Warren Stacey
Encyclopedia
Warren Stacey is a British singer from London
who came into prominence on the UK television show Popstars
, the reality programme that created the pop band Hear'Say
. Despite not making it into the group, Stacey went on to be signed by Def Jam Recordings
and released his debut single "My Girl My Girl" in March 2002, which made Number 26 on the UK Singles Chart
.
, the pop group that was being formed from the reality television
programme Popstars
. He impressed the show's judges with a rendition of "Angels" by Robbie Williams
and progressed on to the "boot camp
" stage of the competition. During the second day of boot camp, Stacey opted to perform a hymn
rather than a pop song for the judges. Nigel Lythgoe
, one of the show's judges, informed him that the final band was obviously not going to perform hymns and that, at that stage in the competition, the judges were looking for small reasons such as this to eliminate contestants. However, Stacey's part in a group performance of "Monday, Monday
" by The Mamas & the Papas
was seen as sufficient enough to keep him in the competition for another day.
Stacey was ultimately eliminated from the Popstars competition on the fourth day of boot camp, with the show's judges saying that he was "more gospel-influenced and [they] were after something altogether more poppy". He originally intended to form a trio with Taz and Raymond, two other Popstars contestants who had been elimanted the same day as him. Within weeks of his elimination, Stacey was signed as a solo artist by Def Jam Recordings
, who flew him to Los Angeles
to write and record his debut single "My Girl My Girl" with production team Red Zone. He played alongside Hear'Say and fellow Popstars contestants Liberty
at the 2001 Smash Hits
tour in December, before releasing "My Girl My Girl" in March the next year. The single peaked at Number 26 on the UK Singles Chart
, with Stacey's sound being favourably compared to that of fellow British R&B singer, Craig David
. Stacey provided support at the final night of MTV
's Five Night Stand in April and went on to support Destiny's Child
on their UK tour in June.
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
who came into prominence on the UK television show Popstars
Popstars (UK series 1)
Popstars was a UK talent show series that was broadcast on ITV in early 2001. It was the first UK series of the international Popstars franchise, and was billed as a documentary on the formation of a modern pop group. The series began with audition rounds of aspiring singers performing songs...
, the reality programme that created the pop band Hear'Say
Hear'Say
Hear'Say were a British manufactured pop group created in February 2001 from the winners of Popstars, an ITV reality TV show based on a New Zealand show of the same name. They enjoyed huge success with their debut single "Pure and Simple", helped by the publicity surrounding Popstars, the first of...
. Despite not making it into the group, Stacey went on to be signed by Def Jam Recordings
Def Jam Recordings
Def Jam Recordings is an American record label, focused primarily on hip hop and urban music, owned by Universal Music Group, and operates as a part of The Island Def Jam Motown Music Group...
and released his debut single "My Girl My Girl" in March 2002, which made Number 26 on the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
.
Life and music career
Stacey's first experience of performing music was singing in a church choir at a young age. In 2001, while working at a London branch of NatWest, he auditioned to become a member of Hear'SayHear'Say
Hear'Say were a British manufactured pop group created in February 2001 from the winners of Popstars, an ITV reality TV show based on a New Zealand show of the same name. They enjoyed huge success with their debut single "Pure and Simple", helped by the publicity surrounding Popstars, the first of...
, the pop group that was being formed from the reality television
Reality television
Reality television is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded...
programme Popstars
Popstars (UK series 1)
Popstars was a UK talent show series that was broadcast on ITV in early 2001. It was the first UK series of the international Popstars franchise, and was billed as a documentary on the formation of a modern pop group. The series began with audition rounds of aspiring singers performing songs...
. He impressed the show's judges with a rendition of "Angels" by Robbie Williams
Robbie Williams
Robert Peter "Robbie" Williams is an English singer-songwriter, vocal coach and occasional actor. He is a member of the pop group Take That. Williams rose to fame in the band's first run in the early- to mid-1990s. After many disagreements with the management and certain group members, Williams...
and progressed on to the "boot camp
Recruit training
Recruit training, more commonly known as Basic Training and colloquially called Boot Camp, is the initial indoctrination and instruction given to new military personnel, enlisted and officer...
