Dane Bowers

Music career

After leaving the BRIT School, Bowers joined the British boy band Another Level, performing with Mark Baron, Wayne Williams, and Bobak Kianoush from 1997 to 2000. The group achieved seven top 10 singles in the United Kingdom over two years, including the 1998 UK number one "Freak Me", and a platinum-selling self-titled debut album. Their follow-up album, Nexus, released in 1999, reached gold status, and the band received a Brit Award nomination for Best British Newcomer in 1999.

Another Level also served as the supporting act on the European leg of Janet Jackson's The Velvet Rope World Tour in 1998. Following the group's split in 2000, Bowers wrote and fronted two UK top 10 hits for the UK garage act True Steppers: "Buggin", which reached number 6 in April 2000, and "Out of Your Mind", featuring the first solo recording of Spice Girl Victoria Beckham, which peaked at number 2 in August 2000. In 2001, two solo singles released under the moniker 'Dane', "Shut Up... and Forget About It" and "Another Lover", both reached number 9 on the UK Singles Chart, while an album, Facing the Crowd, remained unreleased.

Bowers then focused on behind-the-scenes writing and producing, including a collaboration for Victoria Beckham's debut solo album. That year he discussed a possible collaboration with Basshunter and considered returning to music; he eventually signed with independent label Conehead UK to record a pop album, with the first single "All She Needs", written by Jamie Scott, released in July 2010. In 2013, Another Level was close to signing up for the ITV2 documentary The Big Reunion, but Williams declined; Bowers instead joined the supergroup 5th Story, alongside Kenzie from Blazin' Squad and former soloists Adam Rickitt, Kavana, and Gareth Gates.

Television

After starting TV presenting in 2002, Dane Bowers co-hosted the Popstars: The Rivals "Extra" show alongside Hayley Evetts, a former Pop Idol contestant. He later joined the reality series Totally Boyband, a spin-off from Totally Scott-Lee. The show assembled five former boyband members into a new group called Upper Street, which included Lee Latchford-Evans from Steps, Jimmy Constable from 911, Danny Wood from New Kids on the Block, and Bradley McIntosh from S Club.

The series began on UK MTV in September 2006, but the group split after their debut single reached only number 35. In 2009, Bowers took part in an episode of Celebrity Come Dine with Me with Bobby Davro, Laila Morse, and Dani Behr, serving a menu of langoustines, beef tenderloin, and bread and butter pudding under a 'funky, cool and fashionable' theme. The following year, he appeared on Loose Women and Live from Studio Five. On 3 January 2010, Bowers entered the seventh and final series of Celebrity Big Brother as the seventh housemate. He made it to the final on 29 January, finishing as runner-up to Alex Reid.

Personal life

By 2025, Bowers had relocated to Dubai. His relationship with Love Island series four runner-up Laura Anderson ended on 5 August 2022. In June 2012, he faced accusations of racially aggravated assault and harassment after an incident in Norwich on 2 June. That December, he pleaded guilty to one count of assault and one of threatening behaviour stemming from a drunken fight, while denying any racist comments. The judge accepted his plea, noting that Bowers’ background made racist remarks highly unlikely, and ordered him to perform unpaid community work. In October 2012, Bowers joined the third team of Cwmbran Celtic in the Torfaen and District League. He debuted in a 3–1 home loss to Marshfield AFC.

Discography

Dane Bowers put out his debut album, Facing the Crowd, using just the name 'Dane'. It was meant to come out in 2001, but the release was scrapped and his record label let him go. Before that happened, a small batch of physical copies had been sent to media and radio stations. Two singles from the album made the UK top ten: "Shut Up... and Forget About It" and "Another Lover".

The album finally appeared on streaming platforms on 10 December 2021. After Another Level split up in 2000, Bowers wrote and sang lead on two top ten hits for the UK garage group True Steppers, credited as "Dane Bowers from Another Level". "Buggin" hit number 6 in April 2000, and "Out of Your Mind" – which featured the first solo recording from Spice Girl Victoria Beckham – reached number 2 in August 2000, kept off the top by Spiller's "Groovejet (If This Ain't Love)".

That success earned him a solo deal. In February 2001, he put out "Shut Up... and Forget About It", a track rumoured to be about his relationship with Katie Price, which peaked at number 9. The follow-up, "Another Lover", produced by Jerry 'Wonder' Duplessis and Wyclef Jean, came out in June 2001 and also stalled at number 9. Bowers was then dropped, and Facing the Crowd stayed unreleased.

He moved into behind-the-scenes work, writing and producing, including a contribution to Victoria Beckham's debut solo album later that year. A CD collection was given away free with Smash Hits magazine in 2001, put together with Little Chef, featuring "Shut Up and Forget About It" in its original form and the El B Vocal Mix.