Liberty X

Liberty X

Liberty X are a pop group from London, United Kingdom, active from 2001 to 2008. The line-up includes Michelle Heaton, Tony Lundon, Kevin Simm, Jessica Taylor and Kelli Young. The group forms after the members are not chosen for Hear'say, the official act from the ITV1 talent show Popstars.

Early success and name change

They begin as Liberty before a legal dispute over the group name is resolved by adding an X, with the revised name also reflecting suggestions from fans. Their first single, "Thinking It Over", reaches the UK Top 5. The follow-up, "Doin' It", peaks at number 14.

Chart hits and albums

Liberty X reach number one in the UK with "Just a Little", which sells more than 500,000 copies and ends 2002 as the seventh best-selling single of the year. They continue with "Got To Have Your Love", which reaches number 2, and "Holding On For You", another UK Top 10 hit. Their debut album, Thinking It Over, enters the Top 3 and eventually gains multi-platinum certification, selling close to 750,000 copies in the UK.

Their second album, Being Somebody, arrives in 2003. It produces three further UK Top 20 singles: "Being Nobody" at number 3, "Jumpin'" at number 6, and "Everybody Cries" at number 13. The album goes gold and sells more than 200,000 copies in the United Kingdom.

Later releases

The third album, X, is released in 2005 and becomes their least successful album, although it still yields two more UK Top 10 singles. "Song 4 Lovers" reaches number 5, and their version of Shalamar's "A Night To Remember" reaches number 6 and serves as the official Children In Need charity track. The title song "X" peaks at number 47. The album reaches number 27 and sells more than 50,000 copies.

Split

In 2007 the group announces that it is splitting up, saying that the music industry has changed since it begins. The members remain friends and work on solo projects.