Olly Murs
(UK)
Very few artists still under 30 have three hit albums and way more hit singles, like Olly Murs, whose Please Don’t Let Me Go, Heart Skips A Beat and Dance With Me Tonight are all number one singles. The ardent Manchester United supporter and former semi-professional footballer continues the musical line of Justin Timberlake and Robbie Williams with his songs that mix pop with R&B and a bit of rap.
After two failed tries Olly Murs decided in 2009, having first travelled in Australia a couple of months with a backpack, to enter once more the British singing contest X-Factor. When he had performed Stevie Wonder’s Superstition, judge Simon Cowell said “it was the easiest yes I’ve ever given”. In the end Olly, whom the judges called “a born entertainer”, came second, but he got a recording contract, and the rest is history. Debut album Olly Murs came out in the end of 2010 and hit number two right away on the UK chart. In Case You Didn’t Know followed a year later and went to the top in UK and to top ten in many other countries. Right Place Right Time (2012) has also done really well and Olly has been performing to full arenas.