Simon Cowell's latest venture into the pop world, the boyband December 10, is already making headlines with a major record deal and a debut single. But for one member, 16-year-old Nicolas Alves, this marks a remarkable third attempt at securing musical stardom on television.
From Eurovision Hopeful to Cowell's Protégé
Nicolas Alves was born in England and moved to Portugal at the age of ten, where his early talent soon became apparent. His first major break came in 2022 when he competed on The Voice Kids Portugal, finishing as the runner-up to winner Maria Gil.
That performance earned him the chance to represent Portugal at the Junior Eurovision Song Contest the same year. He performed an original song called 'Anos 70', scoring 121 points and securing eighth place out of 16 entrants.
His official biography from the time revealed a typical teenager with atypical talent, noting his love for playing guitar with his brothers, his pets, and his admiration for music legends Queen and Elvis Presley.
Impressing the Mogul on The Next Act
With this significant performance experience already behind him, Nicolas auditioned for Simon Cowell's Netflix talent series, The Next Act. The show's panel, which included music industry heavyweights Pete Waterman, Savan Kotecha, and Kamille, were instantly impressed.
They described the teen as "utterly joyful" and even compared his audition to a young George Michael. Nicolas himself told the judges, "When it comes to music I am very serious. It's what I want to do, it's what I've always wanted to do."
After a series of challenges and training sessions in Los Angeles, Nicolas secured his place in the newly-formed seven-piece band. The group, named December 10 after the date the reality series launched on Netflix, also includes Hendrik Christoffersen, 19, Cruz Lee-Ojo, 19, John Fadare, 17, Seán Hayden, 19, Josh Olliver, 17, and Danny Bretherton, 16.
A Launch Amidst Controversy and Promise
The band's career has been launched at a remarkable pace. They have already been signed by the major label EMI/Universal, home to artists like Lewis Capaldi and Justin Bieber. Their first release is a cover of NSYNC's classic hit 'Bye Bye Bye'.
However, the choice of name has sparked an unexpected controversy. A Glasgow-based metal band called December Tenth has claimed the name causes confusion and has publicly asked anyone from "Simon’s team, Universal or Netflix" to contact their legal team.
Despite the naming dispute, for Nicolas Alves, the formation of December 10 represents a powerful new chapter. Having navigated the pressures of The Voice Kids and the international stage of Junior Eurovision, he now steps into the spotlight under Simon Cowell's guidance, hoping it truly is a case of third time lucky.
