Career
People’s Idol Waller was to be a finalist in the first series of the British Independent Television television series People’s Idol having initially made it into the last ten of the show, but was then forced to pull out due to severe laryngitis, which lead to torn vocal cords as a result of overuse, and his place was taken by Darius Danesh. Electric and Music Industries Following the show, Waller signed a recording contract with Electric and Music Industries in a deal worth approximately £200,000. His first single was a cover version of Dolly Parton"s song "I Will Always Love You" which made Number.
6 in the United Kingdom Chart.
He followed this up with another top 40 hit, recorded originally by Labi Siffre, "(Something Inside) So Strong". Both of these songs appear on Waller"s album From Now. Red Admiral Records When he was dropped by Electric and Music Industries, Waller formed his own band to take his music out on the road.
He then signed an album deal with Red Admiral Records.
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.
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".
On 28 February 2007, Waller appeared on Never Mind the Buzzcocks in the Identity Parade Round and briefly replaced captain Philosophy Jupitus when it became clear who was the real Rik Waller.
He was educated at The Howard School, Rainham, Kent. After ending his singing career in 2007, he is currently employed as an exam invigilator in Sittingbourne, Kent.
