Richard Abidin Breen (born 29 June 1979), better known as Abz Love, is an English singer, rapper, and songwriter. Love is a member of the boy band Five and was also a member of the supergroupBoyz on Block.[1]
In 2003, he released his debut solo album, Abstract Theory, which earned him a further three top-ten hits.[2] In 2013, he appeared on All Star Mr & Mrs and became the runner-up for Channel 5's Celebrity Big Brother 12. In 2015, Love starred in BBC Two's documentary series Country Strife: Abz on the Farm, followed by a Christmas special titled Country Strife: Abz on the Christmas Farm.
Early life
Richard Abiden Breen was born in London to Turkish father Turan Sanveren and Irish mother Kathleen Breen. He was raised on a council estate in Hackney, East London, where he was brought up until he left home at 16 to join boyband Five.[3][4] He won a scholarship to attend the Italia Conti Stage School,[5] where he studied acting. One day his teacher suggested he audition for a boy band that was being put together by Simon Cowell.
After performing in front of Cowell and a panel of managers, Love was chosen from over 3,000 auditionees to be in the band Five (also known as 5ive). He changed his name to Abs in order avoid confusion with bandmate Ritchie Neville.
Five went on to have international success, winning a Brit Award for Best Pop Act 2000, an MTV award and ASCAP awards for songwriting. Love and fellow Five members Jason "J" Brown and Sean Conlon were involved in writing many of the band's hits such as "Everybody Get Up", "Keep On Movin'" and "If Ya Gettin' Down".
Career
In 1997, Love auditioned for Five, a new boy band-style group with "attitude and edge" and was eventually selected to be part of the band along with Ritchie Neville, Scott Robinson, Sean Conlon and Jason "J" Brown. Five subsequently were signed by Simon Cowell and BMG/RCA for a six-album deal. Five went on to enjoy massive success worldwide, selling over 20 million records in their four years.[6] The group sold around 20 million copies worldwide.[7] The band split up on 27 September 2001.[8] In 2006 Five attempted a comeback without Conlon, but failed to sign with a new label and the band disbanded again.[9]
After Five split, Love was signed to Sony BMG by Simon Cowell as a solo artist and became the only band member to release a solo album. Abstract Theory had three top 10 hits on the UK singles chart with "What You Got" (No. 4), "Stop Sign" (No. 10), and "Miss Perfect" (No. 5). Abstract Theory reached No. 29 on the UK Albums Chart. After he was fired from Sony in December 2003, he changed his name to Abz Love and took a long hiatus from his music career. He told BBC Radio 1 that the change from "Abs" to "Abz" was because he was bored of "everyone referencing the six-pack".[10]
In January 2013, Five returned to star the ITV2's reality show The Big Reunion.[11] Brown didn't want to rejoin the group and Five announced that they were considering a new fifth member for the comeback, but withdrew to continue with the original four-member lineup.[12] The band decided to continue as a four-piece performing live touring Europe.[13] Also in 2013, Love was runner-up of Celebrity Big Brother 12.[14][15] Love said he agreed to join the reality show because he was financially broke and living with his aunt Wendy.[16] In August 2014 Love left Five, citing creative differences – years later he said he was unhappy just singing the hit songs and not recording new material.[17]
In 2015 he starred in his own reality show, Country Strife: Abz on the Farm, a docu-series aired on BBC Two about his rural life in a farm in Wales.[18][19] The show became a cult hit with viewers and critics alike.[20][21][22] In January 2016, Abz released his first solo single in over a decade, "Cockadoodledoo".[23]
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