" stage of the competition. During the second day of boot camp, Stacey opted to perform a hymn
Hymn
A hymn is a type of song, usually religious, specifically written for the purpose of praise, adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification...
rather than a pop song for the judges. Nigel Lythgoe
Nigel Lythgoe
Nigel Lythgoe is an English television and film director and producer, and former dancer in the Young Generation and choreographer. He is noted for being the producer of the shows Pop Idol and American Idol as well as being a creator, executive producer and a regular judge for So You Think You Can...
, one of the show's judges, informed him that the final band was obviously not going to perform hymns and that, at that stage in the competition, the judges were looking for small reasons such as this to eliminate contestants. However, Stacey's part in a group performance of "Monday, Monday
Monday, Monday
"Monday, Monday" is a 1966 song written by John Phillips and recorded by The Mamas & the Papas for their 1966 album If You Can Believe Your Eyes and Ears. It was the group's only number one hit on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100....
" by The Mamas & the Papas
The Mamas & the Papas
The Mamas & the Papas were a Canadian/American vocal group of the 1960s . The group recorded and performed from 1965 to 1968 with a short reunion in 1971, releasing five albums and 11 Top 40 hit singles...
was seen as sufficient enough to keep him in the competition for another day.
Stacey was ultimately eliminated from the Popstars competition on the fourth day of boot camp, with the show's judges saying that he was "more gospel-influenced and [they] were after something altogether more poppy". He originally intended to form a trio with Taz and Raymond, two other Popstars contestants who had been elimanted the same day as him. Within weeks of his elimination, Stacey was signed as a solo artist by Def Jam Recordings
Def Jam Recordings
Def Jam Recordings is an American record label, focused primarily on hip hop and urban music, owned by Universal Music Group, and operates as a part of The Island Def Jam Motown Music Group...
, who flew him to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
to write and record his debut single "My Girl My Girl" with production team Red Zone. He played alongside Hear'Say and fellow Popstars contestants Liberty
Liberty X
Liberty X were a British pop vocal group formed by the five contestants eliminated from the final ten qualifiers from the 2001 ITV show Popstars. The group consisted of Tony Lundon, Kevin Simm, Michelle Heaton, Kelli Young and Jessica Taylor...
at the 2001 Smash Hits
Smash Hits
Smash Hits was a pop music based magazine, aimed at teenagers and young adults and originally published in the United Kingdom by EMAP. It ran from 1978 to 2006 and was issued fortnightly for most of that time...
tour in December, before releasing "My Girl My Girl" in March the next year. The single peaked at Number 26 on the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
, with Stacey's sound being favourably compared to that of fellow British R&B singer, Craig David
Craig David
Craig Ashley David is an English singer and songwriter. He has released five studio albums: Born to Do It, Slicker Than Your Average, The Story Goes..., Trust Me, Signed Sealed Delivered and a Greatest Hits album...
. Stacey provided support at the final night of MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
's Five Night Stand in April and went on to support Destiny's Child
Destiny's Child
Destiny's Child was an American R&B girl group whose final line-up comprised lead singer Beyoncé Knowles alongside Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams. Formed in 1997 in Houston, Texas, Destiny's Child members began their musical endeavors in their pre-teens under the name Girl's Tyme...
on their UK tour in June.
Singles
| Year | Title | Chart peak positions |
|---|---|---|
| UK UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
||
| 2002 | "My Girl My Girl" | 26 |
See also
- Darius Campbell – another unsuccessful PopstarsPopstarsPopstars is an international reality television franchise and a precursor to the Idol series. The series first began in New Zealand in 1999 when producer Jonathan Dowling formed the five member all-girl group TrueBliss...
contestant who went on to achieve solo success - List of former Def Jam Recordings artists
- List of Popstars contestants music releases