Jess Glynne has revealed she is taking care of her voice, after undergoing surgery for her vocal cords.

The Hold My Hand singer, who had to cancel a number of festival performances including Glastonbury and Isle of Wight to have the operation in June, is seeing a speech therapist once a week and has a vocal coach, and has been warned to take care of her voice.

“I’m not fully recovered, I’m nearly there, but I have to be careful. If I talk a lot or rehearse a lot I can feel it, and especially since the surgery, I’m very conscious about how tired it can get,” she explained.

“I’m a lot more cautious about everything, definitely. There is that risk I could permanently damage my voice, but I’m just not going to let it happen.”

She added: “I knew for a long time they were really bad and I’ve been through vocal trauma before – about six years ago I had a similar operation.

“You can feel it’s wrong, it’s a strain to talk, it’s a strain to sing, it’s really difficult to use your voice.”

The 25-year-old Londoner has just equalled Cheryl Fernandez-Versini’s record for most chart-topping records for a British solo female, but while it’s taken the X Factor judge five years to achieve her five number ones, it has only taken Jess 18 months to match that feat.

“The last year has been such an insane time. I do have moments where I think, ‘Woah! Is this really my life?’, because it’s been so incredible,” she said.

She has also just topped the charts with her debut album I Cry When I Laugh.

Jess Glynne performing with Tinie Tempah
Jess Glynne performing with Tinie Tempah (Yui Mok/PA)

Jess – who is part of #smartrebel workout, powered by Glaceau Smartwater – had a brush with The X Factor when she was 15, although she plays down the experience.

“I didn’t really apply. I just went and met some producers, but it wasn’t a full audition. I never went in front of the judges,” she said.

“I’m so glad I didn’t take that road because I feel the journey I’ve been on has been so amazing and so challenging, and I wouldn’t be the person I am if I didn’t have that,” she added.