How hard was it to leave Union J after seven years together?
Music was and still is my passion. As a young lad I always dreamed of doing music – I was in six different bands before Union J, even though I was only 18 when we launched. I was so hungry to be successful. I have incredible memories and experiences that I will never forget from being in the band – but it felt like the time was right to spread my wings. It is a really tough industry to stay positive, stay focused and motivated in. I needed a change of career and focus for my mental health. It has been nice to discover a little bit about myself.
Do you plan to launch a solo career?
I still feel like I have got unfinished business in the music industry. My voice has become so much stronger in the past two years than it ever was with Union J.
What is your earliest musical memory?
I grew up listening to Oasis with my dad. My mum and dad split up when I was five or six, so my only real memory of them together is of us singing to Oasis. Seeing them I remember thinking I would love to be in a band, and then, once the band’s days were over, having a solo career!
What music inspired Triple J – the band which would become Union J on The X Factor?
Denne historien er fra September 2020-utgaven av Surrey Life.
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Denne historien er fra September 2020-utgaven av Surrey Life.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
The House That Rocks
Transforming an impressive, seven-bedroom Victorian property in Dorking wasn’t without its challenges, but the result is a stunning family home that has had the interiors world raving
REMEDY FOR SUCCESS
Surrey’s Tracy Borman discusses the return of her heroine healer in the final book of her best-selling fictional trilogy
Love Celia
Actress Celia Imrie has travelled the world for work and leisure but wherever she goes there is a part of her which is forever Surrey
EXHIBITION OF THE MONTH
Art & Action: Making Change in Victorian Britain at Watts Gallery – Artists’ Village in Compton focuses on the Victorian roots of art activism
Electric dreams
The Range Rover plug-in hybrid brings silent electric motoring to this iconic luxury car
THE OPEN ROAD
Chris Pickering rounds up some of the best drives in Surrey
TOWN AND COUNTRY: Oxted & Limpsfield
With the North Downs looming nearby and glorious countryside surrounding it, Oxted is a town with real “escape from London” appeal and character, while nearby Limpsfield has a superb village vibe with its own community-run pub
Artist to the stars
Known as ‘The Face of Modern British Impressionism’, Mickleham-based Sherree Valentine Daines is celebrating four decades at the forefront of her field
A RIGHT ROYAL WELCOME
The Signet Collection’s inaugural hotel project is a reimagining of a former royal guest house, situated directly opposite Hampton Court Palace
TOWN AND COUNTRY: Godalming & Hascombe
On the banks of the River Wey, Godalming is a watercolour pretty town surrounded by pristine countryside and in-demand rural villages, such as Hascombe
