Читать книгу Union J - The Story - Tina Campanella - Страница 10

QUICK FACTS

DATE OF BIRTH: 27/07/93

BORN: Bristol

PARENTS: Toni Harris and Dominic Shelley

SIBLINGS: Tom, 29; Will, 23; Harriet, 16

GREW UP: Clevedon, Somerset

SCHOOLS: Yeo Moor Primary, King Alfred Comprehensive, Weston College

George Shelley comes from a very musical family. His mum Toni plays the guitar and used to perform in pubs near their home in North Somerset. When he was younger, his granddad Dave was in a rock and roll band. These days the retired policeman, now 75, is keeping up the family’s musical tradition by entertaining the residents with his accordion in retirement homes! George’s brother Tom is a drummer whose band has just recorded their first single in Australia and his uncle John is also a singer and songwriter.

Coming from such a talented family, George was destined to follow in their footsteps. When he was just a toddler, his mum encouraged George’s budding musical ability by giving him empty washing-up bottles filled with a small amount of rice – a maraca! George was fascinated and was quickly shaking the maracas along in time to his favourite songs, while his family sang along. They must have been like the modern equivalent of music legends The Osmond Family or The Jackson Five.

Toni took pictures of her son pretending to play the drums, with a huge grin on his face. George would use a wooden spoon to bang pots and pans, copying the stars he saw on TV. His talented mum was also a nurse and named George after an elderly patient she used to care for when she was working.

When he was three, George’s parents split up and George, his two brothers Tom and William and his sister Harriet went to live with his mum. He continued to be fascinated by music and soon after he became a teenager his granddad Dave ‘busker’ Harris bought him his first guitar. Almost immediately, he had mastered the instrument and at just 14, took to the stage at the Priddy Folk Festival, in a village near to his family’s home.

His mum Toni, who has also taught aerobics, told his college website: ‘George sang as soon as he could talk and is able to harmonise perfectly. He’s never had a guitar lesson in his life but he’s got a natural ability.’

And speaking to the Weston-Super-Mare People, she said: ‘We have a musical family and his granddad Dave was a real rock and roller.

‘George, even as a young boy, always wanted to join in and used to pretend he was playing on the drums, using a saucepan and a wooden spoon. We also used to make instruments by filling up washing up bottles with rice. He has always loved singing, dancing and playing instruments and enjoyed drama and being in plays.’

She added: ‘He has always been the sort of person who could pick up an instrument and play it – a talent he got from his granddad.’

While at school, George wasn’t sure if he could make it as a full-time musician. He was wise enough to know that it was difficult to make a living out of music when there are so many wannabe stars out there to compete with. So although he kept his musical dreams alive, he sensibly worked hard on his schoolwork, too. As well as music, he had always had a passion for art. He decided that he would study graphic design, so he could become a designer and travel abroad.

At Weston College he was considered an outstanding student and won distinctions in all his subjects, completing an Extended BTEC in Graphic Design. As part of the course, he got to travel to New York. He loved it so much out there that he ended up wondering if a career in graphic design in America was what he really wanted to do. He applied to study at a higher level and ended up winning a place on a foundation course at the prestigious Bath University.

Concerned as to whether he could live up to the musical standard set by so many members of his family, he kept his bid for stardom quiet while growing up. But his musical past kept nagging away at him and he could never dismiss the lingering desire to sing on stage. He confided in his friend Emily Tollner, who suggested that he should audition for X Factor.

Having made it through to the later stages of the auditions, George felt he had no choice but to consider taking a year out between school and college to see how far he could get. If this was his one chance, then he would give it all he had but it hadn’t been easy for him at home in the run-up to entering the competition.

His mum Toni also had to fight her own battle after she suffered a stroke in March 2011. George and the family lived through a terrifying few hours after she was rushed to hospital, where she was initially diagnosed with a severe migraine and sent home. Despite being released, her symptoms continued and the normally fit and active mum knew something wasn’t right.

Toni actually experienced a bleed in her brain, which continued when she was sent home and left her with loss of feeling on her left side. She has also had recent extensive surgery on both wrists for a condition known as carpal tunnel syndrome and has been unable to find work since. She said: ‘It isn’t very easy given my medical history, but I am feeling much better and it’s wonderful to be part of this experience with George.’

With his mum unable to work, George has also needed to make ends meet to help in his goal to achieve fame. So he found a part-time job as a barista at Costa Coffee.

Despite the scares at home and his fears over whether it was the right thing to do, George listened to his friend Emily and went after his goal of achieving singing success. Unlike his bandmates, he turned up at the X Factor auditions on his own and immediately impressed the judges with his good looks, boyish charm and striking voice. With a clear musical talent too, it was not long before he was singled out and added to the lineup of one of the UK’s hottest new young acts.