WHEN HUB MET JLS

JLS shot to fame on X Factor in 2008 but had been a band for sometime before that. Pre TV fame they were called UFO and were signed to a management company. Indeed they won an Urban Music award in 2007 for the best, unsigned act. Since X Factor the boys have won numerous awards including prestigious MOBOs and BRITs. They have notched up five No 1s and a 4x Platinum debut album.

It’s a tough job I know but I spent some time with Ortise during the band’s promotion of their single, She Makes Me Wanna...

With hindsight are you glad you didn’t win X Factor?

Yeah, absolutely, we wouldn’t be where we are now. We have complete control over our music and there is much less pressure on us.

You have won lots of awards. Which one are you most proud of?

Probably winning our two BRIT awards (British breakthrough and British Single 2010). We were the first X Factor act to win a BRIT.

Do you think winning the Brit awards helped you gain credibility within the industry?

Yes absolutely, it’s something we have always wanted. We are just people trying to give ourselves the best opportunities in life.

What awards would you like to win in the future?

An Emmy or a Grammy would be amazing!

What do you feel best denotes your success, awards or album sales?

Definitely performance; dancing and singing in front of an audience are all I ever wanted to do.

JLS have their own condom range called Just Love Safe, how did you get involved in promoting it?

As a band we have always been interested in promoting safe sex, and after mentioning that in an interview with The Sun, Durex approached us to bring out our own range of condoms.

Your latest single, She Makes Me Wanna, seems to be a much more grown up version of JLS.

I think that’s a true reflection of where we are now with JLS.

Your rise to fame has happened over a very short time scale, how has that affected you as a person?

I have realised that if you want something in life you have to go for it and fight for it.

How has the fame affected you personally?

As a group we have become much closer. Only the four of us know what it feels like to be part of JLS. I’m also lucky as I have a small number of friends and a very close family who are incredibly proud of us.

Who would be your dream collaboration for JLS?

I would love to work with Ne-Yo or Beyoncé.

Is success and fame everything you thought it would be?

Yes, and a lot more.

What are the downsides?

Not getting enough time to spend with my family. And not being able to walk down the street without being mobbed by fans.

How do you cope with the pressures of fame and your busy work schedule?

You just have to stay upbeat and embrace it. I wake up every morning and wonder: how did this all happen!

Who inspires you musically?

Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Usher, D’Angelo.

What was your best gig?

Our tour last summer - and the BRITs.

What was your worst gig?

We did a gig at a club just after the X Factor and before we had a recording deal. A girl jumped on stage and tried to get us to sign her dirty underwear – I will never forget that!

What sort of fan mail do you get?

Well on my birthday I had a fan hide in our tour bus, she jumped out of the toilet completely naked with ‘happy’ written on her front and ‘birthday’ across her bum!

What dead pop star would you bring back?

Michael Jackson.

What was the first album you bought?

Usher, My Way

Most embarrassing album you own?

Cheeky Girls.

Who is your current celebrity crush?

Nicki Minaj

For more information on JLS and tickets for the upcoming 4th Dimension Arena Tour go to www.jlsofficial.com  Their third album, Jukebox, is out on the 14th November.