An X Factor hopeful, who said he was certain there were “better things to come” after failing to make it through, has signed an international management deal.
Bre Musiq, 25, has signed a deal with Dubai-based RU Listening Ltd, which also has an office in Stockton, where he joins fellow Teessider and former X Factor hopeful Kerrianne Covell and Ingleby Barwick musician Samantha Durnan.
Also announcing she has signed up with the same management company this week is a fourth Stockton signer, Kim Blair.
Nando’s worker Bre, who lives with his mum Barbara McCarthy, a nurse at Middlesbrough’s James Cook University Hospital, and his twin brother and sister Ashley and Ashlyn, 10, near Portrack Lane, Stockton, was on the ITV show along with Kerrianne last year when the two both got through to the arena shows.
Bre, who describes his style as R ‘n’ B and soul, said: “Since then, I’ve been doing a lot of gigging and studio time. I’ve been working on my EP, which I hope to release soon.
“I had nothing to lose signing with RU Listening. They know what they’re doing. They’ve got everything I need to take my career to the next level.
“We haven’t got as far as planning the exact next steps for me, but I’m looking forward to finding out.
“I started off singing in the church choir actually, so there’s a gospel influence there as well,” he added.
As part of her new management deal, Kim, 27, of Ingleby Barwick, is heading to Houston in Texas next month to perform a number of gigs, something she’s “incredibly excited” about.
Chris Slasor
Kim Blair
She said: “Funnily enough, I haven’t really performed in the UK yet! I’m going to Houston next month, and I recently performed in Dubai when I went out there to visit my brother, but I’m yet to perform on home ground!”
Kim, who is married with a young daughter, three-year-old Ella, was with her most recent band for around four years, during which time they secured a record deal, played to audiences of 10,000 people and alongside some of well-known bands including Paramore, You Me At Six and Feeder. Kim then took a break from music, but said she quickly missed it. Kim said: “I realised music IS me. It’s not a hobby. I can’t not do music.
“It’s great to be joining at the same time as Bre - we know each other. We’d come across each other on the music scene previously, but he’s also served me in Nando’s a few times!”
Kim spent most of her childhood in Yarm, attending Conyers School and then Middlesbrough College, where she studied film and video, before going on to the University of Glamorgan. Kim also trained and works as a freelance make-up artist and for Middlesbrough’s Mink bar.
“I’ve been writing my own music since I was young,” she added.
“It all really started when I went to Middlesbrough College. I started a band, and back then it wasn’t really the thing to have a female fronting a band. For our first show we played with Kasabian at the Empire – that was when they weren’t well known, and they later became massive.
“My style now has become ‘pop with country vibes’. I don’t mean to have country vibes, it just is that way!”
Kim has already released one single, Too Into You, the video for which showed people across Teesside and beyond holding up messages to loved ones.
“I’ve really missed that feeling of being on stage. I’m really, really excited and I can’t wait to get back out there as a solo artist.”
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