Eoghan Karl Christopher Quigg (; born 12 July 1992) is a 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 Records after Cowell pulled out. Quigg released an eponymous studio album in 2009, which was critically panned.
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,
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.
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
|
! style="text-align:left" | Week
! style="text-align:left" | Song choice
! style="text-align:left" | Theme
! style="text-align:left" | 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 O
2 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.
On 15 January 2009 it was announced that Quigg had landed a record deal with Syco's parent company
Sony BMG.
He later signed to
RCA Records.
2009: Studio album
Quigg released his only album, titled
Eoghan Quigg, on 6 April 2009.
"28,000 Friends", its sole single, peaked at no. 96 in the UK Singles Chart.
The album charted at number 14 and spent 3 weeks in the top 100.
[ Eoghan Quigg Chart Statistics on aCharts.us Retrieved on 6 July 2009] It debuted at Number 1 on the Irish Albums Chart, and left the charts eight weeks later.
The album met with what Matthew McCreary in
The Independent described as a critical "savaging".
Many reviewers,
including Peter Robinson of
The Guardian,
called it one of the worst records ever made. Criticism was directed at its lack of original material, low production values and poor singing performance from Quigg.
[ Eoghan Quigg. AllMusic. Retrieved 31 July 2016.] Following disappointing album sales, he was dropped by RCA Records.
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.
Television
Quigg played a minor role in the BBC sitcom
Dani's House, playing himself.
He appeared as a guest on 22 December 2009 edition of
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.
The following year, he interviewed his fellow 2008
X Factor finalist,
Alexandra Burke.
Football
He began an amateur football career in 2015, signing for Coagh United F.C.
He later joined Portstewart F.C. in the Northern Ireland Intermediate League.
Personal life
Quigg lives in
Derry with his wife Amy (Nee 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.
In October 2022, the couple announced that they were expecting their second child (and Campbell's fourth overall).
He had a hair transplant in 2020, travelling to Turkey to get the procedure done.
Quigg has maintained his singing career as a member of a wedding band called The Housem8s.
Discography
Albums
Singles
As lead artist
|
|
| 2009
! scope="row" | "28,000 Friends" | 32 | Eoghan Quigg |
| 2014
! scope="row" | "The Movie Song" | 33 | Non-album single |
| "—" denotes a single that did not chart or was not released. |
|
As featured artist
