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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National
Jordan Reynolds

Jessie J delights commuters with surprise gig amid health battle

Pop sensation Jessie J surprised commuters and passers-by with an impromptu performance at London's St Pancras International station on Tuesday.

The 37-year-old singer, Jessica Cornish, was accompanied by Geoffrey James on piano. Crowds gathered, many capturing the surprise set on their phones.

This public appearance follows a challenging period for the artist, who revealed an early breast cancer diagnosis in June. She has since undergone two surgeries and postponed her tour.

Last month, she shared a poignant embrace with the Princess of Wales after the Royal Variety Performance, a moment Jessie J linked to their shared cancer experiences.

Pianist Jeffrey James with Singer Jessie J who surprised travellers with a performance at St Pancras train station in central London (Ben Whitley/PA Wire)

The pair spoke following the performance at the Royal Albert Hall, which saw the Prince and Princess of Wales entertained by the West End cast of Paddington The Musical, alongside performances from Jessie J and Laufey.

Jessie J, who performed “I’ll Never Know Why,” her new song inspired by losing a friend to suicide, shared a hug with Kate after the show.

“Mum to mum, who has just recently gone through cancer, I just wanted to give her a hug,” she said.

“We acknowledged that it’s something that is not easy to go through, especially in the public eye.”

Earlier this year, the 37-year-old shared an update on her mixed emotions post-surgery in a message shared on her Instagram Story.

The “Price Tag” singer told her followers that after her diagnosis, she immediately “went into survival mode”, balancing medical appointments with caring for her young child and promoting her new music.

(Ben Whitley/PA Wire)

As a result, she “didn’t really have a lot of time to process what was happening” and “didn’t say goodbye to [her] old boob enough”.

“Two weeks post surgery,” she wrote. “Had my drain out 2 nights ago. She said breathe in and take a hard breathe out. She whipped that thang out so quick. Woii oii. Weirdest feeling. But so nice to have it out after 12 days.”

Known for UK number one hits like 'Domino' and 'Bang Bang', Jessie J has also received significant industry recognition. Her accolades include four Mobo awards in 2011 and the Brit Award for Rising Star that same year.

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