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JLS

JLS History/Early Years

After vaulting to success after their second place finish on the hit television show The X-Factor, top-preforming boy band JLS are releasing a new album which has created significant buzz. However, the JLS boys weren't always the hit making pop stars the public has come to know. Comprised of a group of young, talented singers, these men have had to work hard to make their dreams come true.

Each of the individual members of JLS (short for Jack the Lad Swing) had music careers with varying degrees of success before. Most of the members had, at best, limited triumphs and had taken time off to reconsider their options in the music field. However, the group was united under the banner of the group UFO to preform at Showcase: Live in 2007 and 2008.

When the calls for auditions for The X-Factor came out, the group jumped at the opportunity. Wowing the judges during the initial auditions, JLS moved on to the main stage and began their meteoric rise to popularity.

They all but dominated the group sub-division where they were often described as the best group to ever appear on the show. The group covered a wide range of R&B, Pop, and Soul during their run on X-Factor. Among the songs chosen were numbers from artists such as Boyz II Men, Michael Jackson, Rihanna, and Lonestar.

Week after week, the votes poured in for JLS. Soon, these young musicians would be in the final three and competing for the grand prize. During their final performances before finding out the results, JLS had the opportunity to preform live with Irish pop group Westlife before the judges. Unfortunately, the group only placed runner-up, behind winner Alexandra Burke.

However, this was not the end of the boy band's career. They were quickly signed to Epic records and began work on recording music. Since their time on The X-Factor, the boys have been hard at work. They've toured with their mates from the show on the X-Factor Live Tour and have released two singles.

Their first major single, Beat Again, was a surprise chart topper. This was a first for a second place finisher on X-Factor, proving that JLS could still bring in crowds without a title. After only one week on the stands, Beat Again had sold over 100,000 copies. To date, it has sold over 350,000 copies in the UK alone.

Today, the R&B group is readying for the imminent release of their first album. In addition, they're touring Europe and looking to please their many loyal fans. Although their career is just starting, it looks like JLS will have many long years in the spotlight to look forward to __

Band Members Bios/Histories

The young stars of the hit Pop and R&B group JLS (short for Jack the Lad Swing) weren't over night sensations. They paid their dues and worked through the trenches of the music world before finally making it big and finding a fan base through the hit series The X-Factor. The four soulful singers have all had ups and downs in their career, but today they are enjoying the fruits of their labour as pop idols. .

Aston Merrygold - One of the few members of JLS who never deviated from his goal of becoming a professional singer, Aston has been working in show business since childhood. At age 14 he appeared on Stars in Their Eyes Kids program as Michael Jackson, singing the Jackson 5 song “Rockin' Robin.” .

Since then, he's played amateur football in youth leagues which led to him representing England in the European Youth Games. Unfortunately, nerve damage in his left foot would prevent Merrygold from continuing his athletic career. After finishing school, Aston continued his show business career and joined the children's television show the Fun Song Factory. He currently resides in London. .

Marvin Hume - Perhaps the most experienced member of JLS before the X-Factor Odyssey began, Marvin Hume had already suffered the slings and arrows of joining an upstart pop band. Originally a member of the boy band group VS, Hume had previously had a record deal and had a few pop songs chart during his brief career with the band. .

Unfortunately, VS was not long for this world and their contract was quickly dropped. Hume believed his dreams of music stardom had come to an end and began to look elsewhere for work. He found it in real estate and began what he thought would be his new career as a realtor. Luckily for him, he had a friend in fellow JLS member Ortise Williams, who called him to see if he would be interested in joining with a new group. .

Today, Hume has used his memories of failure to keep him humble even as his star rises over the world of pop radio. .

Ortise Williams - Whether in Nigeria with his father or in London with his mother, Ortise has shown a talent for singing all over the world. A top student and overachiever, Ortise recorded his first single at age 15. Since then, his vocal training has only helped to nurture the tremendous talent he possesses. .

It was Williams' idea to form JLS and the band would never have been formed without his influence. Frequently involved in charities, Williams is renowned for his kind heart. .

Jonathan Gill - Jonathan is a multi-talented musician, skilled with piano, guitar, and flute. An actor, singer, and athlete was a true Renaissance Man. At age 17, he refocused himself on music. During university, he began vocal training and really began seeing improvements in his vocal abilities. He auditioned for a place in JLS and was able to make the cut.

Together, these four young men are at the beginnings of a bright career. With their first album completed and regular live events selling out, these X-Factor runners up are winners when it comes to the world of pop music.

JLS Discography

A young band, JLS is just now releasing their first ever album November 2009. However, they have a number of singles under the belt in addition to live performances and their entire history of appearances on The X-Factor.

Singles

Hero (2008) - A cover of the popular Mariah Carey song, JLS performed this with the other X-Factor finalists. Topping out at number one on the pop charts, this was the first performance by JLS to make it onto the radio airwaves. All proceeds went to the Help for Heroes fund.

Beat Again (2009) - A chart topping hit, Beat Again was notable as the first time a non-winner of an X-Factor competition had a number one hit. Featuring a sound which was favorably compared to Justin Timberlake, JLS was able to break the mold and take their sound in a direction no on expected from them. Today, it has sold over 350,000 copies in the UK alone and continues to receive significant radio play.

Everybody In Love (2009) – Online music news and review site “Pop Justice” favorably reviews JLS's latest single, although it claims it doesn't have the same catchiness as Beat Again. However, their latest single continues to perform and fans have not been disappointed.

JLS- A Self Titled Album

JLS is releasing their first album in November of 2009. Expectations are high for this R&B boy band and fans are waiting to see what their first major studio release will hold. The boys are embarking on a major tour to promote their album, so fans should get ready for the chance to see their favorite stars live and in person.

JLS Awards and Accomplishments

Although young, JLS has already been the recipient of some notable awards. As they continue to produce energetic pop and R&B, Brits can expect to see them return time and again to the the awards shows to collect the accolades of their peers.

Awards and Nominations for JLS

Urban Music Awards - Won Best Unsigned Act (2007) - A sign of things to come, JLS was already being recognized as a force to be reckoned with even before their time on X-Factor.

Brit Awards - Nominated for Best British Single (2009) - JLS was nominated alongside fellow X-Factor for the hit single Hero.

MOBO Awards - Won Best UK New Comer (2009) .

MOBO Awards - Won Best Song (2009) - Winning two of the major prizes at the MOBO Awards, JLS proved themselves a top act in 2009. .

Other achievements for JLS include their two number one hits with Beat Again and their X-Factor collaboration Hero. Of course, their most visible achievement was the honor of a close second place finish in the X-Factor competition, where they were hands down the most popular group act to ever come out of the show.

Today, the four musicians prepare to embark on yet another tour as they begin promotion for their first album, the self titled JLS. As their cache of songs continues to grow, fans across Europe can expect to see JLS's list of awards continue to grow.

JLS Boys Videos