Background
His mother is the disability rights campaigner Katherine Gillespie Sells. He was also parented by his mother"s former partner Dilis, whom he refers to as his other mother.
His mother is the disability rights campaigner Katherine Gillespie Sells. He was also parented by his mother"s former partner Dilis, whom he refers to as his other mother.
Sells attended The Ashmole School in London along with fellow students Amy Winehouse and Rachel Stevens (South Club 7). He studied at the BRIT School which many new British groups originate from such as The Kooks in Croydon.
In early 2007, Sells was seen in an advertising campaign for the Autograph range at Marks and Spencer. In addition to his work with The Feeling, he co-wrote songs for Sophie Ellis-Bextor"s third solo album, Trip the Light Fantastic. The two songs he co-wrote appear on the track-listing as, "Only One" and "Love Is Here".
Both tracks also feature his vocals, and "Love Is Here" includes his bandmate Richard Jones, Sophie Ellis-Bextor"s husband, on bass guitar.
Ellis-Bextor features on The Feeling"s album, Together We Were Made, in song "Leave me Out Of lieutenant". Sells co-wrote and co-performed (both with Ian Masterson) the theme tune to the 2008 British Broadcasting Corporation comedy drama series Beautiful People, an adaptation of the memoirs of Simon Doonan.
In addition, Sells also contributed another original track, entitled "Beautiful People", as well as a 2006 cover version of Hall & Oates"s "She"s Gone" with his The Feeling bandmates. All three tracks appeared on the Beautiful People soundtrack album released in October 2008.
In 2014 he began his collaboration with world renowned choreographer Javier de Frutos on a ballet piece entitled "3 With Doctorate" which featured The Royal Ballet"s principal dancer Edward Watson (dancer) and premiered at The London Coliseum.
A brand new musical theatre show "Everybody"s Talking About Jamie" which Dan has written with television, film and stage writer Tom MacRae has been announced by The Crucible Theatre, Sheffield and is due to open there in February 2017. Dan featured on the cover of an issue of Attitude magazine in 2008, being the first cover shoot Sells had done and was later on the front cover again on the September 2008 issue, alongside Alan Carr and Sir Ian McKellen. He also revealed that he had given input into a future issue of Gay Times and that his middle name is Giles.
As well as shooting the March cover for "Winq" magazine.
In 2012 Dan wrote about his coming out experience foreign Sells has stated that Karen Carpenter was "one of the greatest vocal technicians ever".
He also cites Freddie Mercury and Neil Young as influences.