G4 have honoured their late bandmate Ben Thapa after his tragic death.
The X Factor group have opened up about the “cathartic” experience of performing old classics in memory of their late bandmate Ben Thapa during their 20th-anniversary tour. The group, who shot to fame back in 2004 as runners-up on the first series of the ITV talent show, have been touring to celebrate two decades since their formation.
Tragedy struck as Ben Thapa, an original G4 member who had left the band in 2018 to focus on a solo career, passed away this month at the age of 42. The news came amidst the anniversary tour, which features original members Jonathan Ansell and Michael Christie, alongside Duncan Sandilands and Jai McDowall.
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In a touching tribute, Ansell spoke with the PA news agency about the impact of Thapa’s sudden passing and how reminiscing through song has been a therapeutic process for the group. “It’s very cathartic to perform the songs that we sung with him for so many years together and we created as a group of mates at college,” he reflected.
(Image: No credit)
“Genuinely, it’s amazing to relive those songs and think about those moments, those memories, those harmonies, the fun, the silliness.” Thapa revealed that he was undergoing dialysis treatment and had a nephrostomy operation in the weeks leading up to his death.
Ansell said: “It makes you then cherish every single moment, every second, every lyric, every interaction with somebody, every journey. You just have to enjoy it. And being on tour has certainly helped that. But gosh, it’s special to remember him, and we talk briefly about Ben on stage and remember those lovely memories as well.”, reports the Mirror.
(Image: PA Archive/PA Images)
Christie praised Thapa as an “amazing musician” and a “big part” of the group’s harmonies and identity. “He’s always in the heart of the group, really. Having perfect pitch he was one that gave us all our starting notes because we’re known for doing lots of little acapella moments without backing track, and he always gave us the starting notes and so you still hear that today”, he added.
In addition to his time with G4, Thapa showcased his talent in numerous operas, including making his main stage debut at the English National Opera as part of its Carmen education project. Ansell said the outpouring since Thapa’s death has been “incredible”, adding: “It really has been so heartwarming to see how loved Ben was and how many people he gave joy to through what he did and loved doing.”
After meeting at music college, Thapa wowed on The X Factor with Ansell and Christie, and Matthew Stiff who’s since exited the band. They wowed judges with stellar performances of tunes like Queen’s ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’, Sinatra’s ‘My Way’ and ‘Nessun Dorma’.
Dropping their debut album after the show, it was jam-packed with covers they belted out on The X Factor. Looking back on hitting two decades in the business, Ansell said: “It’s totally unexpected, unbelievable, pinch yourself. We cannot believe we’re still getting away with it all these years on. We went together as a bit of fun at music college and now, 20 years later, we’re here, still selling out venues and having an amazing time with audiences every night it’s a dream come true.”
The lads have been hailed for their operatic pop, mixing up classic hits with killer harmonies and fresh spins. Their upcoming tour kicks off in Ireland and Northern Ireland from October 1, and will treat fans to favourites from their archive plus new ones from their 20th-anniversary album.
Get ready for mash-ups like Radiohead’s ‘Creep’ merging with Olivia Rodrigo’s ‘Driver’s License’. Christie revealed: “The key thing for us was to celebrate our time on The X Factor in the early days as part of the tour, because we have got fans that have been literally right there from the start… But then it’s also celebrating the group as we are now, because we are a different line-up and part of our mindset with the new album was, if we were on The X Factor today, what songs would we be doing? “.
“And we’ve always tried to push the boundary, which is why we’ve got some Billie Eilish, Olivia Rodrigo, as well as James Blunt, and then some other classics. It’s really a cross section of genres and we really like that mix up of styles that we can go from musical theatre and rock and pop and then some opera, it really then has something for everyone, and it’s a good way for people to discover new music that they don’t know.”
The Irish leg of G4’s 20th anniversary tour will commence in Gorey on October 1 and journey across the island with stops in Cork, Galway, Belfast and Dublin.
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
