Twenty-five years after Popstars turned them into two of the biggest names in British pop, Hear’Say and Liberty X are putting the rivalry to bed and joining forces for an arena tour.
The two bands will reunite for ‘Popstars: The Originals’, a major UK and Ireland tour in 2027 that will see them perform together on the same stage for the first time. Between them, the two groups will headline some of the biggest arenas across the country, with the tour expected to reach a combined audience of more than 150,000 fans.
It’s a fitting full-circle moment for two acts whose stories have been intertwined since the groundbreaking ITV talent show launched in 2001. Hear’Say emerged as the winners, while Liberty X – then known as the group of contestants who narrowly missed out – became one of the era’s biggest pop success stories in their own right.
The Popstars phenomenon helped usher in a new generation of reality TV music acts, laying the groundwork for the likes of Girls Aloud, One Direction, Little Mix and JLS. Now, a quarter of a century later, the two groups that started the story are coming together to celebrate it.
Hear’Say’s reunion will feature four of the group’s original members – Danny Foster, Kym Marsh, Suzanne Shaw and Noel Sullivan – while Liberty X will return with their complete original line-up: Michelle Heaton, Jessica Taylor, Tony Lundon, Kevin Simm and Kelli Young.
In a joint statement, Hear’Say members say of their upcoming reunion: “Coming back together after 25 years is something that’s incredibly special to all of us. It’s a chance to celebrate an unforgettable chapter in our lives, reconnect with each other and relive so many amazing memories. To be sharing the stage with Liberty X makes this celebration even more special, and it feels like the perfect way to mark such an incredible milestone.”
“We are so excited to be celebrating with everyone and honestly can’t wait to reconnect with the Hear’Say fans. To relive those amazing memories together and create some new ones along the way is going to be very special. We are counting down the days and can’t wait to see you there.”
With Liberty X adding: “It’s hard to believe it’s been 25 years since Popstars changed all of our lives. We are thrilled to be heading out on tour with Hear’Say to celebrate where it all began. It feels like the perfect way to mark such an incredible milestone, bringing the music, the memories and all the energy back to the stage.”
“Most of all, we can’t wait to celebrate with all of you. Whether you’ve been with us since day one or you’re discovering these songs all over again, we can’t wait to sing, dance and make some brand new memories together. See you on tour!”
Hear’Say – Pure And Simple (Official Music Video)
For Hear’Say, Popstars was an almost impossibly fast route to superstardom. Their debut single, ‘Pure and Simple’, stormed to No. 1 in the UK, followed by another chart-topper in ‘The Way To Your Love’. Their debut album, ‘Popstars’, also reached No. 1 and went triple-Platinum, selling more than 900,000 copies in the UK.
Their meteoric rise was accompanied by plenty of scrutiny, most famously when the band appeared on the cover of NME beneath the provocative headline: “The band that killed pop?”
History, of course, had other ideas.
Rather than killing pop, Hear’Say became part of a new chapter in it – one in which television, fandom and pop music would become increasingly intertwined.
And while Liberty X may have finished Popstars as runners-up, they were hardly destined to play second fiddle.
The group went on to become one of the defining British pop acts of the early 2000s, scoring their biggest hit with ‘Just A Little’, which reached No. 1 in the UK and became one of the country’s biggest-selling singles of 2002. They followed it with a further seven Top 10 hits, including ‘Thinking It Over’, ‘Got To Have Your Love’ and ‘Being Nobody’, while their debut album ‘Thinking It Over’ peaked at No. 3 and was certified double-Platinum.
In the years since, both groups have experienced their own reunion chapters. Liberty X returned to television screens for ITV’s The Big Reunion in 2013 and have remained a familiar presence on the festival and Pride circuit, most recently performing as a trio featuring Heaton, Taylor and Young.
Now, however, the full original line-up is coming back – and this time, they’re bringing their old Popstars counterparts with them.
Just A Little – Liberty X (Official Music Video)
After 25 years of being framed as two sides of the same pop story, Hear’Say and Liberty X are finally sharing the stage on their own terms.
‘Popstars: The Originals’ promises a celebration of the era that made them, packed with the hits that soundtracked the early 2000s – and a chance for the fans who watched it all unfold to see the two groups together at last.
The tour will kick off at Dublin’s 3Arena on April 17th, 2027, before travelling across the UK and Ireland with stops in Belfast, Bournemouth, Nottingham, Brighton, Cardiff, Birmingham, Leeds, Newcastle, Glasgow, London and Manchester, before wrapping up at Liverpool’s M&S Bank Arena on October 9th.
Fans who register HERE will gain access to an exclusive ticket pre-sale, which opens at 9am BST on Wednesday, October 14th. Remaining tickets will then go on general sale on Friday, October 16th.
Check out the full list of dates below:
APRIL
17th – Dublin, 3arena
18th – Belfast, SSE Arena
20th – Bournemouth, BIC
21st – Nottingham, Motorpoint Arena
25th – Brighton, Centre
28th – Cardiff, Utilita Arena
MAY
1st – Birmingham, BP Pulse Arena
2nd – Leeds, First Direct Arena
4th – Newcastle, Utilita Arena
5th – Glasgow, Hydro Arena
7th – London, The O2
8th – Manchester, AO Arena
9th – Liverpool, M&S Bank Arena
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