Joe McElderry

Born in South Shields in North East England, Joe McElderry first came to public attention in 2009 when he won the sixth series of The X Factor UK. He subsequently moved towards a broader vocal pop style encompassing British variety, lyrical pop and classical crossover. After beginning his career with Syco, McElderry released Wide Awake in 2010, then joined Decca and pursued a more orchestral direction with Classic (2011), Classic Christmas (2011), Here’s What I Believe (2012) and Saturday Night at the Movies (2017). His repertoire is built on a supple tenor voice, worked in an accessible register, which allows him to shift from pop formats to arrangements influenced by musical theatre and classical music without changing his vocal identity. He also marked this evolution by winning Popstar to Operastar in 2011 and has developed a steady stage presence across the UK in tours and musical theatre. Notably, he took the lead in the 2016 touring production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, after appearing in The Who’s Tommy and other stage works. This dual presence—on record, television and stage—has shaped Joe McElderry’s career for several years.