.whatsonstage.com/news/new-stars-to-join-les-miserables-in-the-west-end-next-month_1708412/ |access-date=21 February 2026 |work=WhatsOnStage}}</ref> |}
== References == {{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Folley, Jess}} Category:2003 births Category:21st-century English actresses Category:21st-century English singer-songwriters Category:21st-century English women singers Category:Actresses from Brentwood, Essex Category:English musical theatre actresses Category:English women singer-songwriters Category:English women songwriters Category:Living people Category:Singers from Essex Category:The Voice Kids contestants Category:The X Factor (British TV series)