Elly Jackson, the singer behind the 2009 hit 'Bulletproof', has announced her return to music after a decade away, saying she 'had a nervous breakdown' and 'disappeared' after the song's massive success.
The electropop and synth-pop anthem was written and produced by Jackson alongside collaborator Ben Langmaid. It was the third single from their self-titled debut album and became the duo's signature global smash.
A decade away from the spotlight
The track reached number 1 on the UK Singles Chart in June 2009. In the United States, it became a major sleeper hit in 2010, climbing to number 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 and dominating club play.
Despite the single's phenomenal success, the duo seemed to vanish from the spotlight shortly after its release.
Singer Elly, 38, has now shed light on what unfolded, taking to the band's Instagram page this week to tell her 208,000 followers she 'had a nervous breakdown'.
Fans react to her return
The star shared a reel showing her staring intensely into the camera as 'Bulletproof' played in the background. Overlay text read, 'You think you can hurt me? I literally wrote and sung this song, lost my voice, had a nervous breakdown and disappeared for 10 years. But now I'm back.'
Fans went wild for the post, which racked up more than 130,000 likes. One exclaimed: "Yay, so glad you're back!" While another added: "I had no idea... this song is amazing and so are you!"
A third chimed in: "Still on my playlist," while a fourth added: "We will always love you La Roux."
New album 'Old Flames' released
La Roux shared the post to promote her new studio album, Old Flames. The record, which features Elly performing solo without Ben, was released on November 6, 2026.
The track 'Old Flames' serves as the album's title song, bookending the collection in two parts. Old Flames (Intro) is a brief opening piece that establishes the mood for the record, while Old Flames, which appears as track 11 on the album, is the full-length track that brings it to a close.
The title song Old Flames marks a shift away from the glacial, sharp-edged 1980s synth-pop of the Bulletproof era. Instead of being a punchy dance floor banger, the Intro begins with atmospheric sounds (such as windscreen wipers in the rain) and a slow, brooding pace.
Meanwhile, the full closing track serves as a soothing, hopeful finale. It draws on warm, late-'90s and early-2000s R&B-influenced production, gentle synth textures, and soft vocal arrangements instead of harsh electronic stabs.
Critical reception for the overall album has been largely favourable, with reviewers praising Elly Jackson's development as a solo producer and composer.
Music after 'Bulletproof'
Despite Elly claiming she 'disappeared' after Bulletproof, La Roux put out several more singles and full studio albums following the track. This included I'm Not Your Toy in 2009, which was the official fourth single from their debut album, reaching the UK Top 30, alongside Quicksand, which was re-released as a single following the enormous success of In for the Kill and Bulletproof.
After a five-year hiatus and the exit of producer Ben Langmaid who left in 2012, Elly then delivered La Roux's second studio album, Trouble in Paradise, in 2014. It moved away from icy, angular synth-pop towards a warmer sound influenced by disco and funk.
Jackson subsequently released La Roux's third album, Supervision, independently through her own label back in 2020. It delved further into early '80s pop-funk, George Michael-style production, and relaxed rhythms.
