By Bryce McGarel
BBC News
Northern Ireland singer Keith Semple’s experience of television talent shows could at best be described as bittersweet.
In 2002, he won his way onto boy band One True Voice, on ITV’s Popstars: The Rivals show, who were formed alongside Girls Aloud.
But while the girl group went on to enjoy a career of success, fame and fortune, One True Voice released just two songs and split up less than a year after being formed.
Despite this setback, Semple said he remained determined to carve a career in the music business and last month hit the headlines in the US after being kicked out of American Idol following an initial successful audition.
Semple, who is from Larne in County Antrim, won a coveted golden ticket to the latter stages of the contest in Hollywood.
However, his dreams of stardom were dealt another blow when he was asked to leave the show when the producers found out he was not eligible to enter the competition.
"You have to be a permanent resident to enter the show, I was trying frantically to get everything done in time and unfortunately it was a postal error which cost me," he said.
"I am extending the visa I already have while applying for my permanent status.
The singer moved to the US in 2006 after a member of Chicago based band 7th heaven heard him sing on Myspace and asked him to join them.
"I plan on living in Chicago for good, although I will always come home from time to time.
"Home will always be Northern Ireland. I love and miss Larne, however, for my music I have no choice but to live in the USA.
"I could never be as busy, or play to as many people or make as good a living back home in the music scene. I have played to twice the population of Northern Ireland since I arrived here."
"The biggest crowd (we have played to) to date has been 62,000 people opening up for Huey Lewis in Chicago, the year before we played to crowds of between 10,000 and 20,000 festivals almost all summer long.
Visa issues aside, Semple said he is uncertain as to whether or not he will enter next year’s American Idol, however, he still has high hopes of making it as big as the likes of the Kings of Leon with his current band.
"We could make it that big, any band could, its nothing to do with the band after a certain point, they can have the talent, the stage presence and the songs, but its up to the people with the money after that -it’s an unfortunate part of the business.
"I have an amazing career here in the USA., I play to more than 1m people a year in over 225 shows and make a good living.
"This is all I have ever done since I was 16 and wouldn’t ever consider doing anything else, I will go on performing until I am 90."</p
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