Hear'Say
- Danny Foster
- Myleene Klass
- Suzanne Shaw
- Noel Sullivan
- Kym Marsh (2001 to February 2002)
- Danny Foster
- Myleene Klass
- Suzanne Shaw
- Noel Sullivan
- Johnny Shentall ( February 2002-October 2002 )
Hear'Say were a British pop group that emerged from the ITV reality show Popstars in February 2001.
Foundation
Within six weeks in early 2001, thousands of hopeful singers competed in the auditions for ITV's Popstars. Participants were chosen by judges Nigel Lythgoe, Adam Paul (Director of A & R at Polydor Records, who owned the rights to the resulting group) and Nicki Chapman, who had previously worked with the Spice Girls.
The jury reduced the number of participants to 10, before they visited each of the top ten at home and he / she told whether he / she become a member in the band or not.
The five selected singers - Danny Foster, Myleene Klass, Kym Marsh, Suzanne Shaw and Noel Sullivan - now formed Hear'Say. The other non-selected five finalists formed the band Liberty, which was later renamed to Liberty X due to legal problems.
Initial success
Hear'Says first single Pure and Simple, a cover of the band Girl Thing that was previously only released in Japan, instantly reached the top of the UK singles chart 24. March 2001. Was the hitherto fastest-selling single, not for charitable purposes was sold. (Later this record was by Pop Idol winner Will Young broken). The single sold more than 1 million times. The single was followed by another successful album called Popstars. It included cover versions of Monday, Monday by The Mamas & the Papas and Bridge over Troubled Water by Simon & Garfunkel, as well as new songs. The album also reached # 1 on the album charts - 3 weeks after the single - and made Hear'Say as the only British band that was at the same time with debut single and album at # 1 on the charts.
After another number one single - a remix of the album track The Way to Your Love - Hear'Say were seen in their own show Hear'Say It 's Saturday on ITV. There was also a mini-series Meet the pop stars who tried to give the possibility for the public to get to know the band and their music outside of the show Popstars.
Failure and separation
The band toured in 2001, received only mediocre reviews and released a live DVD of one of their shows. During the tour the band recorded their second album Everybody. In November 2001, a few months after the debut album, Everybody was released. This was preceded by a single of the same name, which reached only # 4 on the singles chart despite great advertising. The album fared even worse: It reached its highest position at number 24 and sold about only 1/ 5 of that of the predecessor (later it was announced that the album, it would have been released only a week later, would have immediately reached # 1).
Despite the dwindling success of plans for a stadium tour in 2002 were made. At this time, Kym Marsh was often in the headlines because she was romantically involved with former EastEnders star Jack Ryder. Ryder was five years younger than Marsh, and besides, she had children from a previous relationship. This led to discussions in the media and speculation that Marsh was unhappy in the band came on.
In February 2002, Marsh announced that she is leaving the band. There were auditions held to find a replacement for them to find, which were also broadcast on television. A former dancer of the band and former member of the short-lived band BOOM!, Johnny Shentall ( husband of Steps singer Lisa Scott Lee) won the audition. In the media, there was negative headlines, as has been claimed, the result was faked. The allegations were weakened when it became known that many people who have previously worked with the band, took part in the audition and it does not even make past the first round also.
In a new constellation Hear'Say began recording their third album and spread the planned stadium tour to give Shentall time to find their way into the group. In the summer of 2002 the band made a radio roadshow tour, on which they were constantly booed and reviled by the public - a testament to the strong public hostility. During the tour, the bus the band on the M1 motorway in Northamptonshire was attacked by a seemingly armed man. The man who was later arrested, claimed that he had wanted the group to play a trick.
In August 2002 Hear'Says only single was released with Shentall called Lovin ' Is Easy. The song was very different from the previous ones, trying to renewed interest in the band's music to awaken. The single reached number 6 in the charts, but the band was discouraged and took time to think about their career. Hear'Say separated officially on 1 October 2002 and called negative public reaction as the main reason for the separation.