TALIA SAVOURS THE TASTE OF CHART SUCCESS
HOUNSLOW-BORN SINGER TASTES CHART SUCCESS
FEBRUARY 14 is not everyone’s favourite day of the year, which could be why a former X Factor contestant’s “cheeky little anti-Valentine’s Day song” has stormed the charts.
Talia Dean made her name on the 2017 edition of the reality show and has spent the intervening years releasing her own music independently.
The 34-year-old, who grew up in Hounslow, is part of the band Kings Daughters, whose song The Devil I Know has reached the top of the UK and US iTunes Blues charts since its release.
When we spoke to Talia, she sounds exhausted having spent the early hours of the morning conducting media interviews in the USA.
She told us the astonishing success of the single had surprised everyone.
She said: “We’re a female force really – we have a great mentor in Queen’s Brian May and we’re just powering through life. It’s a cheeky little anti-Valentine’s Day song we thought we’d release.
“It blew up – I think this is day five of it being top of the blues charts.
“When I first saw it I thought that’ll be there for an hour or two, but it’s stayed put.
“Its real instruments and real music. We’re an independent group which makes the success even more amazing. I’m still quite shocked to be honest.”
As a Hounslow girl, Talia feels great pride in her west London roots.
She says she feels privileged to come from any area with has produced some legends of music.
She said: “I grew up in Hounslow, I went to Heston School, and my whole background is the little girl from Redwood Estate.
“The irony is I feel like I’m walking in the footsteps of other great musicians that have come from there.
“I went to the same college as Freddie Mercury and Brian May for example – it’s quite spooky but it’s nice as well.
“Hounslow gets frowned upon but there’s a massive music scene there, people don’t know how talented people are in the area. There’s something in the water in Hounslow.”
Before her music career, Miss Dean worked as a VIP concierge at Heathrow airport.
While in her role, she met many celebrities, including Brian May.
She said his influence had guided her career while she looked after her young son.
She said: “People think I’m this big rock star but I’m just a full-time mum with a passion who’s driven by a great mentor in Brian May. He’s created a monster in me, he’s such a perfectionist and pushes me to improve.
“Recording music during lockdown has been tough, I did the vocals in my wardrobe as the echoes were too much anywhere else.
“I had to distract my son with an iPad and sweets.”