Reality show winner and pop star ‘unveiled' as mysterious masked performer President ahead of Download Festival slot
THE identity of a mysterious mask-wearing performer who leads new band President has been revealed ahead of its Download Festival performance tomorrow afternoon.
The hard-rocking act launched its presidential campaign out of the blue earlier this year with a series of cryptic social media posts.
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President is playing a 30 minute set at Download tomorrow afternoon
Credit: Instagram
More recently the band announced its first rally (headline gig) is taking place on July 30 at The Garage, London. It quickly sold out.
Two crushing singles, In The Name of the Father and Fearless, are aural manifestos, acting as a rallying cry for rock and metal lovers to pledge allegiance.
Speculation over President's identity has been rife ever since the first images of its frontman wearing a creepy rubber mask went public.
A place on the Download Festival bill before a physical release indicated the band's members had some gravitas in the industry.
READ MORE ON CHARLIE SIMPSON
The consensus is that the singer Busted frontman Charlie Simpson.
President's songs bear a striking resemblance to Charlie's trademark gravelly vocals, particularly from his time leading Fightstar in the early noughties.
That band reunited last year for a sellout gig at Wembley Arena to celebrate its 20th anniversary.
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Not only that, but fans have spotted a gap in the front teeth of the singer, which Charlie is known to have.
Beyond the vocal and facial similarities, though, is the fact that the trademark for President's music on
Spotify
belongs to King of Terror.
The Masked Singer crowns Charlie Simpson winner as Rhino revealed
The sole director for that firm on
Companies House
is one Charles Robert Simpson, while documents show his wife Anna holds 50 percent share stake in the
busines
s.
Though the mystery may be solved, the concept is still creative and refreshing.
Faceless acts aren't particularly unusual in modern rock - Ghost have been doing it ghoulishly well for years and Download headliners
Sleep
Token are currently the genre's biggest poster boys - but President's committal to its theme remains intriguing.
And mystery still surrounds the remaining members of the group with former Bring Me The Horizon star Jordan Fish and members of Sleep Token and Bullet For My Valentine tipped to be involved.
If you're at Download this weekend check them out on the Dogtooth Stage at 4.25pm tomorrow.
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It appears Charlie Simpson is the man behind the President mask
Credit: Getty
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Charlies is best known for his work in Busted with James Bourne and Matt Willis
Credit: Getty
4
Was President inspired by his time on The Masked Singer?
Credit: ITV
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Rónán Duffy reports from London The Journal / YouTube MARYLEBONE ROAD IN central London is a busy thoroughfare on any morning, but today a section of it was completely thronged, thanks to Kneecap's ability to draw an audience. The crowd was noisy and numbered in several hundred – but confined as it was to the path and the area immediately outside Westminster Magistrates' Court, from within it, it felt like more. There was some pushing, given the numbers and the tight space available. A small but visible police presence prevented the protest from spilling over onto rush hour traffic. Around the corner, there was a much larger fleet of police vans, presumably on standby, but the full contingent was not required or deployed. 'Spancil Hill' and 'The Fields of Athenry' Outside the court building, there was even a stage erected to provide the tunes. 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