JLS: From Runners-up To Top Of The Pops

25 July 2009

1Comments | Comment on this Article

This week JLS swept away the man bands to prove they are the only boy band in Britain that matters, racing to the top of the charts with their debut single 'Beat Again'.

'Beat Again' even sold over 100,000 copies in its first week to clinch the top spot - making it the biggest-selling first week debut single of 2009 in the UK.

JLS - made up of Aston Merrygold, Marvin Humes, Jonathan 'JB' Gill and Oritse Williams - are one of very few to make the transition from TV talent show to chart success with credibility. This is no easy feat as, in the cold light of day, after the prime time weekly TV slots and hysteria surrounding the shows has finished most contestants quickly fall by the wayside.

Of course, JLS didn't win 'The X Factor' last year. They finished second to Alexandra Burke - who hit number one after the show with her version of Leonard Cohen's 'Hallelujah', but has hardly been heard of since. Other finalists from the show have already made their move, but with varying degrees of success. Third placed Eoghan Quigg's debut was savaged by critics, while Laura White recently performed at the Miss England final - and these are two of the more successful of the 12 final acts.

So far, JLS have outshone all of them, but if we rewind to October 2008, few would have believed it if you told them so. Groups have historically never fared well in the competition and of the three in the final twelve contestants, two - Bad Lashes and Girlband - were voted off in the first two weeks.

JLS fought hard though, and while the media's attention was focused on the budding relationship between Eoghan and Laura and praising Diane Vickers, JLS and Alexandra were putting in increasingly powerful performances.

The boy band knew their strengths and played on them in their renditions of 'The Way You Make Me Feel' by Michael Jackson, 'I'll Make Love To You' by Boyz II Men and, surprisingly, 'Ain't That a Kick In The Head' by Dean Martin. As the weeks progressed, the public warmed to JLS, helped along by their charm and group unity, great haircuts and the fact the female audience started to notice they were pleasing on the eye.

The seventh week of the show saw disaster strike, however, as the group found themselves in the bottom two acts, with the prospect of being kicked off the show. The judges eventually opted to choose contestant Rachel Hylton for the boot, with head honcho Simon Cowell saying he didn't think JLS should have been in that position.

The group came back even stronger the next week, with a heartfelt rendition of Britney Spears' 'Hit Me Baby One More Time' - but it was the week after when things finally, and spectacularly, came together for the group.

During a brilliant rendition of Rihanna's 'Umbrella' - an energetic performance in itself - Aston suddenly and seemingly spontaneously launched into a backflip. The hairs on the back of the nations' collective necks stood on end, and many spines were left tingling by this incredible moment. The move finally, and once and for all, proved how much JLS were putting into the show, how hard they were working, how much they believed in their band and exactly what they had to offer. That one performance turned the show around for the boys completely and after it, viewers flocked over to supporting them in their droves. They had become real contenders to win.

Unfortunately it wasn't to be, but by this time it was too late, the group had captured the hearts of legions of fans - who were mostly young, and mostly female. The hype surrounding JLS reached fever pitch just before the 'X Factor' grand finale on December 13. A show on the group's home turf of Croydon, South London, erupted into a near riot. Over 2,000 people had gathered for the December 8 concert, and tried to squeeze into a 1,500 person capacity venue. Four were unfortunately injured in the scuffle to get in.

Singing on 'X Factor' is all well and good, but it's a show based around other people's song. JLS weren't prepared to settle into the established format of releasing a schmaltzy studio version of one of the songs they'd been performing on the show, and set about the transition from JLS the hopefuls to becoming JLS the best new boy band in Britain.

That they have achieved, and JLS have now emerged as individuals as well, each member adopting their own persona within the group. Aston is the cute baby-faced one, Oritse is the cool one, with the crazy haircuts and best dance moves, Marvin is the wise one who always knows what to do, and JB is the hunky one with the muscles.

JLS are, after all, not just an average R'n'B group, and put their efforts into developing a new groove, befitting of their name. The resulting effort, 'Beat Again' is a slice of pure pop gold - sweet harmonies and a showcase for each band member coupled with hooks which reverberate around your head for hours after the song has finished.

And as the group reached number one we caught up with them all to talk about how they are coping with the pressures of fame, crazy fans, TV talent shows and their musical friends - the recently reformed Blue.

Can you explain how the name JLS came about?

Marvin Humes (MH): Basically one of my friends came up with the name. In the 90s there was a genre of music called New Jack Swing, obviously us four are lads, jack the lads, so she sort of put the words together and then we abbreviated it to JLS.

What made you pick 'Beat Again' as the first single?