Daniel John Bedingfield (born 3 December 1979) is an English-New Zealand singer-songwriter and record producer. He is the brother of fellow singers Natasha Bedingfield and Nikola Rachelle. He was a judge on The X Factor NZ in 2013.

Music career

2001–03: Gotta Get Thru This and international breakthrough

He released his first single, "Gotta Get Thru This" in November 2001. It gathered momentum on white label through the UK garage music scene, and peaked at number one on the UK Singles Chart. He has since had two more number-one singles on the chart ― "If You're Not The One" and "Never Gonna Leave Your Side" ― as well as three further top ten hits. His debut album, also titled Gotta Get Thru This, which was recorded at home using Making Waves Audio software[citation needed], peaked at number two on the UK Albums Chart and went on to sell more than 4 million copies worldwide.

 

2004–05: Second First Impression

In 2004, Bedingfield won a BRIT Award for Best British Male Artist. He then moved to the Universal Music subsidiary label Polydor Records to release his second album, Second First Impression, which reached number 8 in the UK. The album sold poorly compared to his first offering, though it did include two UK Top 20 singles, "Nothing Hurts Like Love" (which reached number three) and "Wrap My Words Around You" (which peaked at number 12). The third and final single, "The Way", became his first to miss the top 40, reaching number 41. The album was also released in Singapore (featuring 'If You're Not The One' as a bonus track) but not the US.

2006–2011: Hiatus

In an interview with the New Zealand Herald in April 2007, Bedingfield said that, after a four-year hiatus, he had three albums recorded and awaiting release. Since his last release in 2004, Bedingfield continued to work with other artists. He co-wrote the song "Works for Me!" for American Idol finalist David Archuleta. He has also worked with Pixie Lott, and contributed guest vocals on a track by a former member of The Roots.

In December 2009, he co-wrote material with Tessanne Chin as well as recorded three songs with Busy Signal at DJ Karim's Stainless Records studios in Kingston, Jamaica. In December 2010, Bedingfield spent a month in Tel Aviv, Israel, where he wrote and recorded a song with a local freak folk band, The Raw Men Empire. He concluded his visit with a Tel Aviv gig, hosting Uzi Feinerman, The Raw Men Empire and a variety of other Israeli musicians. In July 2011, he recorded on a dancehall riddim called the Overproof Riddim. Like many of the songs on this riddim, it has been getting good rotation in Jamaica.

2012: "Rocks Off" and Stop the Traffik – Secret Fear

In February 2012, Bedingfield released the single "Rocks Off" with an accompanying video on MTV which can be viewed here. "Rocks Off" was released alongside B-side "It's Not Me, It's You". On 24 April, Bedingfield released the EP Stop the Traffik – Secret Fear, his first EP release since becoming independent. The EP featured both the previously released "Rocks Off" and "It's Not Me, Its You" as well as five other new tracks. The EP was followed by the release of Secret Fear as a single, the video features adult scenes and has gone on to win several awards.

2012-present: The X Factor New Zealand

On 21 December 2012, Bedingfield took up a role as a judge for the first New Zealand series of The X Factor joining Stan Walker, Melanie Blatt and Ruby Frost. The series premiered on TV3 on 21 April 2013. Bedingfield mentored the Girls category. His sister Natasha appeared as an assistant during the Judges Retreats round. Bedingfield was the winning mentor of series one when his act Jackie Thomas won the competition.

Personal life

While on holiday visiting his parents in New Zealand, Bedingfield nearly lost his life in a serious car accident. As a result, he was left with severe head and neck injuries because of the car rolling on him. His parents are leadership trainers and mentors in the voluntary sector and business world. His mother, Molly Bedingfield, is founder and CEO of Global Angels, of which Daniel is one of the International Executive Directors. Bedingfield also helped to launch the Stop the Traffik coalition against modern day slavery.

Bedingfield is a Pentecostal Christian, but has said, "I find that when people hear that I'm a Christian they expect me to be extremely religious. I'm not great friends with religion [although] I'm passionate about anything to do with God."

                                     

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