Rik Waller

{{short description|English singer (born 1981)}} {{use British English|date=June 2013}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2023}} {{BLP sources|date=June 2010}} {{pp-semi-blp|small=yes}} {{Infobox musical artist | background = person | name = Rik Waller | image = | caption = | image_size = | birth_name = | alias = | birth_date = {{Birth year and age|1981}} | birth_place = Gillingham, Kent, England | origin = | instrument = Vocals | genre = Pop | occupation = Musician | years_active = 2001–2007 | label = EMI, Red Admiral, Coeur De Lion | website = }}

'''Richard ''' "'''Rik'''" '''Waller''' (born 1981) is an English pop singer. After appearing as a contestant on the TV series ''Pop Idol'', he had two UK top 40 hits with cover versions of "I Will Always Love You" and "(Something Inside) So Strong".

==Career== ===''Pop Idol''=== Waller was to be a finalist in the first series of the British ITV television series ''Pop Idol'' having initially made it into the last ten of the show, but then pulled out due to severe laryngitis, and his place was taken by Darius Danesh.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2013/03/28/rik-waller-pop-idol-exam-invigilator_n_2969535.html|title=You'll NEVER Guess What Pop Idol's Rik Waller Does Now|date=28 March 2013}}</ref>

===EMI=== Following the show, Waller signed a recording contract with EMI in a deal worth approximately £400,000.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/1797558.stm|title=Rik faces Pop Idol legal threat|date=2 February 2002|publisher=BBC News}}</ref> His first single was a cover version of Dolly Parton's song "I Will Always Love You" which made No. 6 on the UK Singles Chart.<ref name="British Hit Singles & Albums">{{cite book| first= David| last= Roberts| year= 2006| title= British Hit Singles & Albums| edition= 19th| publisher= Guinness World Records Limited | location= London| isbn= 1-904994-10-5| page= 590}}</ref> He followed this up with another top 40 hit, recorded originally by Labi Siffre, "(Something Inside) So Strong".<ref name="British Hit Singles & Albums"/> Both of these songs appear on Waller's album ''From Now...''.

===Red Admiral Records=== When he was dropped by EMI, Waller formed his own band to take his music out on the road. He then signed an album deal with Red Admiral Records.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.redadmiralrecords.com |title=Red Admiral Records LLP: Kent record label and publisher – A growing record label with some very special artists |publisher=Redadmiralrecords.com |date=24 February 2014 |access-date=6 August 2014}}</ref> Two months into Waller's Beyond Reality Tour 2004, three concerts were cancelled due to poor ticket sales. Among them was a show at the Princess Theatre in Torquay, Devon, for which only two tickets were sold.<ref name="2tix">{{cite web|url=http://www.music-news.com/ShowNews.asp?nItemID=3148&bPrint=1 |title=Rik Waller sells two tickets |publisher=Music-News.com |access-date=6 August 2014}}</ref>

His second album ''Innocence'' was released in September 2005. The band was subsequently renamed 'Rik Waller's Mighty Soul Band', and then renamed again to 'Rik Waller's Unfinished Business'.

===TV appearances=== Waller has appeared as himself on several TV shows. In 2002, he appeared on ''Celebrity Fit Club'', but he was kicked off the show when he was caught binge eating.<ref name="Kent Live">{{cite web|url=https://www.kentlive.news/news/celebs-tv/pop-idol-jobcentre-what-happened-3479534|title=From Pop Idol to the Jobcentre – what happened to Kent celebrity Rik Waller|publisher=Kent Live|date=29 October 2019}}</ref>

On 28 February 2007, Waller appeared on ''Never Mind the Buzzcocks'' in the Identity Parade Round and briefly replaced captain Phill Jupitus when it became clear who was the real Rik Waller. He has not appeared on TV since.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1102345/|title=Rik Waller|publisher=IMDb}}</ref>

==Personal life== He was educated at The Howard School, Rainham, Kent. Waller's singing career ended in 2007 after he had lost his singing voice due to problems with severe laryngitis.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.digitalspy.com/showbiz/a468993/pop-idol-rik-waller-loses-singing-voice-working-as-exam-invigilator/ |title='Pop Idol' Rik Waller loses singing voice, working as exam invigilator|publisher=Digital Spy|date=27 March 2013}}</ref>

In 2013, Waller revealed in an interview with the ''Daily Mail'' that due to being jobless and penniless, he was receiving unemployment benefits.<ref name="Kent Live"/> In 2014, he was working as an exam invigilator in Sittingbourne, Kent. Waller also said that, alongside his father, he once ran a mobile karaoke and disco business.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ok.co.uk/lifestyle/pop-idol-star-rik-waller-25184849|title=From Pop Idol to the Jobcentre – what happened to Kent celebrity Rik Waller|publisher=OK.co.uk|date=11 October 2021}}</ref>

==Discography== '''Albums''' * ''From Now...'' (July 2002) * ''Innocence'' (July 2005)

'''Singles''' * "I Will Always Love You" (March 2002) – UK No. 6 * "(Something Inside) So Strong" (June 2002) – UK No. 25<ref name="British Hit Singles & Albums"/>

==Filmography==

{| class="wikitable sortable" |+ {{Sronly|List of film appearances, with year, title, and role shown}} ! Year !! Title !! Role !! Notes |- |''Pop Idol'' |2001 |Self | |- |''Pop Idol Extra'' |2001 |Self | |- |''Esther'' |2002 |Self | |- |''Kelly'' |2002 |Self | |- |''Top of the Pops'' |2002 |Self | |- |''Celebrity Fit Club'' |2002 |Self | |- |''The Weakest Link'' |2003 |Self |aka ''Weakest Link Champions' League'' (UK) |- |''Back to Reality'' |2004 |Self | |- |''Never Mind the Buzzcocks'' |2007 |Self |Mystery guest |}

==References== {{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Waller, Rik}} Category:People from Gillingham, Kent Category:Pop Idol contestants Category:1981 births Category:Living people Category:People educated at The Howard School Category:Musicians from Kent Category:EMI Records artists Category:21st-century English singers Category:21st-century English male singers