Lee Matthews (singer): Difference between revisions
→Solo career as Lee.M and collaboration in NXT-GEN duo: Added change of name |
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In 2012, Lee Mulhern now adopting the stage name '''Lee.M''' joined forces with Pete Doherty to form the duo NXT-GEN (Next Generation), releasing a demo titled "Magnetic". Lee.M also engaged in a 2012-2013 tour to promote his music. |
In 2012, Lee Mulhern now adopting the stage name '''Lee.M''' joined forces with Pete Doherty to form the duo NXT-GEN (Next Generation), releasing a demo titled "Magnetic". Lee.M also engaged in a 2012-2013 tour to promote his music. |
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He collaborated with New York singer J Pearl as well as [[Iyaz]] and [[Snoop Dogg]] in his Lee.M debut single in "[[Slow Motion (Lee.M and J. Pearl song)|Slow Motion]]" credited to Lee M & J Pearl featuring Iyaz and Snoop Dogg.<ref name=telegraph/><ref name=ulsterherald/><ref name=derryjournal/><ref>[http://www.starnow.co.uk/leeuk StarNow: Lee Mulhern page]</ref> The track |
He collaborated with New York singer J Pearl as well as [[Iyaz]] and [[Snoop Dogg]] in his Lee.M debut single in "[[Slow Motion (Lee.M and J. Pearl song)|Slow Motion]]" credited to Lee M & J Pearl featuring Iyaz and Snoop Dogg.<ref name=telegraph/><ref name=ulsterherald/><ref name=derryjournal/><ref>[http://www.starnow.co.uk/leeuk StarNow: Lee Mulhern page]</ref> The track was produced by Swiss producer David May and was on an international release with [[Strictly Rhythm]] label who has signed J. Pearl to its label. The music video was shot in [[Milan]], Italy and Snoop Dogg parts in [[Los Angeles]] and is directed by renowned Italian music video director [[Claudio Zagarini]].<ref name=derryjournal/> |
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In 2013, Lee was approached by several of the mentors of "Eurosong 2013" to be in the Irish competition for choosing the Irish entry to the [[Eurovision Song Contest 2013]] and he suggested "Magnetic". But due to his commitments with the launch of "Slow Motion" with his record label, Lee had to decline for this year.<ref>[http://eurovisionireland.net/2013/01/16/ireland-2013-eurosong-could-have-had-this-amazing-irish-act-in-2013/ Eurovision Ireland: Ireland 2013 - Eurosong could have had this amazing Irish Act in 2013!]</ref> |
In 2013, Lee was approached by several of the mentors of "Eurosong 2013" to be in the Irish competition for choosing the Irish entry to the [[Eurovision Song Contest 2013]] and he suggested "Magnetic". But due to his commitments with the launch of "Slow Motion" with his record label, Lee had to decline for this year.<ref>[http://eurovisionireland.net/2013/01/16/ireland-2013-eurosong-could-have-had-this-amazing-irish-act-in-2013/ Eurovision Ireland: Ireland 2013 - Eurosong could have had this amazing Irish Act in 2013!]</ref> |
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==Solo career as Lee Matthews== |
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During a recent spell in the United States, Lee's love of country music was reignited, after he saw the upsurge of a new generation of young country singers as crossover pop stars with a country flavour. Changing his name to '''Lee Matthews''', he started giving gigs with a country flavour. He explains his decision in an interview with the ''Strabane Chronicle'': |
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<blockquote>In America I got a buzz from seeing the country scene explode with a new generation of young country artists making country cooler. When I got back to Ireland I was so excited to see that [[Derek Ryan]] and [[Nathan Carter]] were also making country cool again here. It’s such a buzz to be back on stage again singing great songs that people love and enjoy dancing to. The people in Ireland appreciate good country music and they go out of their way to make you feel welcome. The first couple of gigs I did this year people were coming up and thanking me and just talking country music, it’s great</blockquote><ref>[http://strabanechronicle.com/2013/10/lees-new-major/#sthash.iQd7EYFt.dpuf ''Strabane Chronicle'': Lee's new major]</ref> |
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==Discography== |
==Discography== |
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Revision as of 14:45, 15 December 2013
Lee Matthews (Lee Mulhern / Lee.M) | |
|---|---|
| Born | June 12, 1988 |
| Origin | Omagh, Northern Ireland |
| Occupation(s) | Singer |
| Instrument(s) | Vocals |
| Years active | 1995–present |
Lee Matthews previously known as Lee Mulhern and Lee.M (born on 12 June 1988) is a singer/songwriter from Ireland. He released his official single, a cover of "Sadie's Got Her New Dress On" as a country singer returning to his childhood roots when he started singing as a child prodigy covering country songs.
