Biography
Olly Stanley Murs (born 28 May 1984) is from Essex, England. He attended Notley High School where he was a star striker in the school’s football team. He also played semi-professionally for Witham Town. He works as an energy advisor in a call centre. He has previously appeared on the TV show Deal or No Deal, where he won £10.
He performed “Superstition” by Stevie Wonder in his first audition and Simon Cowell said it was “the easiest yes I have ever given”. On the first live show he sang Robbie Williams’ “She’s the One” and on the second, Tina Turner’s “Fool in Love,” a performance which Cowell described as being “in a different league.” For week three he took on “Bewitched” by Steve Lawrence. Walsh commented that he was the “dark horse of the competition,” and Cole said he was “coming into his own each week.” He has frequently employed dance moves in his performance including his trademark “Olly wiggle.” In week 4 he sang “Come Together” by The Beatles and again received positive comments, with Walsh predicting, “I think you’re in the final three,” and Cowell saying he was “progressing better than just about everybody.” In week 5 he performed “Twist and Shout” and in week 6 “Don’t Stop Me Now” after which he was labelled by Minogue as, “absolutely the best performer we have on the show by far.”
After a performance of “Fastlove”, he was in the bottom two in week 7, with John & Edward, but was saved when Minogue, Cole and Cowell decided to send John & Edward home. When the voting statistics were later released on The X Factor website, they revealed that had the judges’ vote gone into deadlock, Murs would have been sent home on popular vote, as John and Edward gained 10.7% of the popular vote against just 9.8% to Murs. In the semi-finals Murs had to miss the wedding of his brother. The ceremony took place just 16 miles from the show’s studio, but Cowell, his mentor, had great reservations about letting him off for a few hours on this crucial semi-final day. He sang The Jacksons’ “Can You Feel It” and the John Lennon/Paul McCartney composition “We Can Work It Out” in the semi-final and ended up as one of the three finalists, breaking down in tears upon hearing the result.
In the final on 12 December 2009, he repeated his audition song, Stevie Wonder’s “Supersition”, following which Cowell said putting him in the final 12 was “the best risk I have ever taken in my life”. Murs then sang with Robbie Williams on a duet of “Angels”. Williams fluffed his lines as he walked on stage to join Murs and came in at the wrong time, singing the second line of the song, but was helped by Murs to find the right spot. There was then a repeat performance of his week 2 song “Fool in Love.” Murs qualified for the final two and first sang a repeat performance of “Twist and Shout”, following which Louis Walsh commented, “You’re a born, born showman and no matter what happens tonight you’re going to have a great career in music.” In his final performance on the show he performed the winner’s song, the “The Climb”, finishing it in tears. He was told by Cole, “You absolutely tore it from your soul. I’ve never heard you sing like that. I thought it was a beautiful version of the song.” He lost the final to Joe McElderry on December 13, 2009 and finished as the runner-up.
On December 15 – two days after the final – it was reported that Cowell will offer Murs a record deal in early 2010. Following his defeat, Murs was reportedly texted by duet parter Robbie Williams and invited to visit him in his Los Angeles mansion and participate in the upcoming Soccer Aid, organized by Williams. He will also appear on the upcoming X Factor tour in 2010, alongside Joe McElderry, Stacey Soloman and several other finalists.
Heyaaaaaaaaaaaaa , your amazing!
Hello
You are GREAT! I think you are really good, and I would have loved to see you in colchester tommorow, as I live about ten minutes away! My mum and her friend are coming, but the tickets had sold out You have such a good voice, and I would love to have an autograph! Good Luck with the final, I’ll be watching, and I would really really like an autograph or something.. I THINK YOUR FANTASTIC! I hope you win, and keep singing aswell as you did in last weeks show!
All the best, Good Luck!
