Joe McElderry

Joseph McElderry is an English singer, songwriter, and performer born on 16 June 1991 in South Shields, England. He is best known for winning the sixth series of the UK television show The X Factor in 2009. His debut single, "The Climb," reached number one on both the UK Singles Chart and the Irish Singles Chart. To date, McElderry has released five top 20 albums, two of which reached the top three on the UK Albums Chart.

McElderry is the only child of Jim and Eileen McElderry, who separated when he was a child. He was raised in South Shields, where he attended Harton Technology College, South Tyneside College, and Newcastle College to study performing arts. In 2008, he was named the Pride of South Tyneside's Young Performer of the Year. In 2009, he played the role of Danny Zuko in a school production of Grease at Harton Technology College.

McElderry initially auditioned for The X Factor in 2007 but withdrew before returning in 2009. Mentored by Cheryl Cole, he won the competition in December 2009, earning a recording contract with Simon Cowell's Syco record label. Prior to his solo release, he contributed to a charity cover of "You Are Not Alone" with fellow finalists, which reached number one in the UK. His winning single, "The Climb," spent multiple weeks at the top of the Irish Singles Chart and reached number one on the UK Singles Chart.

In 2010, McElderry released his debut album, Wide Awake, which debuted at number 3 in the UK, and signed a modelling deal with Next Models. After amicably parting ways with Syco and signing with Decca Records in 2011, he competed in and won the second series of Popstar to Operastar. He followed this victory with the release of his classical album Classic, which reached number 2 on the UK Albums Chart, and a holiday album titled Classic Christmas. In 2012, his album Here's What I Believe reached number 8 on the UK charts, and in 2014, he won the Channel 4 winter sports competition The Jump.

McElderry has also established a career in musical theatre and touring. He made guest appearances in The Who's Tommy in 2012 and 2015, and landed the lead role of Joseph in the UK touring production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. His fifth album, Saturday Night at the Movies, was released in 2017 through Decca Records. In 2022, McElderry embarked on his Freedom Tour, performing a tribute to George Michael.