Liberty X

Liberty X
Company type	Vocal group
Industry	Music
Founded	2001
Founder	Michelle Heaton, Jessica Taylor, Kelli Young, Tony Lundon, Kevin Simm
Headquarters	United Kingdom
Products	Music albums and singles

Liberty X—initially known simply as Liberty—is a British female vocal group currently consisting of Michelle Heaton, Jessica Taylor, and Kelli Young. The most recognized formation also featured members Tony Lundon and Kevin Simm.

The group originated from the five finalists of ITV's 2001 talent competition Popstars who were not selected for the winning ensemble Hear'Say. Liberty X launched their first album, Thinking It Over, on 27 May 2002. This album included their most successful track, "Just a Little", which achieved international acclaim. Their sophomore album, Being Somebody, released on 3 November 2003, did not replicate the commercial impact of their debut. Following underwhelming sales, they were dropped by their label but later signed with Virgin, releasing their final studio effort, X, on 10 October 2005 before disbanding in 2007.

Liberty X secured ten consecutive singles within the UK top 20 and attained multiple chart entries globally, surpassing the commercial achievements of Hear'Say. The original members reunited for a tour spanning 2013 to 2014.

2000–2001: Popstars participation, group formation, and renaming

While the five winners of Popstars formed the group Hear'Say, the five runners-up—Michelle Heaton, Tony Lundon, Kevin Simm, Jessica Taylor, and Kelli Young—came together as Liberty. The name symbolized their independence following the show. Despite facing disparaging media labels such as "Flopstars," they secured a lucrative contract with Richard Branson's independent label, V2 Records.

Soon after their formation, Liberty encountered legal action in the UK High Court from a 1990s funk and R&B band also named "Liberty," known for their awards and international tours. The court ruled against the newer group on grounds of passing off. As a result, they invited fans to suggest new names through The Sun newspaper. The winning suggestion was "X Liberty," which eventually became their official name: Liberty X.

2001–2002: Release of Thinking It Over and live performances

On 24 September 2001, under the name Liberty, they debuted with the single "Thinking It Over", which climbed to number five on the UK Singles Chart. The single's physical format included remixes by the Wideboys and Boy George. Their second release, "Doin' It" (issued on 3 December 2001), peaked at number fourteen. Following resolution of their naming dispute, their third single, "Just a Little", reached number one on UK charts and was ranked as the ninth best-selling single of 2002; it also stood as the fifth most played radio track during the 2000s decade.

"Just a Little" was released ahead of their debut album, Thinking It Over (originally titled To Those Who Wait). The album attained number three on UK charts and exceeded one million copies sold worldwide. Two further singles were launched: a cover version of Mantronix's "Got To Have Your Love", remixed by original producer Kurtis Mantronik, which peaked at number two; and "Holding on for You" in December 2002, reaching number five. That year, Liberty X embarked on their first arena headlining tour.

2003–2005: Being Somebody and transition to a new label

Following a short break, the group unveiled "Being Nobody", a creative blend combining Chaka Khan's "Ain't Nobody" with The Human League's "Being Boiled". This track, produced by Richard X and credited as Richard X vs Liberty X, climbed to number three on the UK singles chart. Their sophomore album, Being Somebody, launched in November 2003, entered the charts at number twelve but sold approximately 200,000 units, falling short of their debut's success. Singles from this album included "Jumpin", which reached number six, and "Everybody Cries", peaking at number thirteen though it did not meet commercial expectations.

Due to complications with their record label, the group took a hiatus during which members engaged in various individual endeavors: Simm participated in Channel 4's The Games, Heaton appeared on ITV's Celebrity Wrestling, and Taylor competed on ITV's Dancing on Ice. Meanwhile, Lundon and Young concentrated on creating new material and producing for other artists. There were plans to reissue Being Somebody featuring a cover of "Back to Life", but this never came to fruition. The band did release a rendition of Kool & The Gang's "Fresh" in select European markets, where it reached number 35 in France.

