"G4"

by Darren Henley

When G4 appeared on our television screens on the X Factor - they were instantly different. All of them had spent years training as classical musicians and had graduated from one of Britain's finest musical academies, the Guildhall School of Music. with genius renditions of 'Hit Me Baby One More Time' and spectacular performances of 'Nessun Dorma' and 'Bohemian Rhapsody', they won over the viewers, boosted the ratings and proved that there is a mass demand for diversity and talent in modern music.Their record-breaking rise to success did not stop there as G4's debut album went straight in at No. 1, selling 245,000 copies in its first week and going double platinum in under a month. It was the fastest selling release that year and was sharply followed with a sell-out tour including an acclaimed performance at London's Royal Albert Hall with special guests Lesley Garrett and Robin Gibb.Packed with exclusive intimate photographs, G4's story tracks their early childhood meeting at the Guildhall School of Music and their experience of fame so far. Revealing the genuine personalities behind the group, Our Way is the account of four students' fantasy becoming a reality.

132 pages, Hardcover

First published October 6, 2005

About the author

Darren Henley OBE is chief executive of Arts Council England. His two independent government reviews into music and cultural education resulted in England's first National Plan for Music Education, new networks of Music Education Hubs, Cultural Education Partnerships and Heritage Schools, the Museums and Schools programme, the BFI Film Academy and the National Youth Dance Company. Before joining the Arts Council, he led Classic FM for fifteen years. He holds degrees in politics from the University of Hull, in management from the University of South Wales and in history of art from the University of Buckingham. A recipient of the British Academy President's Medal for his contributions to music education, music research and the arts, his books include The Virtuous Circle: Why Creativity and Cultural Education Count and The Arts Dividend: Why Investment in Culture Pays.