Former X Factor contestant Danny Dearden has tragically died at the age of 34, his manager confirmed in a heartfelt tribute shared on social media.

The singer, who rose to fame during the 2014 series of ITV’s The X Factor, passed away unexpectedly, though his cause of death has not yet been revealed.

His manager, Denise Beighton, shared the news on Instagram, writing:

“Heartbroken to wake up to the news that you’re gone. I have no words right now. Rest easy beautiful boy.”

X Factor Journey

Danny appeared in the show’s 11th series, where he reached the Judges’ Houses stage under the mentorship of Mel B. Though he narrowly missed out on the live shows, his powerful audition — a rendition of If You Love Me by Brownstone — left a lasting impression on the Spice Girl, who praised his “killer vocals” and “slam-dunk performance”.

He competed in the tough Boys category alongside names like Andrea Faustini, Jake Quickenden, and Paul Akister, with the series ultimately won by Ben Haenow, and Fleur East finishing second.

Reflecting on his audition experience at the time, Danny shared:

“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.’”

From Karaoke to Streaming Success

Danny’s musical journey began in an unlikely place — karaoke nights with friends.

“It was just getting drunk with the lads now and again and then it became every weekend,” he previously said. “They started saying, ‘Ah, you should sing, you should do something with it.’”

He went on to pursue his passion seriously, becoming a successful vocalist and songwriter, building a loyal online following and amassing over 15 million streams on Spotify. In 2021, he signed a deal with Sentric Music.

His biggest hit came as the featured artist on Michael Calfan’s track Could Be You, which gained nearly 14 million streams and featured on ITV2’s Love Island. Other notable releases included Different Kind of Love, Come Down, and It’s Wrong, another collaboration with Calfan.

Tributes Pour In

Fans and friends were left stunned by the news of Danny’s death. Tributes flooded social media, with many calling him a “lovely soul” and “a truly talented artist”.

“So gutted… he was so, so lovely,” one fan wrote.
“This is heartbreaking! Danny was a lovely gent. So sorry for your loss, D.”
“OMG!!!!! What?! I’m so sorry to hear this!!”

A photo shared online shows Danny smiling alongside his manager and X Factor creator Simon Cowell, symbolising the high points of his music career.

A Shocking Loss for the X Factor Family

Danny’s passing comes just weeks after another tragic loss in the wider X Factor community. In February, Zair Guette, a Colombian version X Factor alum, was kidnapped and killed en route to a concert.

As tributes continue, Danny Dearden is remembered not just for his time on television, but for the music he went on to create and the lives he touched along the way.

Rest in peace, Danny.
A voice silenced too soon, but never forgotten.