Background and career
Oliver Stanley Murs (born 14 May 1984) is an English singer, songwriter, and television personality. He became known while participating on the television talent show The X Factor, during The X Factor's sixth series in 2009, where he finished as runner-up. Following the show, Murs was signed to RCA Records and Sony Music in the United Kingdom, and Columbia Records in the United States. In 2010, he released his self-titled debut album, which entered the UK Albums Chart at number two and was certified double platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI). It included the hit singles "Please Don't Let Me Go" and "Thinking of Me". His second album, In Case You Didn't Know (2011), debuted at number one in the UK and resulted in two number-one singles: "Heart Skips a Beat" and "Dance with Me Tonight". Murs released his third album, Right Place Right Time (2012), it included"Troublemaker", which was his fourth number one in the UK. In 2014, Murs released the single "Wrapped Up" which reached the top-five on the UK Singles Chart. It was included on his fourth album, Never Been Better (2014), which entered the UK Albums Chart at number one. He has since released the albums 24 Hrs (2016), You Know I Know (2018), Marry Me (2022), and Knees Up (2025). All of which reached the top five on the UK albums chart. In 2019, his 2016 single "That Girl", from the deluxe edition of 24 Hrs, became a major success in China, achieving widespread popularity and becoming one of his biggest international hits. In 2011, Murs returned to The X Factor to co-present its spin-off show The Xtra Factor, alongside Caroline Flack. In 2015, he reunited with Flack to replace Dermot O'Leary as co-presenters of The X Factor for series 12. From 2018 to 2023, he was a coach on the television talent show The Voice UK.
Murs was born on 14 May 1984 in Witham, Essex, the son of Vicky-Lynn and Pete Murs. He has a twin brother, Ben, and a sister, Fay. He has partial Latvian ancestry through his paternal great-grandparents, Eduards Alberts Mūrs and Veronika Jankovska, who were circus performers. He attended Howbridge Junior School in Witham and Notley High School in Braintree, Essex, where he was a striker in the school's football team. Murs played semi-professionally for Isthmian Division One North side Witham Town between 2006 and 2008. He excelled for the club's reserve team during the 2006–07 season, scoring 12 goals in 13 appearances and winning the Ridgeons Reserve Teams Cup. He made three first team appearances in the following season, scoring once, but was forced to give up his football career following an injury. In April 2016, Murs began to play for local side Coggeshall Town. He also appeared on the game show Deal or No Deal in 2007, where he won £10. Footage of Murs appearing on the show was later featured in an edition of the BBC's Almost Famous on 2 January 2010. Murs returned for a celebrity version of Deal or No Deal in 2012, which made him the only person to appear on the programme as a contestant twice. Prior to The X Factor, Murs worked at Kitchens Direct as a telemarketer and then as a recruitment consultant at Prime Appointments in Witham, and performed as part of a covers band called the Small Town Blaggers with a friend, Jon Goodey. In 2008, he travelled to Australia, backpacking alone along the Gold Coast for three months. It was upon his return that he decided, having tried it out unsuccessfully twice in the past (when he failed to make it past the stage where he had to audition in front of the producers), to re-audition for The X Factor.
In 2009, Murs auditioned for the sixth series of The X Factor, performing Stevie Wonder's "Superstition". Judge Simon Cowell said it was "the easiest yes I've ever given". At bootcamp Murs sang Elton John's song "Your Song". On the first live show, he sang "She's the One" and on the second, "A Fool in Love", a performance which Cowell described as being "in a different league." For week three he took on "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered". Louis Walsh commented that he was the "dark horse of the competition," and Cowell said he was "coming into his own each week." He frequently employed dance moves in his performance including his trademark "Olly wiggle." In week 4 he sang "Come Together" 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." In week 7, after a performance of "Fastlove", he was in the bottom two with John & Edward. Cowell and Cheryl Cole and Dannii Minogue voted to send Murs through to the quarter-final while Walsh voted to send John & Edward through to the quarter-final. Voting statistics revealed that John & Edward received more votes than Murs, meaning that if Minogue (who had the casting vote) sent the result to deadlock, John & Edward would have advanced to the quarter-final. To participate in the semi-finals, Murs had to miss his brother's wedding. The ceremony took place just 16 miles (26 km) from the show's studio, but Cowell was against allowing him off for a few hours on the day of the semi-final. He sang "Can You Feel It" and "We Can Work It Out" in the semi-final and ended up as one of the three finalists, breaking down on hearing the result.
