Daniel Pearce

For the Australian rules footballer, see Daniel Pearce (footballer).
Daniel Pearce
Birth name Daniel Pearce
Born 29 May 1978
Origin Ashford, Kent, England
Genres
Occupation(s)
  • Musician
  • actor
  • songwriter
Instruments Vocals
Years active 2002–present
Associated acts

Daniel Pearce (born 29 May 1978) is an English musician who was a finalist on the ITV reality TV show Popstars: The Rivals. He won a place in the boy band One True Voice, who subsequently released two top ten singles, "Sacred Trust"/"After You're Gone" and "Shakespeare's (Way With) Words. Pearce, an arranger and co-writer of some of their songs, left the group in summer 2003, shortly before the band split up. In September 2009, he auditioned for the 2009 series of The X Factor, but failed to progress as far as the live finals.

In 2010, he returned with a hit entitled "Dirtee Disco", a UK No. 1 single by Dizzee Rascal featuring Pearce. Since 2011, he has provided vocals and percussion for funk, rock and soul band Shuffler. In 2014, Daniel provided lead vocals for "Nobody to Love", the number-one hit from Sigma. Pearce is commonly mistaken for the man who created #JJOTDay.

Career

2002: Popstars: The Rivals

Main article: Popstars: The Rivals

In 2002, Pearce took part in Popstars: The Rivals.

Host Davina McCall announced the names of the five contestants who had qualified. Keith Semple was the first member to be announced followed by Matt Johnson. Third was Pearce and fourth Anton Gordon. The last available place went to Jamie Shaw whereas Chris Park was eliminated from the boys competition. Pearce and the four other contestant winners (Anton Gordon, Matthew Johnson, Keith Semple and Jamie Shaw) went on to form the group One True Voice. The show also produced the girl group Girls Aloud.

2002–03: One True Voice

Main article: One True Voice

Pearce became a member of One True Voice, a British boy band created on the ITV television series Popstars: The Rivals. The band was created by the public, who voted for their favourite hopefuls each week. The group, whose name was later shortened to OTV, was made up of Pearce, Anton Gordon, Matt Johnson, Keith Semple and Jamie Shaw.

Their debut single, Sacred Trust/After You're Gone, went head-to-head with Girls Aloud on 16 December 2002, for the Christmas number one spot. One True Voice lost out to the girls and had to settle for the Number 2 position. One more Top 10 hit followed, in the form of Shakespeare's (Way With) Words, which reached Number 10 in the UK, in June 2003. A few weeks later, it was announced that Daniel Pearce, who as arranger and co-writer of some of their songs had quit the group to pursue a solo career. The next day the group disbanded. The group also appeared at number 32 in Chantelle's Top 50 Reality TV Stars, ahead of both Phixx and Clea who also appeared in Popstars: The Rivals.

He appeared briefly in several roles mainly playing himself as member of One True Voice in TV Burp, Kelly, V Graham Norton (all in 2002) and Smile, Loose Women, Lose Lips (in 2003) and in Hell's Kitchen and The Weakest Link.

2003–09: Post-split

After the split-up of the band, Pearce appeared as the lead in Jailhouse Rock, the West End musical in London, and provided back-up vocals for Craig David.[1] He continued to perform as a gigging musician and singer for many years to support his wife and children.

2009: The X Factor

Pearce auditioned for the 2009 series of The X Factor,[2] where he made it through the first round of auditions to the bootcamp stage.[3] In the audition, he sang Seal's "Kiss from a Rose" and Prince's "Purple Rain" at the boot camp. He was selected one of the final 24 acts, in the "Over 25s" category, mentored by Simon Cowell. He sang George Michael's "Praying for Time", at the "judges' house" phase but he was not selected for the live finals, as Simon dropped him before the final 12 telling him about the reason behind his decision: "It was all about giving somebody a first shot. That's all it was".[4]

Another former One True Voice band member, Keith Semple, attempted a similar comeback in 2010 on the ninth season of the American Idol. He was given a "golden ticket" to Hollywood but was disqualified because of his residency status in the United States.

Collaborations

Pearce sang with Dizzee Rascal on the 2009 Christmas and New Year editions of Top of The Pops, singing Rascal's song "Holiday".[5] He also appeared with Dizzee Rascal on Later...with Jools Holland on 31 December 2009 as one of the back-up singers singing "Holiday". More recently he has been seen as a backing singer for Dizzee Rascal singing on the hit "Dance wiv Me".

Pearce has collaborated with Rascal on the latter's single "Dirtee Disco" appearing with him on 30 April 2010 on the Friday Night with Jonathan Ross show singing backing vocals and playing the drums on the song. He also performed "Dance wiv Me" with Rascal at Reading and Leeds Festival 2010. In May and June 2013, Pearce sang with Rascal as support on Muse's UK dates for their Unsustainable Tour. In June 2013, Daniel again supported Rascal, on the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury.

Shuffler

Main article: Shuffler

In 2011, Pearce founded the funk, rock and soul band Shuffler alongside three members of British band Jamiroquai, bassist Paul Turner, guitarist and songwriter Rob Harris and drummer Derrick McKenzie. Daniel Pearce is the lead vocalist of the band that plays original materials and covers and released their debut self-titled album Shuffler in 2013.

Personal life

Pearce was born in Kent, England. He is married to fellow singer Charlotte Hodson, with whom he has two children. His birth mother, Mary-Ann Morgan, is a songwriter who has penned songs for bands such as Sugababes.[3] He is also a massive fan of Crystal Palace F.C..

Discography

Singles

With One True Voice
Solo

Albums

With Shuffler

References

  1. ↑ Otto, Sasjkia (19 August 2009). "X Factor contender Dan Pearce gets second chance". London: Telegraph Online. Retrieved 21 September 2009.
  2. ↑ Kilkelly, Daniel (19 August 2009). "Ex-'Popstar' tipped for 'X Factor' success". Digital Spy. Retrieved 21 September 2009.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Thomas, Liz (19 August 2009). "Back for more, The X Factor favourite who just won't give up". Mail Online (London). Retrieved 21 September 2009.
  4. ↑ Simon's decision at the judges' house phase. Youtube.com (4 October 2009). Retrieved on 27 August 2011.
  5. ↑ Daniel Pearce performing "Holidays" with Dizzee Rascal on Top of the Pops
  6. ↑ One True Voice – Sacred Trust. YouTube (25 October 2009). Retrieved on 27 August 2011.
  7. ↑ After You're Gone (I'll Still Be Loving You). YouTube (25 October 2009). Retrieved on 27 August 2011.
  8. ↑ Shakespears`s way with words. YouTube (17 May 2006). Retrieved on 27 August 2011.

External links