2005–2007: X era and disbandment

In 2005, Liberty X parted ways with V2 Records, signing with the independent Unique Corp Records. Their third studio album, X, was released in October 2005. The lead single, "Song 4 Lovers", featured Rev Run from Run–D.M.C.. Although initially recorded under V2 Records, the track was re-recorded after V2 declined its release as a single. Upon its September 2005 release, it achieved a peak position of number five in the UK charts—their first top ten hit in two years. Despite this success, the album itself only reached number 27 and sold around 10,000 copies domestically.

Towards the end of 2005, Liberty X recorded the official Children in Need charity single—a double A-side featuring covers of Shalamar's "A Night to Remember" alongside Chic's "Everybody Dance". This release attained number six on the UK charts and reached number 16 in France.

In May 2006, their scheduled performance at Aberystwyth University's May Ball was prematurely ended due to a smoke bomb incident, much to the disappointment of attendees. The group returned in June with the single "X", which charted at number 47 in the UK and number 89 in France. A subsequent reissue of X including additional tracks failed to generate commercial success.

Although rumors about a breakup circulated during this period, Liberty X confirmed in 2006 that they remained intact but were concentrating on solo ventures. Heaton revealed intentions to release a new single tied to a film project in early 2007; however, this did not materialize. Individual members focused on personal milestones and careers: Heaton married Andy Scott-Lee; Taylor became engaged to cricketer Kevin Pietersen; Simm returned to Channel 4's The Games; Lundon worked on songwriting for a prospective fourth album.

On 20 May 2007, Liberty X announced their decision to stop recording collectively following their ongoing tour but expressed openness to occasional reunions. Their final performance took place on 2 September 2007 at a charity event near Chippenham. The band reunited briefly in August 2008 for Belfast's gay pride festivities, marking their first joint appearance in over twelve months.

2012–2016: Reunion of Full Lineup

On 18 October 2012, Liberty X joined forces with five other pop ensembles—B*Witched, Honeyz, 911, Five, and Atomic Kitten—for the ITV2 series The Big Reunion. The program showcased their band histories and rehearsal sessions leading up to a comeback concert at London's Hammersmith Apollo on 26 February 2013, where they performed their most popular tracks.

The Hammersmith Apollo tickets sold out in less than five minutes, resulting in the announcement of an extensive UK arena tour scheduled from 3 to 12 May 2013. Due to overwhelming interest, the groups also organized a brief Christmas tour in December of the same year.

Michelle Heaton announced on 29 March 2013 that Liberty X would disband following the tour, citing personal family priorities and a wish to avoid the pressures associated with commercial success. Nevertheless, by September 2013, she suggested there might be potential for a future comeback. The band's concluding performance during this phase took place on 15 December 2013.

In 2014, Liberty X entered into a contract with 365 Artists Management and took part in the Summer Tour. Kevin Simm departed from the group in 2016, explaining that Liberty X had effectively ceased activities in 2014. Subsequently, he won the fifth season of The Voice UK under the mentorship of Ricky Wilson. On 28 May 2016, Liberty X reunited briefly for a special appearance at Birmingham Pride.

2017–present: Female Trio Revival

In 2017, Heaton, Taylor, and Young revived Liberty X as a trio consisting solely of female members. Since then, they have performed at various music festivals and Pride celebrations. On 4 June 2023, they were the headline act at 'Mighty Hoopla', and in 2024, they led the lineup at the Spalding Festival held in Lincolnshire.

Members

Discography

Thinking It Over (2002)
Being Somebody (2003)
X (2005)

Tours

Headlining

Just a Little Tour (2002–2003)
Being Somebody Tour (2003–2004)
The X Tour (2006)
Summer Tour (2014)
Liberty X Live (2017–present)

Co-headlining

Popstar Tour (2001)
The Big Reunion (2013)

References