Real Like You

Real Like You are an English pop music girl group band formed in Birmingham in 2019. The band is composed of Luena Martínez, Halle Williams, Virginia Hampson, Kellimarie Willis and Jess Folley. In 2019, they won The X Factor: The Band, and were subsequently signed to Syco Music.

Real Like You
OriginBirmingham, West Midlands, England
Genres
Years active2019–present
LabelsSyco
Members
  • Luena Martínez
  • Halle Williams
  • Virginia Hampson
  • Kellimarie Willis
  • Jess Folley
Past membersSeorsia Jack

History

2019: The X Factor: The Band

In November 2019, each member of Real Like You auditioned for the ITV talent competition series The X Factor: The Band.[1] Each member progressed to the bootcamp stage, where Jess Folley (who in 2017 had won The Voice Kids), Luena Martínez (who appeared in series 13), Seorsia Jack, Halle Williams and Kellimarie Willis (who in 2017 appeared on Got What It Takes?) were selected to be in the group. However, judge Nicole Scherzinger later called Virginia Hampson back, giving her a place in the group.[2] On 15 December 2019, Real Like You were announced as the winners, winning a record deal with Syco.[3][4] As part of the competition they performed an original song, "Be Like Them".[5] Unlike winners of The X Factor and The X Factor: Celebrity, Real Like You are the first winners of a British version of the show not to release a winners single following their win.

2020-present: Upcoming debut album

After their win on The X Factor: The Band, Folley expressed that the group intend on releasing an album that is "new and original", and writing for the album started in January 2020.[6] On 29 August 2020, Jack announced her departure from the group, stating that she wanted to pursue a solo career.[7]

Members

Main line-up
Luena Martínez

Luena Martínez (born 11 January 1999) was born in East Finchley.[8] In 2016, Martínez auditioned for the thirteenth series of The X Factor, where she made it to the six chair challenge, but failed to proceed further.[9] She attended SoundSkool in Enfield.[9]

Halle Williams

Halle Williams (born 1 November 2000) was born in Cambridge.[10] Williams is a trained dancer, having studied dance and musical theatre at Urdang Academy.[10]

Virginia Hampson

Virginia Hampson (born 10 October 2002) was born in Chelmsford.[11] Hampson has no formal vocal training.[10] Upon her initial audition for The X Factor: The Band, she was told to audition again, at a later point in the day. At the second audition round, she was cut from the band; Nicole Scherzinger called her three days later and added her to the band. [11]

Kellimarie Willis

Kellimarie Willis (born 27 October 2002) was born in Coventry.[12] In 2017, Willis competed in the second series of Got What It Takes? winning a sing-off and advanced to the semi final, at the age of 13.[13] Willis is studying songwriting in Birmingham.[10]

Jess Folley

Jess Folley (born 11 May 2003) was born in Essex.[14] In 2017, Folley won the first series of The Voice Kids.[14]

Past members
Seorsia Jack

Seorsia Jack (born 22 June 2001) was born in Dublin, Ireland, to Zimbabwean parents. She started her career as a solo female artist in 2019. She announced her departure from the band on 29 August 2020 on Instagram, after deciding to pursue a solo career.[15]

References
  1. "Meet the contestants from The X Factor: The Band". Radio Times. 15 December 2019. Archived from the original on 14 December 2019. Retrieved 16 December 2019.
  2. "Virginia Hampson: "The X Factor has a bigger reputation than Little Mix: The Search"". Radio Times. 12 December 2019. Archived from the original on 14 December 2019. Retrieved 16 December 2019.
  3. "X Factor: Can The Band winners Real Like You be successful?". BBC News. 16 December 2019. Archived from the original on 16 December 2019. Retrieved 16 December 2019.
  4. Gillibrand, Abigail (11 December 2019). "Simon Cowell could have found next Little Mix as first group announced on X Factor: The Band". Metro. Archived from the original on 16 December 2019. Retrieved 16 December 2019.
  5. "Girl group Real Like You crowned winners of The X Factor: The Band". Inews.co.uk. Archived from the original on 2 March 2020. Retrieved 2 March 2020.
  6. Darvill, Josh (22 December 2019). "X Factor: The Band winners reveal their plans for debut album". TellyMix. Archived from the original on 23 October 2020. Retrieved 29 August 2020.
  7. @SiaBabez (29 August 2020). "ANNOUNCEMENT ‼️ I want to thank my friends, my family, my team and everyone who has supported MR thus far. Here's to new beginnings ✨🙏🏽" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  8. "Meet X Factor: The Band winner Luena Martinez – age, Instagram, parents!". Reality Titbit. Archived from the original on 27 December 2019. Retrieved 2 January 2020.
  9. "Student Luena Martinez hopes to inspire others through X Factor appearance". Financial Times. Archived from the original on 2 January 2020. Retrieved 2 January 2020.
  10. Darvill, Josh. "The X Factor: The Band: Meet the new girl group Real Like You". Archived from the original on 2 January 2020. Retrieved 2 January 2020.
  11. "Meet Virginia Hampson – X Factor: The Band's comeback star is an Instagram influencer!". Reality Titbit. Archived from the original on 27 December 2019. Retrieved 2 January 2020.
  12. "Coventry girl wows public to win X Factor: The Band". Coventry Live. Retrieved 2 January 2020.
  13. "Mother and daughter team sing and dance their way through hit CBBC programme 'Got What It Takes?'". Coventry Observer. Archived from the original on 2 January 2020. Retrieved 2 January 2020.
  14. "Jess Folley wins £30k music bursary on The Voice Kids". BBC News. Archived from the original on 2 January 2020. Retrieved 2 January 2020.
  15. "ANNOUNCEMENT‼️ Thank you to everyone who has supported me throughout this process and believed in me. Here's to new beginnings! ✨ and a special thank you to all the fan accounts who brought a smile to my face everyday with your edits and beautiful messages! I love you all x". Instagram. 29 August 2020. Retrieved 29 August 2020.
Awards and achievements
Preceded by
Megan McKenna		 Winner of The X Factor
2019		 Succeeded by
Incumbent
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