A NEW generation of pop stars could come out of Britain’s colleges and universities.

That’s the view of Dr Rupert Till, who teaches popular music students on degree courses at the University of Huddersfield.

He hailed the rise to stardom of singer Adele and said she may mark the beginning of a new breed of pop star.

He says they will learn their trade under expert tuition, rather than coming from nowhere.

Dr Till said: “For years pop stars have been expected to magically grow their talent out of nowhere, to be born a talented young genius, and then become an overnight success.

“Adele went to the Brit School, a London performing arts school, where talents are groomed and taught.

“We have always expected our actors, dancers, classical musicians and painters to learn their trades on specialist courses, and now we are seeing the same thing happening in the world of pop music.

“And with the growth of popular music courses within GCSE, A level, diplomas and at university courses like those at Huddersfield and LIPA in Liverpool, I predict there will be more to come like Adele”

Dr Till was critical of some of the “stars” created by reality shows like Pop Idol and The X Factor and described them as here-today-gone-today artists.

“Leona Lewis was one of Adele’s classmates. Kirsty Almeida is just breaking through at the moment and is another female singer songwriter with solid training behind her.

“Katy B has had three top ten hits, went to the Brit School, and did a degree in popular music at Goldsmiths University.

“Girls in particular seem to do well on these courses, whereas boys will often just join a band with their mates, and then give up on education, which leaves them nowhere if the dream doesn’t work out.

“This is nothing new. In the 1960s and 70s pop stars went off to art school, now there are specialist courses.

“It’s no surprise that Adele also signed to independent label XL, the same label as Radiohead, she will also have studied the music business, and so won’t be ripped off by industry sharks who want to be in control, and make money for themselves rather than the artist involved.

“The other difference between Adele and other here-today-gone-today reality TV pop stars, is that she has not only talent, but creative control and training.

“She’s not some skinny model who can’t sing, she writes songs, she understands production and arrangement, and she has great vocal technique.

“She’s broken quite a few records. How many other artists can say they have had albums at number 1 and 2 in the chart.

“But expect to see her for quite some time. She is famous for her musical ability, not for who she is, or how she looks or behaves, something that unfortunately one can’t say of so many of the pop stars signed to major record labels”

Dr Till said the record labels were finally realising that music courses could be a rich seam of talent.

“I see students coming through our courses with 10 times as much talent as what you see on X Factor, although some of them struggle to get through the closed doors of the London record labels.

“What we are seeing is the music industry change from a pirate’s lake full of sharks into a real industry, one of the most important export industries the UK has.”