Gary Barlow reveals label had almost 'given up' on his songs before breakout hit

While appearing on BBC Radio 2’s Piano Room, the Back for Good hitmaker, 54, told Vernon Kay how cover songs allowed the band to shine.

‘It took us a minute to work out what we were really,’ Gary shared while performing with the BBC Concert Orchestra live for the 100th episode.

He continued: ‘It took us a second to get the music. We had about three misses before we eventually had a hit.

‘It was at the point where the label had kind of given up on my songs and they said: “We’re going to go with a cover version first as we believe this will give you the platform to get on to then get your own music through”.’

That track was It Only Takes A Minute by Tavares, which charted in the UK top 10 and landed the group a Brit Award nomination in 1993.

‘It put us on that stage, and then we started to introduce the music slowly,’ added Gary.

And he certainly has proven his songwriting talent ever since, with 13 number one singles to his name, including Back For Good.

He performed the beloved song – which turns 30 next month – for his Piano Room set as well as a new song If There’s Not A Song About It.

Co-written and performed live with special guest Colbie Caillat, Gary said the track came from him feeling like he’s ‘played every love song’.

He revealed: ‘[This song] is a different kind of break-up, and it’s [about] someone who is quite close to me. I don’t need to say who it is, but they had a very happy break-up.

‘They’d realised this is the end of the road and let’s leave on great terms. And I don’t think there’s a song about that, but there is now; there you go!’

After the duet, the These Days hitmaker then covered Sam Fender’s People Watching and praised the 30-year-old singer as one of his favourite artists.

‘[I] went to see him live last year,’ Gary said. ‘Love the new record. Of course, I really want to try and do this justice because it’s a brand new song, we thought, why rethink something that’s so new, so I’m kind of copying his version, but it’s a wonderful track.’

Gary’s performance was the last for this Piano Room series, marking 100 episodes and 314 songs sung at the studio.

He’s the only artist other than Pet Shop Boys’ Neil Tennant to appear on the show twice, previously performing as a guest with Delta Goodrem last year.

BBC Radio 2’s Piano Room month – Gary Barlow’s performance is available now on BBC Sounds and on BBC iPlayer from 6pm.