Phixx
| Company type | Boy band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 2003 |
| Founder | Andrew Kinlochan, Chris Park, Mikey Green, Peter Smith, Nikk Mager |
| Defunct | 2006 |
| Products | Music singles and album |
Phixx was a British and Irish boy band established in 2003, composed of the five runners-up from the British TV competition Popstars: The Rivals. The founding lineup included Andrew Kinlochan, Chris Park, Mikey Green, Peter Smith, and Nikk Mager. From 2003 until their split in 2006, they released four singles that reached the UK top 20.
History
In February 2003, Phixx secured a deal with Hyperactive Management, a company recognized for managing acts such as Liberty X. Their first single, "Hold on Me", was launched in October 2003 through Concept Records and climbed to number 10 on the UK charts, selling more than 60,000 units. The subsequent release, "Love Revolution" in March 2004, peaked at number 13 and sold over 50,000 copies.
The initial two singles garnered media buzz due to their daring music videos and choreography, which featured the band members partially or fully unclothed in sexually suggestive contexts.
Their third release was a rendition of Duran Duran's "Wild Boys" in June 2004. Despite encountering some chart difficulties, it eventually reached number 12 and sold upwards of 65,000 copies. Following this, Peter Smith departed to embark on a solo career.
Towards the end of 2004, Phixx toured South Africa where they enjoyed significant popularity. They also unveiled their debut album Electrophonic Revolution, which became the top-selling record for their South African label Sheer Music. The group collaborated on songwriting with artists including Lee Ryan, Brian McFadden, Alistair Griffin, Ultra, and Theo from Liberty X. Production duties were led by John McLaughlin, noted for his work with Busted.
In December 2004, they recorded a Christmas track penned by Matt Baker for the children's program Blue Peter. This song was made available as a complimentary download but was not commercially issued.
Their fourth single in the UK, "Strange Love", released in January 2005 and written by Judie Tzuke, entered the UK Singles Chart at number 19. Nikk Mager exited the band in May 2005; the remaining trio continued creating new music. By November 2005, Chris Park announced that Phixx would disband in 2006 to allow members to pursue individual careers.
Band members made appearances on the music quiz show Never Mind the Buzzcocks; Green featured in 2004 and Park in 2005 as panelists on Phill Jupitus' team; Mager appeared during the Identity Parade segment in 2006.
Following their breakup, Mager auditioned for The X Factor in 2008 but was eliminated early in the competition. Phixx was ranked number 35 in Chantelle's Top 50 Reality TV Stars list.
In contrast to Popstars: The Rivals male winners One True Voice, who disbanded after only two singles in 2003, Phixx maintained activity until 2006 with multiple charting singles and an album release.
Peter Smith took part in The Voice of Ireland in 2013 but did not progress beyond the initial stages.
In 2024, Nikk Mager became a member of the Bucks Fizz spin-off ensemble The Fizz, joining forces with Matthew Pateman from Let Loose and Bad Boys Inc.
Albums
- Electrophonic Revolution (2004)
Singles
- "Hold on Me" (2003) – UK #10
- "Love Revolution" (2004) – UK #13
- "Wild Boys" (2004) – UK #12
- "Strange Love" (2005) – UK #19