Nathan Sykes rejoined the Wanted on Sunday (June 9) for his first performance with the U.K. boy band since undergoing vocal surgery in April.
According to Capital FM, the 20-year-old member of the five-piece group joined the Wanted onstage during the Summertime Ball festival at Wembley Stadium in the U.K. on Sunday. After the Wanted (sans Nathan) ran through their string of hits, Sykes surprised the crowd by appearing onstage and belting his solo on the single “I Found You.”
“Thanks for all the love today. Really put a smile on my face …,” Sykes posted on Twitter following the performance. “#NathanIsBack” became a worldwide trend on Twitter due to Sykes’ unexpected return, and bandmate Max George wrote, “#NathanIsBack love you mate! Welcome back.”
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Last April, the Wanted announced that Sykes would be taking a temporary leave of absence from the group to undergo throat surgery in Los Angeles. Although the group never specified Sykes’ ailment, a vocal cord hemorrhage was suspected, and no timetable was set for his return.
The Wanted scored a Top 5 hit in the U.S. last year with “Glad You Came,” and are readying its debut U.S. full-length following the release of its latest single, “Walks Like Rihanna.” “The Wanted Life,” a reality show detailing the group’s stateside invasion and recording sessions, debuted earlier this month on the E! network.