Junior Andre is gearing up for a major music comeback, and his dad, Peter Andre, couldn't be prouder! Four years after his debut single Slide made waves by topping the UK iTunes chart, the budding pop star is reportedly working on some truly "amazing" new material. While Junior, who is now 20 years old, released a track called Only One in 2023, he's been keeping a lower profile musically since then. But that's all about to change, as Peter, 52, has been privy to some of Junior's latest creations and is incredibly impressed.
Peter shared exclusively with The Sun, "He’s got some great songs he’s working on." He also revealed a key piece of advice he gave his son: "One of the things I said to him, I said, ‘yes, you want to be a music artist and yes, you’ve done a couple of songs and they’ve done really well, but you’ve still got to be a teenager’." This thoughtful approach stems from Peter's own experience. He explained, "I remember at 18, I just didn’t want him to just fall into this world that was so crazy and not have actually just experienced being a kid. And he’s in a relationship. He’s very happy, obviously. He can tell you all that side of it. But he’s been able to really take his time to do it and do it when he’s ready. I said to him, ‘don’t rush it, son’."
And this is the part most people miss... Peter himself has taken a similar measured approach to his own career. His latest single, Rock U Right, marks his first new original release in 11 years! This comeback was partly inspired by a motivational chat with his friend, Gary Barlow. Peter has been busy recording three new songs for his upcoming album, Legacy, which will also feature 10 reworked versions of his classic hits.
But here's where it gets controversial... The new single, Rock U Right, has a distinct vibe reminiscent of Peter's musical idol, Michael Jackson. This nod to MJ has clearly resonated with his family, especially his sons Theo, eight, and Junior. Peter mentioned, "I don’t try and sit there and go, ‘can you listen to this?’ I just know that they’re hearing it when I’m recording it and when I’m writing it. If I hear them singing it in the kitchen or something, I’m thinking, ‘okay, we’re on to something’." He elaborated on Theo's reaction: "My son, Theo, he’s such a huge MJ fan. So as soon as he heard this song, he heard the elements, you know, because obviously it’s a nod. I wrote it as a nod to the music that I loved. And so he loves it. Immediately he loves it." Junior's feedback was equally encouraging: "Junior loves it because Junior’s saying, ‘I’m so glad you’re not trying to sound like a brand new artist’."
Adding to the track's infectious funk is Mo Pleasure from Earth, Wind & Fire, who also served as Michael Jackson's managing director before his passing. Mo is just one of the impressive guest artists on Legacy, which also includes 90s legends Brian McKnight and Montel Jordan, alongside contemporary artists Lady Leshurr and Oritsé Williams.
While Peter is a strong advocate for his children forging their own paths, he's hinted that they might just make an appearance on his new record. "I really want them all to fly on their own. But what I will say is that on this album, there’s a couple of surprises that nobody’s going to know until they hear the album," he teased. "And what will be interesting for me is people to comment and go, ‘hang on. Is that?’ If that makes sense. So there’s a few little surprises on it. But yeah, I think I do like to sort of let everyone do their own thing."
What do you think about Peter's approach to his sons' careers? Do you believe it's better for young artists to take their time and experience life before diving headfirst into the music industry, or should they seize opportunities as they arise? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
