Oliver Stanley Murs (Essex, United Kingdom, 14 May 1984), better known as Olly Murs, is a British singer, songwriter, footballer, choreographer, presenter and model. He first came to prominence in 2009 with his participation in the sixth season of The X Factor, where he came second place. From a young age, Murs was more interested in football than music, but after The X Factor ended, he signed a contract with record companies Epic Records and Syco Music and subsequently began making music. He released his eponymous debut studio album in November 2010, which would later reach the number two and eleven positions in the UK and Irish charts. The album's first single, "Please Don't Let Me Go", was well received in his home country, reaching number one and also received a 2011 Brit Award nomination for Best British Single.
His fame spread in 2011 with the release of his single "Heart Skips a Beat", which reached number one in the UK, Germany and Switzerland, and was also nominated for a Brit Award. His second album, <
Among his accolades as an artist are a BT Digital Music Award for Best Male Artist, which he won in 2011, and a Kid Choice Award for Favourite British Male Artist, which he won in 2012. By the end of August 2013, Olly had sold 3.9 million singles and 2.6 million albums in the UK, making him the second best-selling artist to emerge from The X Factor, behind only Leona Lewis. Among other activities, Murs has twice opened for boy band One Direction, and once for fellow boy band Robbie Williams. He has also participated in various charity events and has modelled for a number of clothing brands.