The X Factor star Talia Dean has revealed she’s quitting music to ‘spread the message of the Lord’, but fans have been left a little concerned.
The singer, 39, starred on the ITV competition in 2017, where she was brought back to Nicole Scherzinger’s Over 28s group as a Wild Card.
She ended up leaving in 15th place, with Simon Cowell’s group Rak-Su going on to win that year.
And while she did continue pursuing music over the years, sharing singing videos on social media and working with other stars, Talia has now given it all up.
In a new Instagram post, she announced: ‘It took a long time for me to find my way back to Christ after many years of being on the wrong path, consistently sinning and rebelling.
‘I had found my way into the darkness for many years without realising I was even there…
‘Music has always been a big passion. I have written songs for other artists and movies.
‘I have been most consistently working with Queen Legend, Sir Brian May…’
She went on: ‘I have now left the mainstream music industry to spread the message of the Lord…
‘I now lead worship and take on many amazing projects in the name of Jesus. It fills my heart with light and love, more than I have ever felt.’
Her post was shared in collaboration with the Catholic Talent Agency, who help event planners on a local and national scale, find speakers, performers and creatives, according to their website.
Fans shared their confusion in the comments, with @@samrussell_reclaim writing: ‘Have you been hacked?’
@clara_batten_ said: ‘Oh, this is sad to hear you’ve left the mainstream music industry to do this. Each to their own with religion, but to put your passion and talent to one side to focus on this.. I’m not sure Talia.’
Others said the news was ‘wonderful’ and shared how happy they were for Talia.
The singer, who has an eight-year-old son, was 32 when she stunned the judges with her rendition of I Put A Spell On You on The X Factor.
She then went on to be the lead singer in Kings Daughter, before releasing her singles after going solo on 2021.
Since finding fame, Talia has been open about a rare condition she has called axial spondylarthritis (or axial SpA), after it took more than 15 years to get a diagnosis.
The condition is a form of arthritis that can cause pain and swelling in the spine and other joints, and can cause back pain and stiffness, fatigue and weight loss.
In a 2021 interview, Talia worried that in five years she’d be unable to walk unaided, recalling how her unbearable pain forced her to drop out of a course studying music, acting and dancing when she was a teenager.
‘It went on for weeks, to the point where I ended up going to A and E and just saying, “I can’t walk, it really hurts.” So at 18 years old, I’m on crutches and no-one can really find why,’ she told the BBC.
She went on: ‘It was like someone had stabbed me. It was horrible and it never really went away. I just always had a backache and I always felt tired.’
When the pain returned after a few years without symptoms, she had a ‘complete breakdown’ and thought she was ‘dying’.
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She’s since been raising awareness and advising those with similar symptoms to get checked, and at the time shared her hope at starting biologic therapy after finally being diagnosed.
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