The high-decibel, piercing screams ricocheting around Shepherd’s Bush Empire took me right back to 1995.

As a teenager besotted with Take That – then Britain’s biggest boyband – I had squealed with delight from my fifth-row seat at Wembley Arena, convinced that lead vocalist Gary Barlow really had waved only at me. It was a special night – thousands of teen girls, just like me, swooning at their pop idols.

But going out last week with my 14-year-old niece Olivia to see the country’s latest boy band, December 10, has proved two things: there is still very much a market for this type of pop, and Simon Cowell, who is behind the group, still has his magic touch. Certainly, that is, if the deafening screams are anything to go by.

Even if you haven’t heard of December 10, I predict it won’t be long until they are household names.

The seven young lads were plucked from thousands of hopefuls who auditioned for Netflix talent show Simon Cowell: The Next Act. And despite only releasing their first single at the end of January, I can confirm they already have an obsessive fan base.

Known as the ‘Tenners’, scores had already formed a long queue outside the venue at 9am – 11 hours before the band was due on.

Some were so devoted they had been there all night, desperate to get as close as possible to the boys: Cruz Lee-Ojo, 20, Hendrik Christoffersen, 20, John Fadare, 18, Josh Olliver, 17, Nicolas Alves, 17, and Sean Hayden, 19. The seventh member, Danny Bretherton, 17, is on a break, more of which later.

As they waited, the fans sang the band’s limited collection of songs to date – including Infinity (123), Angel and Bad For Me – at the top of their voices. They performed dances they had practiced in their bedrooms for days, and wept at the prospect of seeing the band in person.

And there were the handmade posters – one read ‘Josh marry me’, while another said ‘We love you December 10’, complete with red hearts.

Katie Hind went out to a December 10 concert with her 14-year-old niece Olivia (pictured)

L-R: Sean Hayden, Nicolas Alves, Hendrik Christoffersen, Danny Bretherton, (back) John Fadare, (front) Cruz Lee-Ojo and Josh Olliver

Danny, Cruz and John are at the front of the stage performing at the O2 in February

It was teenage fandom at its finest and most hysterical.

I only understood the extent of December 10’s appeal myself a few months ago when Olivia rang me, beside herself that she had found a new band.

Rather than coming across December 10 on Cowell’s show, she had found the boys on TikTok. Olivia was determined that I should join her and two friends at the gig so I could judge the music for myself.

Like the 2,000 others attending, she spent days making her own merchandise – including decorating a black PVC jacket with diamante studs to recreate the band’s logo. She embellished her sunglasses with the same image.

Peak excitement came when, ahead of the gig, Olivia and her friends were lucky enough to meet the boys – including Sean, who is Olivia’s favourite by far – in their dressing room. They cried upon finding out.

Olivia handed the boys an 80-page scrapbook she had put together to illustrate their ‘best moments’, and was delighted to be told they would keep it.

She was thrilled to bits when they also signed a flag she had made.

I’ll be honest, I had my doubts about this mob and whether Cowell could still curate a hit band. Now 66, he of course has a stellar pedigree as the man behind Westlife, One Direction, 5ive and more.

Loads of teenage girls enjoyed the December 10 concert at the O2 in Shepherd's Bush Empire - some even held signs with fanart

The fans are known as 'Tenners' and many of them had already formed a long queue outside the venue at 9am – 11 hours before the band was due on

His Netflix show was a bid to find something fresh.

Auditions were held across the UK and Ireland, and the successful seven signed with EMI Records – the home of Taylor Swift and Sir Paul McCartney.

But this year it looked like it might not work out.

Despite Cowell’s The X Factor generating No 1 singles almost every year the show aired, sales for December 10’s first single, Run My Way, were bleak.

It limped into the charts at No 72, shifting just 6,300 units (that’s physical sales, downloads and streaming) in the song’s first week.

I spoke at length to Cowell, and he was determined not to give up. After ticking me off for doubting December 10, he assured me the boys would come good.

And I’m happy to now acknowledge his judgment was correct. Music insiders old enough to remember The Beatles say the levels of teen hysteria around December 10 are similar – and equal to the early hype around One Direction.

Which is, of course, music to Cowell’s ears. This month the band’s debut album, On Your Side, went in at No 5 in the UK charts and No 3 in Ireland. This was announced on stage at the gig by manager Cassandra Gracey, to yet more piercing screams.

Katie Hind had her doubts about whether Cowell (centre) could still curate a hit band, but now she thinks they are set to be the next big thing

I’m told the group has achieved the highest-selling EP of 2026 so far – the biggest such debut in the last decade.

December 10 has amassed more than 30million streams, 22.9million YouTube views and a combined social media following of 3.7million. Their tour, The Next Step, sold out across the UK and Europe. And this summer will see the boys play Reading and Leeds festivals before jetting off to Japan, where I’m told they are already ‘huge’.

While record sales are no longer making musicians super rich, the band has numerous brand deals, including with Toyota and Primark.

For Sean, it’s a full-circle moment after working for Penneys, Primark’s Irish franchise.

But there is already a hint of scandal. Danny’s involvement has been paused amid complaints about comments he is said to have made about former female classmates and girlfriends. I’m assured he will be back.

As the concert ended, Tenners flooded outside the venue to meet their idols in scenes reminiscent of my Take That obsession – I had once travelled to Gatwick to see them arrive.

And I remembered that post-concert comedown – as well as the burning desire to do it again.

But I was mostly relieved the screaming had stopped.