People and Personalities

One person who knows all about picking yourself up, dusting yourself off and carrying on after the reality TV dream has gone is High Wycombe's Daniel Pearce.

Seven years ago he made it to the final of Popstars: The Rivals, where his group 'One True Voice' were beaten by Girls Aloud in a race to the Christmas Number One.

This year, he decided to have another shot at fame and auditioned for the X Factor, making it all the way to the judges houses.

With the five other singers in the Over 25s category, he flew to Simon Cowell's house in Los Angeles, but sadly, that's where his journey ended.

He told BBC Three Counties Roberto Perrone more:

Seven years ago you were in One True Voice, living the popstar 'dream' only to have it snatched away again. How did you feel when it all ended?

Daniel: It was pretty difficult because obviously during the show [Popstars: The Rivals] everything was going great. We made it to the final and were number 2 at Christmas and then everything just kind of hit a brick wall. There was no kind of creativity going on between the record company and the management and us. We wanted to do things a little bit differently, a little bit more original but they didn’t really want that to happen so much. It was a difficult decision but I had to leave the band after six months because I could just see it being detrimental to my career if I stayed in any longer.

It’s always been very difficult to carve a career as a pop star whatever era you are in but at the moment shows like the X Factor seem to be the only vehicle for doing it?

Daniel: Exactly. After I left the band it was six or seven years of hard slog trying to make it. It would get to a certain phase and there’d be interest and then they’d find out that I’d been part of a failed boy band and it would just be a brick wall in the industry. I just thought I’d exhausted all avenues, and that I’d got no other option than to go for the X Factor so that’s what I did.

You and Cheryl were both on Popstars: The Rivals. It must have been difficult auditioning for her now that she is like the nation’s sweetheart?

Daniel: It was quite a surreal experience but it felt really nice singing in front of her. I knew from things that she’d said in the past that she’d be a supporter and she gave me a standing ovation on my first audition and was always championing me the whole way through. It was really nice, I knew that Cheryl was always supporting me.

Once a person gets to the judges houses, they clearly have something about them, so I always feel really bad for those like you this year, who have it taken away at that stage?

Daniel: It was really heartbreaking and devastating because all the way through I thought I’d been pretty consistent. I didn’t make any mistakes in any of my performances and I gave my heart and soul to every performance. Simon said that the only thing it was, because he couldn’t fault anything else, was the fact that he wanted to give someone a first shot, that’s all. That was a bitter pill to swallow but I have to respect Simon’s decision. His vision for the show this year wasn’t with me in it so I just had to take it on the chin and move on.

Things are looking up now. Radio 1’s Chris Moyles has picked you to perform on his new album which is coming out at Christmas hasn’t he?

Daniel: Yes he has. He asked me if I wanted to do all the backing vocals and also arrange the backing vocals on his album so I’ve done that and the album’s now finished and coming out in November.

Who do you want to win this year’s X Factor?

Daniel: It’s really difficult. I got on very, very well with Olly at boot camp and the judges houses. He’s a good lad and I’d like to see him win. I’d also like to see Lucie win as well because if you’re talking natural talent she’s got the most talent left in the show.