X Factor star Danny Dearden dead aged 34 as Mel B pays tribute

Former X Factor contestant Danny Dearden has died aged 34.

His manager Denise Beighton revealed the news in an Instagram post, writing: 'Heartbroken to wake up to the news that you're gone. I have no words right now, rest easy beautiful boy.'

His X Factor mentor Mel B later paid tribute, telling The Sun: 'This is so very, very sad. I remember clearly the impact he made on me. I feel deeply for his family and friends - God rest his soul.'

Danny's cause of death is yet to be revealed. He shared a picture on his Instagram showing a Costa hot chocolate from hospital weeks before his death.

In December 2023, Danny revealed the NHS had saved his life, writing at the time: '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.'

Danny also said he wasn't in the 'best of health recently' on social media last year.

The talented singer appeared on ITV talent show X Factor in 2014 and reached the Judges House stage.

The 11th series was ultimately won by Ben Haenow, with Fleur East finishing in second place. 

Speaking about his experience at Judges Houses, Danny previously said: 'It was a bit like the Hunger Games, people think you just go on stage and sing but you don't, it's really hard.

'The whole thing is amazing though, I genuinely never thought I'd get this far.'

Sadly, Danny didn't make it through to the live shows but impressed The Spice Girl with his audition at the time, performing If You Love Me by Brownstone.  

He faced tough competition in the Boys category, going up against Andrea Faustini, Jake Quickenden, Jordan Morris, Paul Akister and Jack Walton for a coveted spot in the live shows. 

Yet Mel spoke of Danny's talent, saying: 'That was a killer song, killer vocals and a slam-dunk of a performance!'

Danny said: 'It just hit me in the face all over again when I got through.

'I had a tear in my eye and I just spun round, slapped myself and said what are you doing, you're really embarrassing yourself.'

The singer also said bootcamp was an experience he would never forget.

While he didn't progress on the ITV talent show he didn't give up on his musical dreams and went on to become a successful vocalist and songwriter.

He built up a strong online fanbase, amassing more than 15million streams on Spotify and in 2021, he signed a deal with Sentric Music.

His biggest hit was as a featured artist in Michael Calfan's Could Be You, which has almost 14,000,000 Spotify streams, and featured on ITV2's Love Island. 

Other notable songs include Different Kind of Love, Come Down, and his other collaboration with Calfan, It's Wrong. 

Danny previously revealed he only found his singing voice when he drunkenly took to the stage to sing karaoke with his pals.

He said: 'I know I sang pretty average in the first audition, I know I didn't sing well. I thought, 'I've got to up my game here.''

'It was only when I started doing karaoke with the lads that I realised I could sing. I was about 18. It was a bit weird, I didn't take it seriously at first, it was just getting drunk with the lads now and again and then it became every weekend.

They starting saying, 'Ah, you should sing, you should do something with it.'' 

Fans were quick to pay their respects on Denise's post, writing: 'OMG!!!!! What?! I'm so sorry to hear this!!'; 'So gutted Denise he was so so lovely xx❤️❤️';

'honestly can't believe it xx'; 'This is heartbreaking! Danny was a lovely soul, sending you lots of love ❤️'; 'Oh Denise I'm so sorry to hear this. Sending love ❤️

'What!?!? No!!! He was such a lovely gent. So so sorry for your loss D, this one is a big shock'; 'So sorry to see this awful news. Sending lots of love. ❤️' 

John McDermott, who worked with Danny before the Covid pandemic, penned: 'It is with a heavy heart to hear of the passing of a great friend and such a talented artist Danny 'D' who passed away early this morning at the tender age of 34.

'My deepest condolences go out to his mum Cath and all his Family and friends at this heartbreaking time.

'R.I.P. Danny. We all loved you so, so much! No words right now a tragic loss to everyone and so talented too.'

Local pub Dyers Arms posted on Facebook: 'Ourselves and the family would like to invite everybody to the dyers arms tonight at 6pm to raise a glass to your beloved friend, Danny Dearden.'

Adele tribute act Lareena Mitchell said: 'What a grand lad he was, had the pleasure of working with Danny over the years with John McDermott, such a sad loss, thinking of his family! RIP Danny Dearden.'

Danny's tragic passing is the latest shock death to rock the X Factor family in mere weeks. 

In February, Zair Guette, who rose to fame after his appearance on the Columbian version X Factor was kidnapped and killed while traveling to perform at a concert. 

The body of Zair, 25, was discovered in a grass field in the rural town of Ginebra, about 30 miles northeast of Cali, Colombia.

He was found with a gunshot wound and his hands tied along with a gag in his mouth.

His manager, Teddy Guevara, 35, was also found several feet away with multiple gunshots wounds and a zip tie around his neck.

Authorities discovered Teddy, a father-of-two, alive and rushed him to a medical facility, where he died Saturday morning.

Teddy told police that the pair was intercepted by multiple men and taken to an unknown location, where they were tortured.

Zair, a native of Colombian city of Barranquilla, got his break in the music industry by interpreting songs from the legendary Mexican mariachi singer Vicente Fernández.

That paved the way for tours in Spain and Italy, but it was in his native Colombia where he gained a large following