Throng

JLS is a four member boy band featuring Marvin Humes, Jonathan Gill, Oritse Williams and Aston Merrygold

Marvin Humes
AGE: 23
OCCUPATION: PROPERTY SALES
LOCATION: SOUTH-EAST LONDON

Marvin was born in South-East London and started singing at the age of five. He attended a professional performance school 3 times a week as well as attending a regular school for his education. After finishing school, a chance meeting with Simon Webb gave Marvin the opportunity to hand over one of his demo tapes. Weeks later Marvin audition for Simon and was asked if he wanted to join VS (a group Simon Webb was putting together). After six months of rehearsing and recording, VS were signed to Innocent Records and they went to support Blue on two national tours. Their first release went to number 7, the second went to number 11 and their third release went to 23. Unfortunately VS lost their deal and Marvin contemplated leaving the music industry and started selling property and land abroad. Marvin looks back on this time as a massive reality check, “I had to swallow my pride” Marvin understands that the pain he felt back then is something that has made him stronger. He’s always looking to move forward and was ecstatic to receive a call from Oritse inviting him to start up JLS.

Jonathan Gill (JB)
AGE: 21
OCCUPATION: STUDENT
LOCATION: CROYDEN

JB grew up in Croydon and fell in love with music at the age of seven when he played the recorder, piano, flute and guitar. At the age of nine, he joined the choir and went onto perform at the local church. Singing was a past-time and JB concentrated his music and began studying at The Centre for Young Musicians (CYB). After leaving the CYM, JB stayed involved with the school music scene. He play Mercado in the play Mercado and was involved with the choir at school. He continued this until he was 15 but had to give it up due to the pressures from the school to concentrate on his promising Rugby career. At the age of 17, JB decided that he wanted to sing more and took up vocal coaching during a year out before attending university. During this period, JB was contacted by Oritse to try out for the band.

Oritse Williams
AGE: 21
OCCUPATION: WORKS WITH DISABLED CHILDREN
LOCATION: FULHAM

Oritse has been singing since he was at school and at 15 yrs old, he would even perform on his school bus! Oritse studied for his A’ Levels in Nigeria with his father and would also spend time teaching the children in the villages to sing. It was in Nigeria that Oritse first sang in a recording studio when he was asked to lay some vocals down for a track he had written called Soul Woman. However, due to competition from another male solo artist, Oritse’s track was pulled from the stations playlist and his dream came to a standstill. Oritse was the school’s head-boy and was also involved in local charity group, Motherless Baby Home. Oritse loved being involved with his community and most of all singing with the villagers. After two years he moved back to the UK to live back with his mother in London. Oritse was introduced to a variety of different mentors when he joined a vocal academy whilst he was studying at university and Malcolm Connell trained him vocally and was the person who encouraged him to form JLS.

Aston Merrygold
AGE: 20
OCCUPATION: SINGER
LOCATION: PETERBOROUGH

Aston grew up in Peterborough dreamed of being a footballer. At secondary school, he represented England for the European Youth Games in 2004 but soon after discovered he had a nerve disorder in his left foot and had to give up sport. When Aston was 14, his mother applied for him enter Kids Stars in their Eyes and appeared as Michael Jackson in 2002 singing Rockin’ Robin. Aston performed in all of his school productions and after finishing school in 2004, he was cast in a new TV show called Fun Song Factory. Aston met Marvin whilst auditioning for a TV advert and he was invited to come along and try out for JLS. Since joining the band, Aston moved to London to be closer to the other members of JLS.

Mentored by: Louie Walsh