You know that feeling when a song just won’t leave your head? For most people in the UK, that song is Hold My Hand by Jess Glynne. It’s everywhere. It’s on the radio, it’s in every grocery store aisle, and most famously, it’s the soundtrack to every single Jet2 advert you’ve seen for the last decade. Honestly, it’s basically the national anthem of budget holidays at this point.
But there’s a lot more to this track than just catchy "ooh-ooh" vocals and cheap flights to Majorca. Released back in March 2015, the song was a massive turning point for Glynne. Before this, she was "that voice" on the Clean Bandit and Route 94 tracks. You’ve definitely heard Rather Be. That was her. But Hold My Hand was the moment she proved she could carry a hit all by herself.
The Anxiety That Built a Chart-Topper
Most people think this is just a happy-go-lucky pop song. It sounds like pure sunshine, right? Well, sort of. Jess Glynne has actually been pretty open about the fact that she wrote this song while dealing with some pretty heavy anxiety.
She wasn't just writing about a romantic partner. She was writing about needing someone—anyone—to literally hold her hand and tell her it was going to be okay.
"It's just about somebody being there when you feel insecure in a situation," Glynne once told USA Today.
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The lyrics actually reflect this weird tug-of-war. One minute she’s saying, "Break my bones and you won't see me fall," acting all tough and independent. The next, she’s admitting she doesn't want to walk on her own anymore. It’s relatable. We all try to act like we’ve got it together until we don't.
Who actually wrote it?
It wasn't a solo effort. Jess teamed up with some serious heavy hitters to get that specific sound.
- Janee Bennett (Jin Jin): A long-time collaborator who knows exactly how to tap into Glynne's "soulful-pop" vibe.
- Jack Patterson: One of the masterminds from Clean Bandit.
- Ina Wroldsen: You might know her for writing huge hits for everyone from Calvin Harris to Britney Spears.
- Starsmith: The guy produced the track and gave it that shiny, polished Eurodance feel that worked so well on the radio.
Breaking Records (and eardrums)
When the song dropped, it didn't just "do well." It exploded. It debuted at number one on the UK Singles Chart on March 29, 2015. It stayed there for three weeks straight.
By the time she finished her first album cycle, Jess had equaled Cheryl’s record for the most number-one singles by a British female solo artist. Eventually, she blew past that record entirely. She now holds the title with seven number-one singles. That’s more than Adele. More than Dua Lipa. It’s a wild stat when you think about it.
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In the US, it didn't quite reach the same heights, peaking at number 86 on the Billboard Hot 100. But in the UK? It was inescapable. And then came the adverts.
The Jet2 Effect: From Pop Hit to Meme Culture
Since 2016, Jet2holidays has used Hold My Hand as their primary theme song. If you’ve flown with them, you’ve heard it during the safety demo. You’ve heard it while landing. You’ve heard it in the departure lounge.
By 2025, the song took on a weird second life. It became a massive viral meme on TikTok. People started using the audio—complete with the cheerful voiceover from Zoë Lister—to soundtrack their worst holiday disasters. Think lost luggage, rain in Spain, and terrible sunburns, all set to the upbeat "Darling, hold my hand!"
Interestingly, there was a bit of a controversy recently. In late 2025, a remixed version of the Jet2 "Hold My Hand" sound was used in a video by the White House regarding immigration policies. Jess Glynne was not happy about it. She posted on social media saying the use of her song in that context made her "sick," emphasizing that the song is supposed to be about unity and love, not division. It just goes to show how much a song can escape the artist's control once it becomes part of the cultural furniture.
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Why it still works
So, why are we still talking about a song from 2015 in 2026?
Honestly, it’s just good songwriting. It uses a classic C Major key that feels inherently "right" to the human ear. The tempo is roughly 123 beats per minute, which is that perfect sweet spot for dancing but also just walking down the street.
Is it "deep"? Maybe not in the way a Leonard Cohen song is deep. But it’s authentic. You can hear the grit in her voice. It's that smoky, soulful tone that separates her from the "cleaner" pop stars. Even if you’re sick of hearing it on every flight to Ibiza, you can’t deny the craft behind it.
What you can do next:
If you haven't listened to the full album I Cry When I Laugh in a while, it's worth a revisit to see where this track fits in the broader narrative of her career. You might also want to check out the "Jet2 Holiday" memes on TikTok to see the weird, ironic ways Gen Z has reclaimed the song for 2026.