Olly, you’re FANTASTIC! You have really inspired me… i would really like to come and see you perform! Marry me?! Hehe! x
Hey Olly, Just have to say you are amazing. after the first auditions had finished me my mum and my bro put one name into an envelope each that we thought would make it to the final. i chose you
i think you should win, your amazing and well fit!
olly olly olly oi oi oi ! lol
love you x
Omg ! i love you so much oliver murs! please marry me ! i will love you always you so deserve to win id love for thoughs legs to dance for me;)x i vote for you all the time imreally gona miss seeing you on the tv every saturday night you so deserved to get through tonight! xxxxxxxxx
I love you … Millions and Billions … Lauren xxxxxxxxxxxxx
I think your amazing Olly and I like joe but you really deserved to win (i voted loads!) Keep going Olly and don’t worry you will get signed. Everybody loves you Megan xxxxxxx
ollyyyy you soooo should of wonn
you deserved tooo!
i hope simon signs you
cant wait to se you on the x factor tourrr,
eeeeeeee olly your amazing and blooddyyyy gorgeous
marrryyy me please?!?!
i love youu oliver stanley mursssssssss!!!! <3 <3
Olly is the true winner
You sung climb in an angels voice
Close your eyes and listen
Olly should have won.
He has the looks the voice and cheeky smile.
STAR QUALITIES !!!
GOOD LUCK
LUV U
Hi Oli, we wish you best of luck and please let us know what are you up to after x-faxtor, we all know that you are the true winner! we have not got over the shock yet!
but we hope that ” the winner does not take it all!
well done!
the oli’s fan family in Colchester
olly your probably the best contestant ever to be on x factor, proper legend….
Olly u are bosssss
youuu were thee best in the compatsion and deserved to win :O they shouldaa picked a song that wasnt slow 4 the final song:L its always slowwww :O i loveeee youuu from your number 1 fannn cliodhnaaaa
:D xxxxx
olly, u should of won and i think if ur mentor was cheryl cole u wud of…… but its over now and u didnt so yeh……i think u shud of won because the fact is ur an all-rounder guy and joe isnt he is a ballard kind a guy. u on the other hand have everything, sexy, good dancer, good voice and a really lovely sexy smile….thats why ur my winner olly….good luck for the future hope to see ya on our tellys soon with some new songs and do what jls have done be bigger than the winner
good luck mate xxx
goto say mate, good luck in the future hope you do well. you remind me so much of robbie williams not just a great singer but an all round entertainer. you may not have won xfactor but you are a winner in my house cant wait for your first cd will be shure to by it. just wondered who you biggest musical influences are and why?
The reason i ask this i love anyone who is pure entertainment. Elvis, frank sinatra, robbie to name just a few.
anyway enough from me mate goodluck hope everything works out for you.
You should have won Olly!!! Are you really going to make a recording; I hope so!!! Lets have some more dates of gigs please!!!
Iyaa Olly:D
Your amazing, i love you lots! Your so hot and i think your everything a single/entertainer needs and wants!!
Im pleased you did so well in The X Factor and i hope someone signs you as i really want you to do well because your so FITT!!
Ollyy Ollyy Oii Oii Oii!!:D
xxx
Can’t wait to see you on tv soon
lots of love
Laura xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
fairplay olly is a showman he is great.
Olly hope you read these over and over again – all these peeps are real fans like me and my fella – we voted for the first time on xfactor – and anyways perspective is a good thing – the x factor single may not reach no 1 – I bet when you release a record it will! Just wanted to say I went to the Robbie gig and he mentioned you again – we cheered- Hope ITV give you a “night in” or the “Audience with” show. I cook a wicked curry – let me know if you like ..
Big Sis xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
yeah i would like to see an audience with OLLY MURS! that would be great entertainment! your a star! good luck!!!!!!!!!
Olly I love you, you are absolutely gorgeous! Hope to see you in Newcastle sometime! xxxxxx
chin up olly things are sure to start to happen for you soon you are too good to be forgoten cant wait for your first single and albumxx
amazingggg :O , love him (L)