RLY

RLY (an acronym for Real Like You) are an English pop music girl group formed on The X Factor: The Band. They went onto win the series, subsequently signing to Syco Music however, the label went defunct and is no longer in operation. The group then later signed to Warner in August 2022 and then Real / Darco Recordings. The band is composed of Halle Williams, Virginia Hampson, Kellimarie Willis, Jess Folley and Kyra West. On the 3rd August 2023, the group released their debut single “Love Me Or Not”.

RLY
Also known asReal Like You
OriginBirmingham, England
Years active2019–present
LabelsReal Recordings / Darco Recordings
Members
  • Halle Williams
  • Virginia Hampson
  • Kellimarie Willis
  • Jess Folley
  • Kyra West
Past members
  • Seorsia Jack
  • Luena Martinez

History

2019: X Factor UK: The Band

In November 2019, each member of RLY 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 Martinez (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, RLY 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, RLY are the first winners of a British version of the show not to release a winners single following their win.

2020-present: New Music

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, Seorsia announced her departure from the group, stating that she wanted to pursue a solo career.[7] On 9 August 2022, Martinez's departure from RLY was announced and the group became signed to Warner Records.[8] On 2nd January 2023, a new member, Kyra West, was announced on the groups social media pages.

On 6th January 2023, the group teased new music with an unreleased demo called "Love Me Or Not", which was uploaded to their SoundCloud.[9] The song was later finalised and released on the 3rd of August 2023 as the groups debut single through Real / Darco Recordings.

On 21 September 2023, RLY released the song "Superpower".

Members

Current members

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

Virginia Hampson 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 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 was born in Essex.[14] In 2017, Folley won the first series of The Voice Kids.[14]

Kyra West was announced as a new member in January 2023;[15] she had previously been a semi-finalist on the 2017 series of Got What It Takes?.[16]

Past members

Seorsia Jack 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.[17]

Luena Martinez was born in East Finchley.[18] In 2016, Martinez auditioned for the thirteenth series of The X Factor, where she made it to the six chair challenge, but failed to proceed further.[19] She attended SoundSkool in Enfield.[19] Her departure from the band was announced on 9 August 2022.[20]

Discography

Singles
Title Year Album
"Love Me Or Not" 2023 TBA
"Superpower"

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. 16 December 2019. 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. "Warner". Warner Records UK. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
  9. "Warner". Warner Records UK. Retrieved 6 January 2023.
  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. "RLY TEASE NEW MUSIC WITH 'LOVE ME OR NOT' DEMO". Musictalkers.com. 6 January 2023. Retrieved 15 February 2023.
  16. "Kyra West". Tresamagazine.com. 7 August 2017. Retrieved 15 February 2023.
  17. "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. Archived from the original on 24 December 2021. Retrieved 29 August 2020.
  18. "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.
  19. "Student Luena Martinez hopes to inspire others through X Factor appearance". FE Week. Archived from the original on 2 January 2020. Retrieved 2 January 2020.
  20. "RLY (@reallikeyou)". Instagram. Retrieved 9 August 2022.
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