Peter Cunnah facts for kids

Peter Cunnah was born on August 30, 1966, in Derry, Northern Ireland. He is a talented singer, songwriter, and music producer. Peter is best known as the lead singer and songwriter for the popular 1990s dance-pop duo called D:Ream.

Peter Cunnah's Early Music Journey

Before he became famous with D:Ream, Peter Cunnah was the lead guitarist for a band from Belfast called Tie the Boy. This band even signed a short deal with Mother Records, a music label owned by the famous band U2.

However, after the band moved from Belfast to London, they faced some challenges and eventually broke up.

How D:Ream Started

After Tie the Boy split up, Peter Cunnah found himself in the exciting music scene of London. He was already a music producer and wanted to use some of the songs he had written for his old band.

He teamed up with a DJ named Al Mackenzie. Their first idea for D:Ream was to create a "faceless" dance act. This meant they would have a different singer for live shows and recordings. Peter wanted to focus on writing and producing music, while Al would build his reputation as a DJ.

Peter Becomes the Singer

One day, Peter Cunnah decided to sing during a live performance. He really enjoyed it! Because of this, he changed the plan for D:Ream. He decided to become the main singer himself.

At first, D:Ream performed as a duo. They quickly became very popular in clubs. Soon, they found managers and signed deals with record labels and music publishers.

Peter Cunnah's Solo Work and Collaborations

After his success with D:Ream, Peter Cunnah continued to work on music. He created his own songs and also worked with other artists. He spent a lot of time writing and producing music for other groups.

Writing and Producing for Pop Stars

Peter wrote and produced songs for well-known pop groups like Steps and A1. This means he helped create the music and lyrics for their hit songs.

Singing with Chicane

In 2003, Peter Cunnah sang the lead vocals on a song called "Love on the Run" by the artist Chicane. This song was quite popular, reaching number 33 in the United Kingdom and number 43 in Ireland.

International Songwriting Success

Peter also co-wrote a song called "Come My Way" for an Australian singer named Sophie Monk. This song was later covered by a famous Japanese singer, Namie Amuro. Her version was even used as an opening song for the popular anime show InuYasha.

Returning to Live Music with Shane

In May 2006, Peter Cunnah went back to performing live with a guitar-based band called Shane. Their first song was "The Weight of This." With Shane, Peter returned to his rock music roots.

He formed the band with two old friends: Paul Greendale on guitar and Mark Roberts on drums. Peter had known Mark Roberts from their time together in the rock band Tie The Boy.

Peter Cunnah has also produced music for Ben Kelly, who became known after appearing on The Voice UK.