By Eleanor Davies
Over the years boy bands have defined pop music, from The Beatles to Take That, women and girls can’t seem to get enough of them.
But now people are more open to listening to different types of music and a window was opened for boy bands of different genres to break the mould.
Charting the change in attitudes perfectly is Classical Brit Award winning boy band, Blake.
Since the band formed in 2007 they have gone from strength to strength, performing across the world and even when one band member left, that didn’t stop them touring Australia with a new member just three weeks later!
“Dominic had trained as an actor before he joined the band” says Stephen Bowman, the band’s bass-baritone. “He sang with us for two years before he wanted to return to his calling and go back to acting. We needed someone to replace him quickly as it was three weeks before we were due to go on an Australian tour. So we decided to put a message out on twitter and got 50,000 replies!
“People sent us websites and videos of them singing,” he adds. “But we found Humphrey and thought he was fantastic and now we’ve got a brilliant line up and all get along really well.”
Twenty nine year-old Stephen has been with the band from the start along with Ollie Baines and Jules Knight, and together they wanted to create a band with a difference!
“We’d all been in choirs and sung different things, I was in an Indie band for a while and sang with Jazz groups but that’s the joy of what we do and what makes Blake so unique. We mix it up with classic, pop and rock,” explains Stephen.
And with their good looks and powerful voices the band has helped in bringing classical music to the mainstream.
“I think it’s always been there but it’s about making people feel comfortable and saying it’s okay to like that,” says Stephen. “I think with IPods now people have a much more eclectic taste in music and are braver with what they will try. That’s what we try and do, give people variety by mixing it up.”
And after flying the flag for Britain all over the world in the past couple of years the group are finally back in England as they embark on their UK tour, including a date at The Queens Theatre, Hornchurch on 29 August!
“It’s wonderful travelling but this is like a global homecoming for us after doing concerts for four years,” says Stephen.
And with such a passion for what they do the group have been keen to encourage children to be more open to listening to different kinds of music, especially classical.
“We toured about 70 plus schools over the UK, just talking about the music industry, and classical music isn’t that far removed from what they know in pop music.
“What we hope is that the best choirs from each town we visit will sing three songs with us on our tour, Nessun Dorma, Hallelujah, and Jerusalem. It’s going to be very special. All they have to do is send a link to info@blakeofficial.com,” adds Stephen.
For tickets to their show at The Queens Theatre, Hornchurch this Sunday, call 01708 443333.