Eoghan Quigg | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Eoghan Karl Christopher Quigg |
| Born | 12 July 1992 Dungiven, Londonderry, Northern Ireland |
| Genres | Pop |
| Occupation(s) | Singer |
| Years active | 2008–present |
| Labels | RCA (2008–2010) Sony BMG (2008–2010) |
| Website | Twitter Account |
Eoghan Karl Christopher Quigg (/ˈoʊɪn/; born 12 July 1992) is an Irish singer from Northern Ireland, who was the last contestant eliminated in the fifth series of the music talent contest The X Factor in 2008.
As a result of his X Factor success, Quigg was due to be signed by Simon Cowell, X Factor creator/producer and owner and CEO of Syco Records, but was instead signed to RCA after Cowell pulled out. Quigg released an eponymous studio album in 2009, which was critically panned.[1] Quigg competed in the Irish national selection for the chance to represent Ireland in 2014 at the Eurovision Song Contest but finished second.
Early life
Eoghan Karl Christopher Quigg was born on 12 July 1992 and grew up in Dungiven, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. Singing along to Disney cartoons since the age of two,[2] Quigg found his voice when he was in class and told to stand up and sing as a punishment. To the teacher's surprise he sang well, which led to his becoming a choir boy. From then on he sang lead roles in school musicals, such as Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.[3]
Career
Singing career
2007–2008: The X Factor
In 2008, Quigg auditioned for the talent show The X Factor in front of judges Simon Cowell, Dannii Minogue, Louis Walsh and Cheryl Cole. Quigg got past the "judges' houses" stage of the competition, and made it to the live shows in Cowell's 14–24 boys group, along with Scott Bruton and Austin Drage. On the first live show, Quigg sang "Imagine" and was highly praised by the judges. On the second live show (Michael Jackson week) he sang "Ben" which was also praised. On Big Band week Quigg sang "L-O-V-E" and received a standing ovation from the judges and the crowd. After the eliminations of Bruton and Drage in weeks 3 and 4 respectively, Quigg became Cowell's last remaining act in the competition. He made it to the semi-finals and after performances of "Year 3000" and "Does Your Mother Know" was voted through to the final.
Quigg eventually became the last contestant eliminated, with Alexandra Burke the winner, and JLS runners-up.
Performances on The X Factor
| Week | Song choice | Theme | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | "Imagine" | Number One Songs in UK and US | 1st |
| Week 2 | "Ben" | Songs by Michael Jackson or The Jackson 5 | 1st |
| Week 3 | "L-O-V-E" | Big Band | 1st |
| Week 4 | "Could It Be Magic" | Disco | 1st |
| Week 5 | "Anytime You Need a Friend" | Songs by Mariah Carey | 1st |
| Week 6 | "One More Try" | Best of British | 2nd |
| Week 7 | "Never Forget" | Songs by Take That | 1st |
| Quarter-final | "Sometimes" | Songs by Britney Spears | 3rd |
| "We're All in This Together" | American Classics | ||
| Semi-final | "Year 3000" | Mentor's Choice | 3rd |
| "Does Your Mother Know" | Contestant's Choice | ||
| Final | "I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday" | Christmas Song | Eliminated |
| "Picture of You" (with Boyzone) | Celebrity Duet | ||
| "We're All in This Together" | Contestant's Favourite |
2008–09: Post X Factor
Quigg appeared at the Cheerios Childline Concert at the Dublin O2 in Dublin on 16 December 2008, among acts including Enrique Iglesias, Anastacia and Irish boy band Boyzone. In December he also appeared on The Late Late Show where it was announced that Boyzone had invited him on their UK and Ireland Better Tour.[4] On 15 January 2009 it was announced that Quigg had landed a record deal with Syco's parent company Sony BMG.[5] He later signed to RCA Records.
2009: Studio album
Quigg released his only album, titled Eoghan Quigg, on 6 April 2009.[6] "28,000 Friends", its sole single, peaked at no. 96 in the UK Singles Chart.[7] The album charted at number 14 and spent 3 weeks in the top 100.[8] It debuted at Number 1 on the Irish Albums Chart, and left the charts eight weeks later.[8] The album met with what Matthew McCreary in The Independent described as a critical "savaging".[1] Many reviewers,[9] including Peter Robinson of The Guardian,[10] called it the worst record ever made. Criticism was directed at its lack of original material, low production values and poor singing performance from Quigg.[11][12] Following disappointing album sales, Quigg was dropped by RCA Records.[13]
2014: Eurovision Song Contest
In February 2014, Quigg was announced by RTÉ as one of the five acts that would compete to represent Ireland in the Eurovision Song Contest 2014, with the song "The Movie Song". He finished second in the contest.[14]
Television
Quigg played a minor role in the BBC sitcom Dani's House, playing himself.[15] He appeared as a guest on 22 December 2009 edition of Alan Carr: Chatty Man[16] and featured as a guest on Harry Hill's TV Burp on 19 February 2011.
