Hear'Say

Hear'Say
Company type	Pop group
Industry	Music
Founded	2001
Founder	Danny Foster, Myleene Klass, Kym Marsh, Suzanne Shaw, Noel Sullivan
Defunct	2002
Headquarters	United Kingdom
Products	Music albums and singles
Parent	Polydor Records

Hear'Say was a British pop ensemble created through the ITV reality television series Popstars in February 2001, marking the UK's inaugural edition of the global Popstars franchise. The group, signed under Polydor Records, initially consisted of Danny Foster, Myleene Klass, Kym Marsh, Suzanne Shaw, and Noel Sullivan.

The band experienced immediate acclaim with their first single "Pure and Simple" and debut album Popstars, both setting new records on the UK charts. Nevertheless, their follow-up album did not achieve similar commercial success.

In January 2002, Marsh departed due to internal disagreements and was succeeded by Johnny Shentall from Boom!. The single "Lovin' Is Easy," featuring Shentall, did not perform well commercially. Hear'Say officially split in October 2002, citing public hostility as a significant reason. Following the disbandment, members embarked on separate careers in entertainment.

2000–2001: Formation, Popstars and Everybody

Towards the end of 2000, thousands auditioned for ITV's Popstars, which was judged by Nigel Lythgoe, Paul Adam (Polydor's A&R director), and Nicki Chapman. The final five selected—Danny Foster, Myleene Klass, Kym Marsh, Suzanne Shaw, and Noel Sullivan—formed Hear'Say. The runners-up went on to create Liberty (later known as Liberty X). The series chronicled Hear'Say’s journey recording and promoting their debut single, which eventually reached number one in the UK. Popstars attracted an audience exceeding 10 million viewers.

In March 2001, "Pure and Simple", originally a track by Girl Thing, was released. It entered the UK Singles Chart at number one with close to 550,000 copies sold in its first week, becoming the fastest-selling debut single at that time—a record that was later broken by Will Young a year afterward. The single maintained its top position for three consecutive weeks. Simultaneously, their debut album Popstars topped both the UK singles and albums charts—the first act to achieve this feat—with opening week sales of 306,631 units, setting a record for the fastest-selling debut album. The album combined cover versions like "Monday Monday" and "Bridge over Troubled Water" with original songs.

Their follow-up single "The Way to Your Love", released in June 2001, also reached number one. Hear'Say appeared at prominent events such as Prince Philip's 80th birthday celebrations. They hosted an ITV programme titled Hear'Say It's Saturday, which included performances and celebrity appearances; this followed a short series called Meet the Popstars that provided insight into the group beyond the talent show framework.

In August 2001, Hear'Say embarked on a UK tour initially planned for five dates that sold out rapidly; however, additional dates added later experienced poor ticket sales. During this touring phase, they released a live DVD.

While on tour, Hear'Say recorded their sophomore album Everybody, released in November 2001 along with its title track single which debuted at number four; the album reached a peak position of number 24. Despite eventually earning Gold certification years later, sales amounted to only one-fifth of their debut album's figures. Plans for an arena tour were cancelled due to waning popularity.

2001–2002: Member departures, decline, and dissolution

Tabloid media speculated that Kym Marsh, who was publicly linked to former EastEnders actor Jack Ryder, exited the group amid reported disputes with fellow member Myleene Klass. Although a spokesperson for Hear'Say initially refuted these claims, Marsh confirmed her exit in January 2002, attributing it to ongoing disagreements with Klass and Noel Sullivan. Subsequently, auditions were conducted to find her successor.

These auditions were broadcast on ITV's This Morning, mirroring the original selection format. Johnny Shentall, married to Steps vocalist Lisa Scott-Lee, emerged victorious and officially joined the band on 5 February 2002. His addition sparked controversy due to his prior involvement with the short-lived pop act Boom! and his previous role as a backup dancer for Hear'Say. In March 2002, the group canceled their scheduled arena tour to focus on recording their third album and to facilitate Shentall’s integration.

During the summer of 2002, Hear'Say performed at various UK radio roadshows but encountered considerable public antagonism, including an incident where their set in Brighton was prematurely ended. At a motorway service station, an armed individual threatened the band's vehicle; he was subsequently apprehended and claimed it was intended as a joke. In August 2002, Hear'Say released "Lovin' Is Easy," the sole single featuring Shentall, showcasing a more polished sound aimed at rekindling public interest. The track reached number six on the charts—their lowest peak—and reportedly fell short of Polydor Records’ anticipated Top 5 placement. This led to speculation about the label potentially dropping them, though no formal announcement was made.

On 1 October 2002, Hear'Say officially disbanded, citing "abuse from the public" as a primary factor. The members conceded that their popularity had been fleeting. Their fan base had been eclipsed by Liberty X, a group formed from other finalists of Popstars.

Albums

Comprehensive list of albums including key details, peak chart rankings, and certifications
Title	Details	Highest chart positions					Certifications
Title	Details	UK	EUR	IRE	NZ	SCO	Certifications
Popstars	Release date: 26 March 2001 Label: Polydor (#549821) Available formats: CS, CD	1	10	4	1	1	UK: Triple Platinum EUR: Platinum NZ: Platinum
Everybody	Release date: 3 December 2001 Label: Polydor (#589541) Available formats: CS, CD	24	—	—	—	23	UK: Gold
"—" indicates either no chart entry or non-release in that region.

Singles

Compilation of singles, including notable chart rankings and certifications
Title	Release Year	Highest Chart Positions								Certifications	Associated Album
Title	Release Year	UK	AUS	EUR	GER	IRE	NZ	SCO	SWI	Certifications	Associated Album
"Pure and Simple"	2001	1	72	6	83	3	1	1	29	UK: Double Platinum NZ: Gold Certification	Popstars
"The Way to Your Love"		1	—	9	—	10	44	1	—	UK: Silver Certification	Popstars
"Everybody"		4	—	21	—	23	—	2	—		Everybody
"Lovin' Is Easy"	2002	6	—	35	—	31	—	7	—		Template:Non-album single
The symbol "—" indicates the single either did not chart or was not released in that specific region.

Filmography

Popstars (2001)
ITV Panto: Dick Whittington (2002)