hard times

Nineties boyband heartthrob looks unrecognisable after battle with alcohol, drug and food addiction

A NINETIES boyband hunk looks completely unrecognisable after battling a series of addictions as his life took a downward spiral.

Bryan Abrams, now 53, was the lead singer of Oklahoma City-based group, Color Me Badd.

Advertisement
A Nineties boyband heartthrob looks completely unrecognisable after finding chart fameCredit: The Dr. Phil Show
Bryan Abrams (front), was the hunky lead vocalist of Color Me BaddCredit: Getty
The All 4 Love hitmaker was known for his goatee beard and moustacheCredit: NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via

The RnB band was formed in 1985 and saw success with hits All 4 Love, I Wanna Sex You Up and I Adore Mi Amor.

Yet they first split in 1998, when Bryan's alcohol problems began to emerge.

He was Color Me Badd's handsome frontman, with raven-coloured spiked hair, a goatee beard and moustache.

As the band rocketed up the Billboard Charts, he added blonde highlights to freshen up his look.

Advertisement

He often donned slick black leather jackets and trendy clothing on and off-stage.

At the height of fame, he was nominated for a Grammy Award and had been inducted into the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame.

Yet Bryan appeared completely different during an interview with wife Kimberly on the Doctor Phil show in 2019.

His face appeared rounder in shape during the TV chat about his long running booze and drug addictions as well as physically abusive behaviour.

Advertisement

Most read in Music

Brat Summer 2.0
Glastonbury fans ‘work out’ Pyramid stage headliner
BIG INTERVIEW
Adam Clayton on complicated creation of classic U2 album ahead of anniversary
BLAST FROM PAST
Secrets of Band Aid 40 years on including group on coke & changed lyrics
Playlist
In order to dance, listen to a playlist from R&S Records' Renaat Vandepapeliere

Fans could recognise his signature moustache as he sat and chatted with the US telly favourite.

The award-winning vocalist, who released a solo album in 2001, had let his beard grow fully and opted for a closer-crop hairstyle.

Bryan recently opened up about his weight struggles and addictions which have spanned decades.

He told : "I’m grateful to be alive. At this point, my only focus is doing what I love, getting healthy and providing for my family.

Advertisement

"After a lifetime of struggling with addiction, I’m at the stage in my recovery where I want to inspire hope in others struggling with mental health, substance use and eating disorders."

Bryan has also released a documentary on his battles, entitled Flowers In The Attic: The Bryan Abrams Story.

In the short film, he explained he was already suffering from an eating disorder when he tried alcohol for the first time.

After becoming reliant on booze, he then developed an addition to opioids back in 1992.

Advertisement

He told his documentary: "I believe that a person can get sober, stop doing drugs, when they are really ready to.

"I used the excuse, and it is kind of an excuse, for years that, 'Well, I'm an alcoholic. I can't get sober.' Yes, you can.

"But it's going to happen when you've heard enough … and you want some change and you're ready to apply yourself and do whatever it takes."

In 2010, Color Me Badd reunited as a duo but their comeback was marred in 2018 when Bryan, believed to be under the influence of booze, pushed bandmate Mark Calderon live on stage.

Advertisement

He added to his show: "When I made the decision to get sober, I knew that when I went to treatment, I had to make it count."

The singer's change in appearance came after one Nineties star, Eddie Chacon, was unrecognisable 30 years after his chart hit with Charles Pettigrew.

Recently, we reported how nineties boyband star Jade Jones gave up fame in Damage for a completely different career.

Meanwhile, we recently reported how American rocker Dan Spitz traded in his guitarist role in metal band Anthrax for a career as a watch-maker.

Advertisement

A Nineties hitmaker also switched pop fame to re-train as a mental health nurse - much to the surprise of fans.

Additionally, rapper MC Hammer stunned his loyal following after switching music for a life spent serving God.

In 2019 he opened up to telly host Dr Phil about his addictions to food, drugs and boozeCredit: The Dr. Phil Show
Advertisement
The Grammy Award-nominee has released a documentary detailing his strugglesCredit: Alamy
He previously told how he struggled with his weight when he first tasted booze, before becoming addicted to opioidsCredit: Getty
Topics
Advertisement
machibet777.com