In the final on 12 December, he repeated his audition song, "Superstition", 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", in which 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 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 Climb". 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 the next day and finished as the runner-up. On 15 December, two days after the final, it was reported that Cowell was going to offer Murs a record deal in early 2010. Following his defeat, Murs was reportedly texted by duet partner Robbie Williams and invited to visit him in his Los Angeles mansion and participate in the forthcoming Soccer Aid, organised by Williams. Murs performed on The X Factor tour, alongside McElderry, John & Edward, Stacey Solomon, Lucie Jones and several other finalists. It was later revealed on The Xtra Factor that Murs was predicted by all the judges and presenters (except Minogue who had said Nicole Jackson, and Cole who had said Miss Frank as a second choice) as the favourite to win the series at the Bootcamp stage. Rumours began that Murs would record a debut album almost immediately after the final. After the rumours broke out, Murs announced he signed a joint record deal between Epic Records and Syco Music in February 2010. It was announced that Murs began working with John Shanks and Eg White. It was later confirmed that Roy Stride, Trevor Horn, Wayne Hector and Matty Benbrook would have involvement on the album which he collaborated with to make the "best possible songs". More writers and producers were confirmed to be working with Murs in the studio, including: Phil Thornalley, Martin Brammer, Samuel Preston, Mark Taylor, Chris Difford and Professor Green were due to appear on the album; however, the duet fell through before recording was completed. Murs confirmed the first single from the album to be titled "Please Don't Let Me Go", which was released on 27 August 2010 following the circulation of the accompanying music video. The song was written by Murs himself and with other songwriters, Claude Kelly and Steve Robson; the single was also produced by Future Cut. The song is about a minor relationship Murs was in where he ended up feeling something for the other person. Murs commented: "Sadly she kept giving me the impression that she didn't like me as much, and ultimately it didn't work out, so that's where the idea of me singing 'Please Don't Let Me Go' came from." The song was described as "a lovely summery reggae-tinged pop tune that bobs along in a thoroughly hummable and not un-Will Young-like fashion" and said that the music video "is just as quintessentially pleasant". During the release, Murs was told not to get his hopes up for a number-one due to Katy Perry releasing "Teenage Dream" the same day. On 5 September 2010, the single entered the UK Singles Charts at number 1 beating Katy Perry's "Teenage Dream". The song was released with the B-side track, entitled "This One's for the Girls" also entered the UK Singles Charts, debuting at number 69, was written for all of his female fans.
His debut album was released in November 2010; which was a self-titled album, Olly Murs. The album's tracking list was revealed on 15 October 2010. The album entered the UK Albums Chart at number two, with the biggest week-one album sales for a debut album in 2010, with over 108,000 albums sold. The album also charted on the Irish Albums Chart where it found itself peaking at number eleven. The second single was "Thinking of Me", written by Murs, Steve Robson and Hector, and co-produced by Future Cut and Steve Robson. It was released on 19 November 2010, prior to the album's release. The single was added to BBC Radio 1's C Playlist on 3 November 2010. Murs performed the single for the first time on The X Factor. Upon the release the single charted at number four on the UK Singles Charts and thirteen on the Irish Singles Charts. On 13 November Murs turned the Christmas lights on in Paisley and he also turned on the Christmas lights near his hometown in Chelmsford, Essex. Renfrewshire Council was criticised in the media for the £15,000 fee that Murs was paid to turn on the lights, after announcing that they were axing 500 jobs. Murs however donated his fee for his appearance at this event. Two further singles were released from the first album into 2011 – the James Morrison penned "Heart on My Sleeve", which charted at No. 20 in March 2011, and "Busy" which charted at No. 45 in June 2011. Murs completed a theatre tour for his first album in spring 2011, commencing on 26 April in Rhyl at the Pavilion Theatre and playing four sold out nights at London's Hammersmith Apollo in late May. He also toured as the support act of JLS on their summer stadium tour.
It was rumoured in June 2011, that Murs had started working on his second studio album, which he later confirmed. Murs claimed that he would "take the album from a different approach", and claimed he would like to record a rap track, stating, "I'm secretly not a bad rapper, I really like to do a bit of beat boxing, Eminem is always a favourite, or maybe Vanilla Ice, "Ice Ice Baby" is a classic." Murs revealed that he will attempt to build himself a more of a "soulful" sound through writing the second album, and also expressed interest in recording with English entertainer Robbie Williams after the two met on The X Factor Live Final. Murs confirmed in July 2011, that the lead single from the album would be called "Heart Skips a Beat", and it would feature up-and-coming Brithop Rap duo Rizzle Kicks. He described it as a "parallel" to the remainder of the album, calling it a "summer party song". The song premiered on The Chris Moyles Show on 7 July 2011 and has since been well received by fans. The video for the track was later released via Murs's official YouTube channel. Murs said that the song is one of his favourite tracks from the new album, stating, "I'm loving the tune at the moment. It's going down really, really well." "Heart Skips a Beat" later peaked at number one on the UK Singles Chart, marking his second number one. It later went on to peak at number one in Germany and Switzerland, also reaching top ten in numerous countries in Europe. In September 2011, Murs announced via Twitter that his second album would be entitled In Case You Didn't Know, taken from a song of the same name which appears on the album. On 14 October 2011, Murs released the audio of "Dance with Me Tonight", the album's second single, via his YouTube Channel. The track was released on 21 November 2011, again peaking at No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart. The album, In Case You Didn't Know was released a week later on 28 November 2011. The album peaked at number one on the UK Albums Chart, two on the Irish Charts, and in the top ten in Germany, Switzerland and Poland. Murs confirmed via his Twitter account in February 2012 that the album's third single would be "Oh My Goodness", and that it would be released on 2 April. It peaked at No. 13 on the UK Singles Chart. The single was his second release in Europe after "Heart Skips a Beat", released on 10 August, and has so far peaked in the top 40 in Germany and Austria. On 5 and 6 December 2011, Murs supported Gary Barlow at Barlow's Concerts at the Royal Albert Hall, where they performed together on the Take That hit "Shine". On 19 April 2012, a three-part documentary trailing Murs throughout his UK Arena Tour, entitled Olly: Life on Murs, premiered on ITV2. It drew over half a million viewers.
