How forgotten Newcastle X Factor duo received recognition from Queen for work after reality fame

You may remember Newcastle-based duo He Knows She Knows from their appearance on the X Factor in 2016. The pair made up of Silvar and Sharna sang Love Yourself by Justin Bieber. The audition ended with each judge giving them a yes, before Silvar asked Sharna to be his wife.

Since that moment, Silvar and Sharna’s lives have completely changed. Still living in the North East, the happily engaged couple now teach children about mental health, are the proud owners of a letter from Her Majesty The Queen, and are gearing up for a big performance in Gateshead this November.

But let’s take it right back to the beginning, and find out how He Knows She Knows came to be. Silvar was born in Bedfordshire, and was a keen and talented rugby player. He moved to Newcastle around 2005, after signing with Newcastle rugby team Newcastle Thunder. Silvar’s love for music began when sadly, at the young age of 15, he lost his Mum and began to use writing music as a way of coping with the loss. Sharna, was born in Newcastle and started her music journey by enrolling into stage schools at a young age. She took a break from performing in her late teens, but found her way back into it in her early twenties.

The pair met in the Christmas of 2015, after connecting on social media. They decided it would be fun to do some music together, and see how their voices and differing styles fitted. They set up a studio in Sharna’s home, and soon decided to become a duo and created He Knows She Knows. The pair’s working relationship was blossoming, as was their love for each other - and the pair became a couple in quick succession. Then came their X Factor experience, which Silvar describes as “quite brutal”, however he looks back fondly on their audition and the special proposal moment they shared with the judges and the public. “It was a great moment to have and something I’ll cherish for the rest of my life,” he says.

After the X Factor, the pair worked hard to continue to strive for success, and ended up signing with Newcastle-based record label, ISG Global Music - to which they are still signed to today. However, their career then began to take off in a different direction, as Silvar and Sharna fell into teaching last year. It all started when the duo, who have a fair amount of young fans, began to notice that the fans were scribbling their own faces out of Meet and Greet photos with He Knows She Knows. So, the duo decided to take their performances into schools, and deliver talks to kids on mental health and body positivity. He Knows She Knows, have now seen around 65,000 students and because of this work, the pair received a letter from Her Majesty The Queen in May, which they now have framed. “It’s a great reward for the work we have done,” Silvar says.

He Knows She Knows continues to perform most weekends, and has built up a fan base across the country. “This industry can be quite difficult for people, and there is a lot of self-doubt, but the response you get and the love you get from fans makes it all worth it in the end,” Silvar says, recounting how much it means to him when fans of the duo show their support.  He Knows She Knows are currently getting ready for an exciting gig on November 24 at The Fed in Gateshead.  They have put together a mini line-up of young, rising stars to support them, including Sophie Gordon (who was nominated for a North Regional Entertainment Award), CBBC’s Got What It Takes winner, Tilly Lockey (who goes by Give Tilly a Hand) and the runner up to the same show, George Norman. Tickets start from £10 and are available to purchase here.