Marvin before JLS

Hey! Isn't that Marvin?

13 Oct 08

Do you remember the first time?

Cutie Marvin Humes may look right at home in JLS now, but five years ago he was stepping out on an altogether different pop career.

Marvin was handpicked to star in VS, an urban pop group, who were signed to Innocent records (home of Atomic Kitten and Blue). He got into the band after giving a CD to singing star Simon Webbe at the charity Soccer Sixes event; Simon went on to form and co-manage the dance-tastic crew (... and plug them all the time, in every interview...).

VS had three singles; the debut Love U Like Mad (No. 7 in 2004), Call U Sexy (No. 11) and Make It Hot (No. 29). They also released an album, All Kinds Of Trouble, which unfortunately didn't do very well, only charting at UK No. 142!

Marvin (pictured front, on the single sleeve for Love You Like Mad) and bandmates Blimi and Ryan, Jaime and Chinyere hob-nobbed with the stars at events including the Capital Radio Awards and MTV Asia awards - and even performed their hits on CD:UK and Top Of The Pops!

Speaking in a 2004 edition of teen title tvhits! magazine, Marvin said, "I prefer to sit in the corner and get attention from girls rather than try out my dance moves," but apparently spent the whole shoot throwing Jacko-type shapes (Handy for Michael Jackson week)! He also said that he fancied Beyoncé.

Luckily Marvin has a second chance at pop success and with JLS proving extremely popular, it looks like stardom may call again!

Before JLS Marvin was in a 5 piece group called VS who were managed by Simon Webbe (Blue). His co-band mate Ryan Taylor is a solo musician,

check out the studio performance of Monster in Disguise below. Ryan's MySpace Page can be found at www.myspace.com/officialryantaylor, his YouTube Channel can be found at http://www.youtube.com/user/officialryantaylor

Jaime Jay - Jaime Jay's debut video, "To Make You Feel Alright". The video was shot in her hometown of Manchester. Video does feature JLS. Jaime Jay, 'our' girl from

Manchester, a quirky, colourful dance/rap artist. Her sound is very 90s influenced; Betty Boo meets Gwen Stefani and oozing attitude and charisma.

Jaime Jay's debut single, 'To Make You Feel Alright', has taken the charts by storm and has reached No.1 in the M8 Chart, No.2 in the club charts and No. 4 in the commercial pop chart in Music Week making for an exciting start to 2008 for the feisty Mancunian described by Jay Z himself as 'a talented musician with amazing good looks!'

At the age of 25, Jaime set out to do what she loves, music, and was soon penning songs and laying down raps. It was then that her connection with music began to grow and she has since gone on to co-write with big names, from underground artists like Hoodman, to mainstream pop acts such as Blue. Currently in the studio in the UK and Sweden working on new material, with top producers, including, Bimbo Jones (No 1 in the US Dance Chart), and having previously worked with the likes of Cutfather and Joe and Stargate, Jaime Jay looks set for big things in 2008.

For the young girl who was brought up in Manchester's infamous Openshaw, Jaime Jay has certainly had some amazing highs in her young life and in the words of one of her favourite pop acts, Yazz, 'the only way is up....Baby!'