Coventry Singer Through To X Factor Live Finals

Kingsland Road made it down to the final three bands in the X Factor and have now progressed through to the live finals of the popular competition.

The Hackney-based five-piece band, which includes Coventry’s very own JJ Thompson from Potters Green, impressed judge Gary Barlow and his guest judge Olly Murrs in New York.

Thompson, 22, Connor, 19, Josh, 20, Matt, 23 and Jay, 19 performed Olly Murs’ hit Dance With Me.

The band admitted before the performance that if they failed to make it through they would not be able to afford to continue going as a band.

But Take That frontman Barlow was once again impressed, saying after the performance: “I do get a twang when I see them, it takes me back.

“One of the things I love most about this band is the personality.

“It’s just leaping off the stage, there’s so much to fall in love with there.”

Murs added: “They over-egged it a little too much, but they’ve got great voices.”

The band, who had to change their name from Kingsland to Kingsland Road because a US group already have that name, were chosen for the live shows along with Rough Copy and Miss Dynamix, while Xyra, Code 4 and Brick City missed out.

All five members of the group live together in a flat just off Kingsland Road in East London.

During boot camp they admitted that two of them had lost their bar jobs after stepping up band rehearsals.

Two years ago Coventry singer and songwriter Charlie Healy progressed to the final live stages of the show performing with boy band The Risk, who are currently working on their debut album.

And now Thompson will be hoping to go one better and progress further in the live shows which begin this Saturday.