ASTON MERRYGOLD
AFTER FOUR YEARS AT THE TOP OF THE CHARTS AS A MEMBER OF ONE OF THE UK’S BIGGEST POP GROUPS JLS MEMBER ASTON MERRYGOLD IS GOING SOLO
Words: Cliff Joannou
Photo: Deborah Anderson
ATTITUDE_ASTON MERRYGOLD
When JLS took the title of runners-up on The X Factor, the foursome narrowly avoided the curse that afflicts most series winners, namely a hit debut album followed by a quick decline into obscurity. Many of the show’s most successful acts have been those that didn’t win: Olly Murs, One Direction, Cher Lloyd, and Ella Henderson. While JLS may not have taken home the X Factor top prize, during their four years in the charts they went on to score themselves five No. 1’s, a massive ten million record sales, and perform a run of sell-out gigs.
Two years on, after all the royalties have come in, is Aston in the position to pop out for a pint of milk and come back with a Mercedes? He throws his head back and laughs. “Well, I’ve never done that, but I definitely treat myself. My mum won’t be happy with me saying that, but it’s all good. I drive through where I used to live when times weren’t great before the band, and remember when we worked so hard through the time with JLS, and I’m very thankful and happy that I’m in this place where mentally, physically and financially everything is great,” he says.