lemar

[stacyefc]

my sisters katie and lisa and there 2 mates went to see lemar in the royal court in liverpool and they siad he was brilliant.

when it finished they waited outiside and he was getting into his car and our katie got to hold his hand she was made up.

what concerts have all yous been to?

i've been to BLUE, CRAIG DAVID, BOYZONE, TAKE THAT, WESTLIFE AND THE FEEL THE NOISE CONCERT (that had various celebs)

[phils little sister]

I like Lemar - he is playing over here (In Ireland) with Destiny's Child this Summer i would love to go. I went to see Eminem 2 years ago he was great :cheer: i'd deffo go and see him again :thumbsup:

[daisy38]

Oh, i love lemar! He's georgous. Acturly he's the spit of my sisters bloke. :)

[bubblegum_fairy]

I think Lemar is brill

the only talent thing to come out of Fame Academy, well talented one still around

[Perdita]

Lemar first found fame when he finished third on BBC One's Fame Academy in 2002. Bucking the trend for reality show rejects, he outsold winner David Sneddon and scored a string of hits with '50/50', 'Dance With U' and 'If There's Any Justice'. His first three albums earned him critical acclaim and two Brit Awards and now he's back with his "eclectic, edgier" fourth album. We popped in for a chat with the smooth crooner to find out more.

You became a dad earlier this year. Has it affected the way you approach your career?
"You know, it doesn't change things that much. I've got an extra incentive to get home at the end of the day and be there in the morning, but life's just the same. I've got another little person in my life who I'm getting to know. She always gives me something to laugh about, so it's cool."

What's your new single, 'If She Knew', about?
"The song is for people who are in a relationship but have that moment of communication breakdown. There's not necessarily something wrong, but people can often feel insecure in relationships. This song is a man saying: 'If she knew how I felt about her, she'd have no reason to ask me these questions'. Anyone who's gone through that experience, this song's for them."

Is that communication breakdown something you've personally experienced?
"Every song on my album is written from personal experience. We all go through those moments where things need to stop for a second because everyone's busy doing their own thing. You always need to come back and meet in the middle."

Your new album is called The Reason. What is The Reason?
"I called the album The Reason because that's what I was trying to find when I made the record. I decided to go away and rediscover my passion for music. I wanted to remind myself of the reason I became an artist in the first place. I wanted this album to be thought-provoking, fun and inspirational like the albums I listened to before I became a musician. It took a long time to get there. I wrote 78 songs for the record, but I made it in the end."

There's a lot of soul music in the charts at the moment. Is there room for Lemar?
"Definitely. This album is very different to my last album, which was very classic-sounding and old school. I wanted to push things forward. This CD is very current-sounding, it's much more eclectic and everything's done in an edgier way. I'm just trying to keep listeners entertained and guessing. I don't what people thinking, 'We know what to expect from Lemar'. I want people to think, 'We might get anything from Lemar, but we know it will be a good song'."

Do people still refer to you as "Lemar from Fame Academy"?
"People just say Lemar and that's cool. Obviously people mention Fame Academy, but it's something I'm so proud of and happy I did that I don't mind talking about it. But now I'm on my fourth album, it's nice to be known as Lemar in my own right."

Do you like being held up as an example of what reality TV can produce?
"I'm cool with that. If it inspires someone else to get up and make a chance for themselves, that's great. If they want to use my name, use it."

How would you feel if you saw someone on The X Factor say: 'Simon, I'm going to sing a track by Lemar'?
"That would be crazy. I've seen someone perform 'If There's Any Justice' before, I'm not sure if it was on The X Factor. It's strange, but it is a nice thing. I now feel like I've contributed to the UK music scene. To sit back and watch someone singing one of my tunes, I find it inspiring. That someone's bothered to learn my song and is taking it into their life, it's an honour."

You only came third on Fame Academy but still prospered. What's your secret?
"You've just got to work hard and if an opportunity presents itself, you've got to focus. It was Lionel Ritchie who said to me: 'You can't ever think you've made it'. You've always got to dig deep and find a new way of doing things. That's why I recorded this album in Sweden, Miami and LA. I was rediscovering me again. If you rest on your laurels and tick along, there's always someone ready to come along and take things away from you."

Lemar releases 'If She Knew' on November 10. His fourth album, The Reason, follows on November 24.