Radio
In April 2017, Quigg began presenting on Q Radio Mid Ulster.[17] The following year, he interviewed his fellow 2008 X Factor finalist, Alexandra Burke.[18]
Football
He began an amateur football career in 2015, signing for Coagh United F.C.[19] He later joined Portstewart F.C. in the Northern Ireland Intermediate League.[20]
Personal life
Quigg lives in Derry with his girlfriend Amy Campbell, whom he began dating in 2015. They have a daughter, Emmy Belle, who was born in April 2021. Quigg also plays an active part in the lives of Cooper and Milla, Campbell's two children from a previous relationship.[21] In October 2022, the couple announced that they were expecting their second child (and Campbell's fourth overall).[22]
He had a hair transplant in 2020, travelling to Turkey to get the procedure done.[23]
Quigg has maintained his singing career as a member of a wedding band called The Housem8s.[24]
Discography
Albums
| Title | Details | Chart Position | Sales | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK [25] |
IRE [26] | |||
| Eoghan Quigg | 14 | 1 |
| |
Singles
As lead artist
| Year | Title | Peak chart positions | Album | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK [25] |
IRE [26] | ||||||||||||||||
| 2009 | "28,000 Friends" | 96 | 32 | Eoghan Quigg | |||||||||||||
| 2014 | "The Movie Song" | — | 33 | Non-album single | |||||||||||||
| "—" denotes a single that did not chart or was not released. | |||||||||||||||||
As featured artist
| Year | Title | Peak chart positions | Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK [25] |
IRE [26] | |||
| 2008 | "Hero" (with The X Factor finalists) |
1 | 1 | Charity Single |
References
- 1 2 McCreary, Matthew (21 April 2009). "Will Eoghan Quigg survive his public flogging?". The Independent. Retrieved 25 June 2017.
- ↑ "The X Factor – Story Detail – Finalist: Eoghan Quigg". xfactor.itv.com. 5 October 2008. Archived from the original on 18 December 2008. Retrieved 10 March 2009.
- ↑ Coleman, Maureen (26 September 2008). "X-Factor boys braced for bootcamp". Belfasttelegraph.co.uk – via www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk.
- ↑ Balls, David (24 December 2008). "Boyzone invite 'X Factor' Eoghan on tour". Digital Spy. Retrieved 10 March 2009.
- ↑ "Major record deal for Eoghan". Derry Journal. Retrieved 10 March 2009.
- ↑ "(UK) : Eoghan Quigg – Eoghan Quigg : CD – Free Delivery". Play.com. Retrieved 10 March 2009.
- ↑ "The Official Charts Company – 28 000 Friends by Eoghan Quigg Search". The Official Charts Company. 11 July 2013.
- 1 2 Eoghan Quigg Chart Statistics on aCharts.us Retrieved on 6 July 2009
- ↑ Walker, Gail (21 April 2009). "Don't you worry Eoghan, it hasn't all gone pop just yet". The Belfast Telegraph. Independent News & Media.
[Eoghan Quigg] is widely described as the worst album ever.
- ↑ Robinson, Peter (18 April 2009). "Factored out". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 18 April 2009.
- ↑ "Eoghan Quigg: 'Eoghan Quigg'". Digital Spy. 5 April 2009. Retrieved 10 December 2011.
- ↑ Eoghan Quigg. AllMusic. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
- ↑ Coleman, Maureen (13 May 2010). "Eoghan Quigg's early fame 'led bosses to make a quick kill'". The Belfast Telegraph. Independent News & Media. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
- ↑ "Linda Martin and Aslan star have stand-up row during Eurovision sing-off". Irish Independent. 1 March 2014. Retrieved 3 March 2014.
- ↑ "CBBC Programmes – Dani's House, Series Two, Hit the Jackpot". BBC. Retrieved 10 December 2011.
- ↑ "Eoghan Quigg". IMDb.
- ↑ "Former X Factor star Eoghan Quigg lands new radio gig". Belfasttelegraph.co.uk – via www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk.
- ↑ "LISTEN: Eoghan Quigg interviews former X-factor winner Alexandra Burke". Q Radio.
- ↑ "X Factor's Eoghan Quigg signs for Tyrone soccer club". The Irish News. 13 August 2015. Retrieved 14 March 2017.
- ↑ Weir, Billy (9 January 2017). "X Factor Eoghan's Portstewart outmatched in cup battle". The Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 14 March 2017.
- ↑ O'Sullivan, Kyle; Rusk, Connie; McCarthy, Clare (17 September 2022). "X Factor star Eoghan Quigg unrecognisable 14 years on from stint on talent show". Irish Mirror.
- ↑ Gorman, Roisin (9 October 2022). "Former X Factor star Eoghan Quigg prepares to become dad again". Sunday World.
- ↑ "Eoghan Quigg says his hair transplant has the X Factor". Belfasttelegraph.co.uk – via www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk.
- ↑ O'Sullivan, Kyle (31 January 2022). "X Factor star Eoghan Quigg's beefy transformation and Diana Vickers heartbreak". Daily Mirror.
- 1 2 3 Peak chart positions in the United Kingdom:
- For all except noted: "EOGHAN QUIGG | full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company.
- For "Hero": "Chart Archive > 8 November 2008". Official Charts Company. 8 November 2008.
- 1 2 3 Peak chart positions in Ireland:
- For all except noted: Hung, Steffen. "Discography Eoghan Quigg". Irish Charts Portal. Hung Medien.
- For "Hero": Hung, Steffen. "Discography Discography The X Factor Finalists". Irish Charts Portal. Hung Medien.