X Factor star who got millions of Spotify streams dies, aged 34 (2025)

Former X Factor star Danny Dearden - who got through to Mel B's judge's house and later carved a successful career as a musician - has tragically died, according to his manager

Former X Factor contestant Danny Dearden has died, his manager has said. The singer reached the Judges House stage in 2014, where he was mentored by Mel B before finding success away from the show.

Despite missing out on one of the three places in the final of the popular TV talent show, Danny went on to be a successful vocalist and songwriter. He was 34.

Manager Denise Beighton said: “Heartbroken to wake up to the news that you’re gone. I have no words right now, rest easy beautiful boy.” In a statement, his team said: "We are heartbroken to announce the sad loss of our dear friend and artist Danny Dearden, who passed away peacefully this morning after a long illness. Danny was one of the most talented, hardworking people we have worked with and has made a big mark on the industry amassing more than 30 Million Streams and collaborating with huge dance names such as Michael Calfan and Dario G. RIP Danny."

In 2021, he signed a deal with Sentric Music after amassing more than 15million streams on Spotify. His collaboration with French producer Michael Calfan, Could Be With You – has topped nearly 14million Spotify streams. It was played on BBC Radio 1 Party Anthems with Scott Mills and also featured on ITV’s Love Island.

Danny was also an anti-bullying campaigner and visited schools to give talks about how to stay safe online. On the X Factor, Danny was in the same category as Jake Quickenden, Andrea Faustini, Jack Walton, Jordan Morris, and Paul Akister.

He travelled to Spice Girls star Mel B's Judge's House in Mexico where he gave his rendition of Kelly Clarkson's Beautiful Disaster for the Spice Girl and former bandmate, Emma Bunton. But he was pipped at the post by fellow contestants Faustini, Quickenden and Akister.

Talking about working with Michael Calfan, Danny said in 2018: "It was amazing working with him.

"At the time of the first session, when we wrote “It’s Wrong”, I hadn’t had a lot of experience in a studio of that scale, so it was quite nerve-racking, but everyone made me feel at ease.

"He is one of the most down to earth people I’ve ever met, although it can be difficult at times because he has the strongest French accent I’ve ever heard, that mixed with my Northern/Lancashire/Manc accent we had to repeat ourselves a few times."

Talking about how successful that song became, he added: "Yeah, it’s mental that amount of streams, we are nearly at three-quarters of a million and we haven’t even started the promotion we have planned yet. Seeing people like Martin Garrix and Martin Solveig add it to their personal playlist is crazy."

It’s not known how Danny died. Danny had previously posted on Instagram in December 2023 how the NHS had saved his life. He said: “This year has been a bit of a rocky one, at one point I was told I probably wouldn’t be here today…well I am.” He also spoke on social media last year saying he had not been in the “best of health recently.”

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