Meet the Iconic Contestants of BBC Three's Talent Show

Pop superstar Jason Derulo has teamed up with BBC Three to create a new talent show that will put the entire music industry at center stage. Hosted by BBC Radio 1 DJ Jordan North, Project Icon sees Derulo, his long-term manager Frank Harris and singer-songwriter Becky Hill mentor and judge 10 unsigned artists to help them Prove your worth as a musician.

Derulo was inspired to create the show after he discovered during an interview with the BBC that of all talent shows, only a handful lead to superstardom. "There are a few select ones, but in terms of artists who have found success through singing shows in the past 20 years, the percentage is not very high," he explained, adding that he believes this is because of the focus on singing. Not working in the industry at large.

Derulo hopes to change that with Project Icon , which "tests artists' songwriting abilities, their sound, and their brand identity, as well as their appeal on social media, in interviews, and on stage."

Each week, a panel of judges will "select artists at risk of elimination, bringing those at risk face-to-face to perform a song of their choice." The winner of Project Icon will receive generous prizes, including a major recording contract, a collaboration with Derulo and a chance to perform on BBC Radio 1's Big Weekend.

Project Icon launches this Sunday (March 26), giving you plenty of time to get acquainted with the ten contestants vying to be one of Britain's next big stars.

Barry Hendy

Glam pop star Barry Hendy draws inspiration from the glam and pop rock of the '70s and '80s, incorporating the likes of David Bowie, Elton John, Frey He counts Freddie Mercury, Pete Burns and Jobriath as his musical idols. Like his idol, the London-based musician says that when he's on stage, "that version of me is like a separate entity, just with my words. Like an alien, from the planet Mercury." Something like that. But it’s been really fun, to be honest.”

Hendy wanted to reinvent Bowie's career because he admired how the musician "reinvented himself countless times with new looks and sounds and still achieved the same success." The singer is very organized and has "written/planned/engineered/dreamed up four albums, each with a different style and sound that showcased a different side of me."

You can follow Barry Hendy on Instagram @barryhendyofficial.

Nina King

Nnenna King grew up in North London, where her parents included artists such as Chaka Khan and Whitney Houston, as well as Nigerian musicians such as Fela Kuti. I grew up listening to soul and jazz. King counts Lianne La Havas, Jill Scott, Erykah Badu and Lauryn Hill as key influences, along with Brandy, Fantasia, Laylah Hathaway and Kelly Price, whom she calls "vocal queens."

Kim enjoys "singing about femininity, confidence and relationships" and has high ambitions for her career. “I would love to perform on Jools Holland, win a MOBO, a BRIT Award, even a Grammy like crazy!” As well as dreaming of playing at the Royal Albert Hall, the singer-songwriter and DJ also “ Passionate about helping and inspiring young women, getting into schools and talking about mental health, music and art.”

You can follow Nnenna King on Instagram @nnennaking.

Occam Briscoe

Birmingham-based Okeam Briscoe describes his music as "a cross between Marvin Gaye and Sisqo", saying "Sonally, I bring a smooth, soulful, velvety tone to my music, mixed with R&B/pop The rhythmic sound complements each other." Influenced by Motown, funk and disco, the R&B musician counts Rihanna as his musical idol. "She is such a free-spirited person who exudes confidence. Throughout her career, she has always been able to adapt and evolve by tapping into different genres and embodying resonances."

Briscoe aspires to "emulate the careers of Frank Ocean, Beyoncé or Adele" because he admires how they "control their privacy and have that power of disappearing from the public eye, revisiting their lives and coming back" . Stay relevant when they feel it's necessary. Through his music, Briscoe hopes to "inspire people, especially men who suffer from mental health challenges." I enjoy creating music that helps people feel more comfortable and confident about how to express their emotions in a healthy way. "

You can follow Briscoe on Instagram @okeambriscoe.

Emer

The alt-country musicmaker from Wirral, Merseyside, describes her sound as "a Billie Eilish vibe with country roots running through it" and "old-school Miley Cyrus and Taylor Swift with a modern pop twist" ". Emelle hopes to follow the same path in the industry as Eilish, hoping to lead "her own path in music and change the way modern music is done in general."

