D10: Inside Simon Cowell's Latest Boy Band!

Fifteen years after the formation of One Direction, Simon Cowell has given the world a new boy band, December 10, also known as D10. D10 consists of 7 members, all of whom are in their late-teens: Nicolas Alves (17), Cruz Lee-Ojo (19), Hendrik Christofferson (19), John Fadare (17), Danny Bretherton (17), Josh Oliver (17), and Sean Hayden (19). The band was formed after Cowell hosted auditions in Liverpool, Dublin, and London, and after thousands of auditions, D10 was born. Cowell had high hopes of finding the next big act in music and his journey is shown on his Netflix series "Simon Cowell: The Next Act". 

The band’s main debut came through the form of an acoustic cover of NSYNC’s early-2000s classic “Bye Bye Bye" on their YouTube channel, and so far they’ve received hundreds and thousands of views. Many commentators are also praising the members for their vocal talents. 

D10 received their unique name in honor of the documentary’s release date, December 10. Many viewers couldn’t help but notice the similarities in their name to One Direction, as One Direction was also abbreviated to 1D. Similar to One Direction, before their formation, D10 also went through a bootcamp-style training, and it was through that training where Cowell realized the young men had talent and would work best as a collective. 

While the band has yet to release any original music, Cowell has big hopes for them. Cowell believes these young men have a bright future ahead of them. "All I know is that, if people like them as much as I like them -- and I really, really do have a bond with these boys -- then I will be so happy," he said.  

Cowell also added that it’s admirable how these young men are just regular working-class individuals who have been given the opportunity of a lifetime. "They’re real, they’re not privileged, you know, they have no leg up apart from this. And I was thinking, where would they get this opportunity? One of them is still working in a fast food restaurant. They’re just lovely, funny boys."

Given that Harry Styles went from working at a bakery to becoming an international sensation with Cowell’s help, it’s safe to say this opportunity will be very beneficial for these young men as they navigate their music careers. 

Most of the members have been singing for years and are excited to finally have a chance of making their musical dreams a reality. Nicholas Cruz said he fell in love with singing when he was a little boy. "I really got into music when I was about 5 or 6, just watching videos of Queen, Bruno Mars, and a bunch of artists that my parents would play to me. I started singing when I was about 8 years old when I took a year of singing lessons," he said.  

Danny Bretherton added that he also fell in love with singing at a young age and that music is what kept him going after experiencing a rough patch. "I’m the first in my family to pursue a career in music. I picked it up because, when I got expelled from school, I didn’t think I had anything going for me, and I needed to find something that I love, and that’s music,” he said.  

The band can anticipate a busy 2026. They have signed a record deal with Universal Music and are ready to take the world by storm. They are expected to release original music that is sure to top the charts. We can’t wait to see what's next for this band!