Biography
Singer Joe McElderry secured his breakthrough by captivating The X-Factor judges Simon Cowell, Dannii Minogue, and Cheryl Cole through renditions of Michael Jackson’s “You Are Not Alone” and Miley Cyrus’ “The Climb,” ultimately claiming victory in the show’s sixth season. Born in 1991 in South Shields, England, he had first tried out during the program’s fourth season in 2007, only to depart once he reached the initial boot-camp stage. Returning in 2009 as a more seasoned vocalist, he impressed once more with a heartfelt take on Luther Vandross’ “Dance with My Father” and advanced into the live rounds. Over the subsequent ten weeks he tackled material ranging from Dean Martin’s “Sway” to Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’,” while also fronting the series’ charity single “You Are Not Alone,” before defeating runner-up Olly Murs with his performance of “The Climb.” Released as his debut solo single, the track entered the race for the 2009 U.K. Christmas number one, a position an X-Factor finalist had occupied for the preceding four years. An online effort, coordinated through social networks, sought to block the show’s continued chart dominance, and although “The Climb” finished second behind Rage Against the Machine’s 1992 track “Killing in the Name,” McElderry still topped the Irish charts over Christmas and reached the summit in Britain the following week.
Roughly ten months after that chart showdown, he issued his first album, 2010’s Wide Awake, which earned mixed critical notices yet climbed into the U.K. Top Ten. His contract with Simon Cowell’s Syco label concluded in April 2011; by June he had joined the ITV series Popstar to Operastar and went on to win the competition. Signing with Decca, McElderry delivered his second album, Classic, in August 2011—a set of easy-listening and classical standards—whose reception prompted the swift follow-up Classic Christmas later that year. His fourth release, Here’s What I Believe, arrived in September 2012 and mixed original songs with covers while featuring collaborations with Ludovico Einaudi and Marcella Detroit.
Following that project, McElderry took short engagements in the stage adaptation of Dirty Dancing and a one-night portrayal of Tommy in The Who’s Tommy. The next year he launched a summer tour showcasing fresh material and, while performing in a seasonal pantomime of Cinderella, issued the single “Wonderful Dream (Holidays Are Coming).” In 2014 he competed on the U.K. television program The Jump, a celebrity winter-sports contest, and emerged victorious, afterward completing a 50-date tour across Britain. A year later he assumed the title role in a national production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat that began touring at the start of 2016 and drew praise for his performance. Another U.K. tour came later in the year, after which he returned to the studio to record his fifth album. The resulting Saturday Night at the Movies, containing well-known songs drawn from film and theater, surfaced in mid-2017.
Roughly ten months after that chart showdown, he issued his first album, 2010’s Wide Awake, which earned mixed critical notices yet climbed into the U.K. Top Ten. His contract with Simon Cowell’s Syco label concluded in April 2011; by June he had joined the ITV series Popstar to Operastar and went on to win the competition. Signing with Decca, McElderry delivered his second album, Classic, in August 2011—a set of easy-listening and classical standards—whose reception prompted the swift follow-up Classic Christmas later that year. His fourth release, Here’s What I Believe, arrived in September 2012 and mixed original songs with covers while featuring collaborations with Ludovico Einaudi and Marcella Detroit.
Following that project, McElderry took short engagements in the stage adaptation of Dirty Dancing and a one-night portrayal of Tommy in The Who’s Tommy. The next year he launched a summer tour showcasing fresh material and, while performing in a seasonal pantomime of Cinderella, issued the single “Wonderful Dream (Holidays Are Coming).” In 2014 he competed on the U.K. television program The Jump, a celebrity winter-sports contest, and emerged victorious, afterward completing a 50-date tour across Britain. A year later he assumed the title role in a national production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat that began touring at the start of 2016 and drew praise for his performance. Another U.K. tour came later in the year, after which he returned to the studio to record his fifth album. The resulting Saturday Night at the Movies, containing well-known songs drawn from film and theater, surfaced in mid-2017.
Albums
Singles
