The Wanted

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End of Term recently caught up with 17-year-old Nathan Sykes, youngest member of the UK’s latest chart-topping boy band, The Wanted.

WORDS: ROSALIND TULLOCH

GIVEN YOU RECENTLY HAD A NUMBER ONE HIT… HOW DID YOU GET ON WITH YOUR A LEVELS?

I was really nervous cos I’ve only been at school for pretty much one term during the last year! I didn’t really get to do as much revision as I would have liked and, when it came to exams, I had no exam practice and was massively unprepared. So I am very surprised that I passed. I was really proud cos I got full marks in my music performance, which I am chuffed to bits with!

WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU WERE AT A CLASS?

December was the last time I’d been at school but I actually went back with the boys to do a show, which was great – especially as it’s an all-girls school with just boys in the Sixth Form. I think the girls were chuffed to bits!

HOW DID YOU COPE WITH STUDYING AND BEING IN A BAND?

You’ve just got to put the time in; when you’re at A level, and even GCSE level, you’re doing subjects that you actually want to take, so you’re not actually forced to do anything. I think you’ve just got to be really determined to get the marks.

DID YOUR SCHOOLING SLIP BECAUSE OF THE BAND?

Yeah definitely. I really want to do my A levels, no matter what I’m doing. At the moment I’m having a bit of a year off but, hopefully, if I get a bit more time I’ll go back and get my second year done. I turned up at my new school and two weeks into term I got into the band – the most hilarious thing I had to do was tell the head of Sixth Form that I needed time off because I was in a boy band!

SO HOW DID THE BAND COME ABOUT?

I’d been to the Sylvia Young Theatre School since I was 11; an agency attached to the school asked for some lads to be sent along to audition – nine months later we ended up with this five. It was a really long audition process; I was 15 when I started auditioning for the band!

WHAT’S IT LIKE BEING THE YOUNGEST MEMBER OF THE BAND?

It’s brilliant, but I do get completely terrorised. If they decide to have a session of picking on someone it will definitely be me! But you get used to it and I have learned to give as good as I get. And it’s really cool cos a lot of the girls who come to see us at gigs are a similar age to me, so we have a good laugh.

HOW DID YOU FIND A SCOTTISH AUDIENCE AT IN:DEMAND LIVE?

The Scottish crowd was amazing! They gave such a good reaction, they were so supportive!

GETTING USED TO ALL THOSE SCREAMING GIRLS?

It’s the best bit! It’s brilliant! Honestly, ask any teenage lad if he wanted loads screaming girls round him, he’d definitely say yes. It’s the best bit.

TALKING OF TEENAGE BOYS DREAMS, YOU’VE BEEN TOURING WITH THE SATURDAYS…

Really good; the girls are really cool! They were quite happy for you to walk around while they get changed; it didn’t faze them at all, they’re not shy!

HAVE YOU HAD ANY ‘CRAZY FAN’ EXPERIENCES?

A girl once threw something on stage – I can’t actually say what it was, but ‘used’ and ‘tampon’ come into it! With the words: ‘I Love You’ on it. We all clocked it at the same time and just saw this used tampon flying through the air towards Max’s head! It was absolutely genius! Luckily he moved out the way! It was a very eventful gig; we had bras, knickers – everything – being thrown at us.

WHEN’S YOUR ALBUM OUT?

25 October; we’re really excited about it. There is going to be a bit of a surprise coming out with the album, so hopefully people will like that. We have so many different feels on the album, I think there is something for everyone – hopefully there’s going to be a track on there that someone likes.

ARE YOU TOURING SOON?

There’s been talk. I can’t say too much about it at the moment but if everyone keeps checking the website then I’m sure there’ll be updates on there soon!

YOU’VE JUST TURNED 17, HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT DRIVING LESSONS?

I have actually! I want to be the first in the band to drive cos none of the other lads drive! But I know what’s going to happen, they’ll be like ‘Nath drop us off at a club and then come and pick us up at 4 o’clock in the morning!’ That’s just the way it’s going to be, so I don’t know if I’m looking forward to it to be fair!

DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR PEOPLE WANTING TO MAKE IT IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY?

Don’t doubt yourself; I’ve listened to a lot of people who have really good voices but they have no confidence. Never stop; it can always happen to you. You’ve just got to keep working hard and go for everything. Don’t turn anything down, just go for it.

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