The alt-country star plans to host his own arena tour within five years and attract more than a million fans online. Emerl hopes to "become a full-time musician and be able to make a living doing what I love" and "bring British country music into the mainstream charts".

You can follow Emelle on Instagram @emelleofficial.

Charlie Baker

Pop and R&B singer Charlie Baker was inspired to write music after watching Bruno Mars perform during the 2014 Super Bowl Halftime Show. “His energy on stage is crazy and I get goosebumps just watching him work,” he explains. The Essex-born musician is also influenced by Justin Bieber and inspired by Shawn Mendes and hopes to create a legacy like Bieber's.

Baker's current idol is Harry Styles, "purely because of the absolutely crazy journey that has begun." Baker's dream is to "travel around the world performing and continue to create music that lifts people's moods and changes their day." music."

You can follow Baker on Instagram @charliebaker._.

Cesar

R&B musician Xyzelle, from Bristol, describes her music as "hip-hop elements sneaking into R&B melodies and lyricism". The singer likes to "jump in and out of every genre and push the boundaries of R&B artists," and grew up listening to R&B and hip-hop as a teenager, especially Eminem, 2Pac, Kendrick Lamar Lamar), and rapper Chance. She was also inspired by underground SoundCloud rappers, all of which contributed to her current sound.

Beyond her success, Xyzelle hopes to build a strong community through her music. She hopes to "gather all like-minded people who can relate to me and my music, which in turn will help me get on the big stages, sold out concerts, festivals and award shows."

You can follow Xyzelle on Instagram @xyzelle._.

dylan and the moon

Dylan Holloway, originally from Cornwall and now living in London, is an indie pop artist influenced by classic old-school influences including Chuck Berry, David Bowie David Bowie, The Beach Boys, Fleetwood Mac and The Cure. Holloway was also inspired by the sounds of Harry Styles, Taylor Swift, The 1975 and Vampire Weekend.

Holloway's dream is to travel the world and "bring people together through live music and writing for other artists." He just wants to "make people feel good" with his songs.

You can follow Holloway on Instagram @dylanandthemoon.

Lily Jo

Lily Jo doesn't like to pigeonhole herself into a particular type. “I want to be able to make whatever music I want and not fall into a category,” says the London-based artist. Growing up in a North London pub, Lily-Jo grew up surrounded by an eclectic mix of artists, thanks to her parents and patrons playing whatever music they liked on the jukebox.

In addition to Arctic Monkeys and Amy Winehouse, the musician counts Beyoncé as her musical idol. She likes her songs to be "a little bit fun and cheeky" and hopes to tour the world and collaborate with Eminem within five years.

You can follow @lilliej0 on Instagram.

Jay Scott

Jay Scott has a unique musical style that he describes as "Sean Paul meets Chris Brown," with "the charisma of Bruno Mars and the fearlessness of Lil Nas X Spirit". Originally from Wolverhampton but now living in London, Scott's influences include Beyoncé, Frank Ocean, Justin Timberlake, Brandi, Usher, Rihanna and Alicia Kaye Sri Lanka.

The R&B, pop and Afro-swing artist is currently inspired by Bad Bunny, J Balvin, Lil Nas X and Pharrell Williams. Like Williams, Scott hopes to become "a successful and respected figure in the music and fashion industry" and plans to "create a moment in pop culture history that will be forever remembered."

You can follow Scott on Instagram @jayscottttttt.

Mia Kirkland

Mia Kirkland, from York, loves to mix dance and pop music. "I love the impact of dance music and how uplifting it can be to people," she said, "[but] I don't want to just focus on dance because I want my lyrics to be heard and understood." Kirkland is listening She grew up listening to songs by Adele and Ed Sheeran, who taught her “it’s okay to not look like everyone else – I was bullied because of my ginger hair and he was a big role model for me” ," the singer explained.

Kirkland is currently a huge fan of Becky Hill, who happens to be a judge on Project Icon . “I’m so inspired by her musical journey and the way she’s grown as an artist,” she said. "Being a woman in music is so hard, but she works through it every day." Where is she now?

You can follow Kirkland on Instagram @itsmiakirkland.

Project Icon launches on BBC Three and BBC iPlayer at 9pm on Sunday 26 March.