I Blue, the boybands and nostalgia

Duncan James, Lee Ryan, Simon Webbe, and Antony Costa. For young millennials and older Gen Z, these four names will immediately evoke memories of middle or high school. They are the names of the four members of the British boyband Blue, formed between 2000 and 2001 and disbanded in 2005 after the release of their album Best of Blue. Now, Blue is back, and our nostalgic hearts are bursting.

Blue Today: What Are They Up To? How Old Are They?

Duncan James was born in 1978, making him 46 years old. He has a daughter born in 2005. After his time with Blue, he released a solo album, Future Past, before taking a break from his music career. Today, he is in a relationship with Rodrigo Reis. Lee Ryan was born in 1983, making him 41 years old. After his experience with the band, he also pursued a solo career. Among other things, he has been a Dolce&Gabbana spokesperson and has done voice work for various films, mostly animated. He has acting experience as well. He is married to Verity Paris, with whom he has three children. Simon Webbe was born in 1978, making him 46 years old. His career includes a solo stint and a participation in the UK reality show I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here. In 2017, he released another solo single, followed by his third studio album, Smile. He is married to Ayshen Kemal and has a daughter born in 1997 from a previous relationship. Finally, Antony Costa was born in 1981, making him 43 years old. After Blue, he participated in several reality TV shows and released a solo album. In 2011, the first reunion took place at the Eurovision Song Contest. Now, Blue performs on Italian stages as part of the Cornetto Battiti Live format, and we can't wait to see them back on our screens.

Millennial Nostalgia and Boy Bands

Almost every generation has its boy band. There are the Backstreet Boys, Blue, and One Direction, in that order. Nowadays, Korean groups, including female ones like BTS and Blackpink, are popular, but it’s the same story. What's adolescence without singers to admire? Without a wall covered in posters and begging our parents (or whoever) to take us to their concert? Combine this truth with the immense power of nostalgia, evident in fashion, beauty, music, cinema, and generally in pop culture (the Beckhams show us), and you have a reunion ready to go. We hope it lasts. Maybe this time, we’ll actually make it to the concert.