Katy Perry, Taylor Swift and Eminem inspire a member of a secretive religious cult to pursue a pop music career
- Enoch Loyal, 20, escaped from the notorious cult Gloriavale four years ago
- He said he would fix up old radios and sneak off to listen to popular music
- Loyal said it inspired him to pursue a career and leave the notorious group
A man who made a daring escape from a cult said he was inspired to pursue a music career after listening to stars like Katy Perry, Taylor Swift and Eminem.
Enoch Loyal, 20, left Gloriavale – an isolated Christian community in New Zealand that shuns most of the outside world – four years ago.
Loyal would reattach the antennas that had be removed by the church leaders, sneak off in the night to listen to music and practice the words to the songs to teach himself how to sing, according to Stuff.
Enoch Loyal, 20, who made a darling escape from Gloriavale Christian Communitysaid he was inspired to pursue a music career after listening to stars like Katy Perry, Taylor Swift and Eminem
![Loyal would reattach the antennas that had be removed by the church leaders and would sneak off in the night to listen to music from the likes of Katy Perry](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/06/23/03/15136126-7171161-image-m-116_1561255799340.jpg)
Loyal would reattach the antennas that had be removed by the church leaders and would sneak off in the night to listen to music from the likes of Katy Perry
Loyal was 16 when he fled from the compound in the back of a ute with the help of two former members, his brother Isaac and a dairy farmer who worked nearby.
‘I’d been wanting to leave for at least two years,’ Loyal said.
He soon reconnected with his father Shane Bickley who was isolated from the group when Loyal was a baby.
The musician said Gloriavale taught him a strong worth ethic through hard labour that has enabled him to endure tough times since he left his mother and siblings behind.
‘I wish the rest of my family could leave but they are too scared to leave,’ he said.
![Loyal said he would practice the words to the songs he heard and teach himself how to sing, in a dream to one day go on X-Factor New Zealand](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/06/23/03/15136130-7171161-image-a-124_1561256262302.jpg)
Loyal said he would practice the words to the songs he heard and teach himself how to sing, in a dream to one day go on X-Factor New Zealand
Since he left the group he has gone on to complete his high school education after he said Gloriavale deemed him not good enough to continue.
‘I’ve dreamed to get to X Factor New Zealand at some point in the future,’ he said.
He said there are a strong group of ex-members of Gloriavale who support each other when people decide to leave.
Gloriavale Christian Community has a notorious history of ‘cult like behaviour’ with a long list of sexual and physical abuse allegations in the group’s history.
Their founder Neville Cooper was jailed in 1995 for almost a year on sexual abuse charges after his son and another woman testified against him.
![Gloriavale Christian Community's founder Neville Cooper (left) was jailed in 1995 for almost a year on sexual abuse charges after his son and another woman testified against him](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/06/23/03/15136228-7171161-image-a-123_1561256190069.jpg)
Gloriavale Christian Community’s founder Neville Cooper (left) was jailed in 1995 for almost a year on sexual abuse charges after his son and another woman testified against him