Biography
Long-haired rocker Altiyan Childs claimed an unexpected victory in the second season of The X Factor Australia, even though eccentric antics away from the spotlight had already earned him the label “Caveman.” Born Altiyan Juric in Mount Isa, Queensland, to a Serbian mother and a Croatian father, he relocated to Sydney and, while still only thirteen and drawing inspiration from Prince and Van Morrison, launched his first group, Over the Top. Following high school, he secured modest chart traction with the pop-rock band Masonia, whose single “Simple” reached the national Top 50 before the outfit split in 2008.
He set aside his musical ambitions and spent several years operating a forklift until his father urged one final attempt, prompting him to audition for the 2010 edition of The X Factor Australia. Repeatedly stumbling over lyrics during the early rounds, he nevertheless advanced to the live shows and was placed under the guidance of Boyzone’s Ronan Keating in the over-25s category. Strong notices greeted his interpretations of material by Train, U2, and Bon Jovi, yet concern arose when he vanished from rehearsals to “reconnect with beautiful sadness” inside a cave on Sydney’s Northern Beaches. Childs never landed in the bottom two, ultimately defeating runner-up Sally Chatfield in the grand final to become the program’s first champion since the vocal group Random triumphed in 2005.
After inking a deal with Sony Music Australia, he issued the original track “Somewhere in the World” as his debut single and a self-titled album containing ten songs performed during the competition; both releases entered the ARIA Top Ten. In 2011 he drew scrutiny by declaring plans to wed his nineteen-year-old girlfriend, whom he had encountered on Facebook only two months earlier. Around the same period, police discovered a chemical laboratory and illegal firearms at his manager’s suburban residence—where Childs had been staying—sparking further headlines.
By 2012 he had exited Sony Music Australia, first aligning with Oxygen Music Group and subsequently with Vibe Management. Returning to independent status, Childs released the single “Dreams” in 2013, followed in 2014 by “Girl” and “Celebrity.” His second studio album, Born Before the Sun, appeared in 2015 via 9Love Records.
He set aside his musical ambitions and spent several years operating a forklift until his father urged one final attempt, prompting him to audition for the 2010 edition of The X Factor Australia. Repeatedly stumbling over lyrics during the early rounds, he nevertheless advanced to the live shows and was placed under the guidance of Boyzone’s Ronan Keating in the over-25s category. Strong notices greeted his interpretations of material by Train, U2, and Bon Jovi, yet concern arose when he vanished from rehearsals to “reconnect with beautiful sadness” inside a cave on Sydney’s Northern Beaches. Childs never landed in the bottom two, ultimately defeating runner-up Sally Chatfield in the grand final to become the program’s first champion since the vocal group Random triumphed in 2005.
After inking a deal with Sony Music Australia, he issued the original track “Somewhere in the World” as his debut single and a self-titled album containing ten songs performed during the competition; both releases entered the ARIA Top Ten. In 2011 he drew scrutiny by declaring plans to wed his nineteen-year-old girlfriend, whom he had encountered on Facebook only two months earlier. Around the same period, police discovered a chemical laboratory and illegal firearms at his manager’s suburban residence—where Childs had been staying—sparking further headlines.
By 2012 he had exited Sony Music Australia, first aligning with Oxygen Music Group and subsequently with Vibe Management. Returning to independent status, Childs released the single “Dreams” in 2013, followed in 2014 by “Girl” and “Celebrity.” His second studio album, Born Before the Sun, appeared in 2015 via 9Love Records.
Singles
