The Voice UK’s most successful winner replaced iconic 80s band’s lead singer

A erstwhile victor of The Voice UK who was erstwhile successful a popular radical is now the pb vocalist of an 80s band.

After deciding to prosecute a vocation successful performing when helium was a teenager, Kevin Simm formed the indie-pop set AnAlien successful 1996.

Three years aboriginal helium applied for the ITV endowment amusement Stars successful Their Eyes, wherever helium appeared arsenic Simon Fowler of Ocean Colour Scene.

Then, successful 2001, Kevin auditioned for the bid Popstars, wherever helium was 1 of the finalists.

Although helium didn’t triumph the series, alongside different finalists Tony Lundon, Jessica Taylor, Kelli Young and Michelle Heaton, they formed Liberty X.

Their radical signed a multimillion-pound grounds declaration with Richard Branson and V2 Records and released 3 albums, which featured 7 Top 10 singles.

But aft selling implicit 3 cardinal records worldwide, they divided up successful 2007.

After releasing a solo medium the following, Kevin, who is present 44, performed astatine festivals astatine pubs earlier Liberty X reunited six years aboriginal for a TV bid and tour.

While the radical did aboriginal re-form, it was arsenic a miss radical without the 2 men.

Although helium was offered roles connected world shows similar Celebrity Big Brother successful the pursuing years, Kevin said helium ‘didn’t privation to beryllium a personage similar that’.

‘I don’t privation to beryllium a personage similar that,’ helium added. ‘If radical cognize maine for my singing and euphony that’s what I want, and if a spot of fame comes with that that’s large but I wouldn’t privation to beryllium celebrated for going successful a house,’ helium told Metro successful 2016.

Although helium did look connected The Games successful 2005, Kevin said helium simply said yes to that arsenic helium had ‘got a spot tubby and it was a bully mode to suffer weight’.

Last twelvemonth Kevin spoke astir having to crook to a drawstring of jobs retired of the spotlight during this clip to enactment his woman Laura and their 2 children, Charlie and Oliver.

From moving arsenic an electrician, a fencer and a wedding lensman betwixt occasional singing gigs, helium said ‘it was unusual coming retired of a large popular radical and having to commencement again’.

“I was singing successful pubs and clubs for £150 a gig but determination wasn’t a batch of enactment going astir and typically it was lone Friday oregon Saturday night.

‘Then sometimes I’d get a telephone the nighttime earlier saying the gig was cancelled and that’s fractional of your income for the week gone,’ helium told The Sun.

After ‘getting frustrated with the insecurity of singing’ Kevin was besides told by immoderate radical who booked him for gigs they did truthful reasoning ‘it would beryllium hilarious if I was tone-deaf and couldn’t sing’, questioning his abilities aft being portion of a popular group.

It was successful 2016 that Kevin gave singing different spell and auditioned for the 5th play of The Voice, wherever helium sung Sia’s Chandelier successful his Blind Audition.

All 4 coaches – will.i.am, Ricky Wilson, Boy George and Paloma Faith – turned their chairs, with Kevin choosing to articulation Paloma’s team.

Before stepping up to the stage, Kevin had felt ‘frustrated’ and similar his euphony vocation had gone backwards, nevertheless helium inactive had ‘a spot of combat left’.

He thought that adjacent if nary of the judges turned, it could person astatine slightest opened a fewer doors.

‘I didn’t privation to beryllium celebrated again, I conscionable wanted a situation and to bump up my gig money,’ helium explained.

After performing songs similar Wings by Birdy, Rolling successful the Deep by Adele and Stay by Rihanna passim the competition, helium was yet announced arsenic the winner.

His winner’s azygous All You Good Friends peaked astatine fig 24 successful the UK.

However, astatine the clip helium said helium didn’t consciousness important unit to illustration arsenic ‘people expect truthful small from a Voice winner’.

He echoed these sentiments past year, saying: ‘It’s not maine slagging the amusement disconnected but however galore seasons person gone by, and you’ve ne'er had a victor who has go a palmy commercialized star? I deliberation they request to alteration the format.’

In 2018 Kevin again joined a band, this clip replacing archetypal subordinate Mati Pellow successful the brushed stone set Wet Wet Wet aft 1 of his caller bandmates woman saw him connected The Voice.

The Scottish band, who formed successful 1982, are champion known for their 1994 screen of the Troggs’ 1960s deed Love Is All Around, which was utilized connected the soundtrack to the movie Four Weddings and a Funeral and spent 15 weeks astatine the apical of the British charts.

They had besides been awarded Best British Newcomer astatine the 1988 Brit Awards.

Although Kevin has conceded helium is ‘not a large sanction and not successful the charts’ helium said helium was thrilled to person been capable to marque a surviving retired of singing since leaving schoolhouse and that each of his hard enactment had ‘finally paid off’.

The Voice finale airs contiguous astatine 8.10pm connected ITV1.

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