Under the name Lee Mulherm, he was earlier part of various international boy band projects (Streetwize, Streetside and Access All Areas). Later on he developed a solo career adopting the name Lee.M releasing a single "Electric" in NXT-GEN, a duo collaboration with Pete Doherty. He had also some success with "Slow Motion" credited to Lee.M & J. Pearl featuring Iyaz & Snoop Dogg.[1][2][3]
Beginnings as a child star
Lee Mulhern was born in Omagh, Northern Ireland. He grew up in the County Tyrone town of Castlederg[1][4] and lived there until the age of 13; he later moved to County Donegal, Republic of Ireland. He started his career at age 7. He made his first appearance on Irish television winning the top prize in 'Children At Heart'.[2] He went on to sing live on the BBC 'Children in Need' appeal.
Aged 8 Lee released his first cassette album entitled Hey Good Looking a selection of pop, country and ballads. At 10, he won top spot in an 'Esat Digifone' talent competition. At age 11, in 1999, Lee was chosen to represent Ireland at the World Championships for Performing Arts in Los Angeles, California. He travelled with 35 other Irish contestants to compete against 1500 hopefuls from around the world. He won a gold, a silver and two bronze medals.[5] His gold medal was for the song "I May Be Young", written by his mother Veronica, who was in Irish showbands in the 1980s.[4]
Lee won awards at the World Championships for Performing Arts competition at age 11. The song that won him a gold medal there, "I May Be Young", later became used as a peace song, in particular with memorials of the attacks of September 11.[6]
In 2001, at age 13, he participated in a Las Vegas New Year's Eve concert that included Barbra Streisand, Billy Joel and Neil Diamond.[5] He made television appearances on TV3, BBC, ITV, RTE.[7]
In 2002, he performed at the Buncrana Music Festival and also in many TV shows in Ireland and in the UK.[8]
On 6 September 2002 in New York, Lee joined Ronan Tynon of the Irish Tenors and a host of other American artists at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center for a concert to remember the victims of the September 11th attacks on New York. Lee also joined RTÉ's Gerry Ryan at Ground Zero on 9 September when he sang "Fields of Gold" at a special wreath-laying ceremony.[9][10]
Songs from this early period performed by Mulhern include most notably "I May Be Young", "The River", "Fields of Gold" and "Bright Eyes"
In 2004, he was the lead actor in the short film "Buy Rights" about shoppers rights in the UK. He also completed a one year acting course in performing arts in Northern Ireland's NW Institute of Performing Arts.[7]
Lee Mulhern studied at St Colman's Secondary School in Strabane with music studies at North West Regional College in Derry.[3]
Lee Mulhern in bands and formations
- Streetwize
In 2005, Lee Mulhern joined the band Streetwize, billed as the world's first "global boyband", as one of its original members, following worldwide auditions.[11] Two of the original members of Streetwize, Donal Skehan and Lee Hutton went on to form a 4-member boy/girl Irish band named Industry. Another Streetwize member, Jonathan Fagerlund is a successful solo singer in Sweden.
Streetwize (with the amended set-up of Lee Mulhern, Lee Hutton, Kyle Carpenter and Antonio Jones sang its signature song, a cover of Living in a Box's hit "Room in Your Heart" during the "Childline" charity event in 2007 in Ireland.[12]
- Streetside
After many member changes, Streetwize was reformed and renamed Stateside.[13] The main vocalists were Lee Mulhern and Venezuelan Antonio Jones, a young singer in a popular Latin American children's program Fuera de clase. Lee Mulhern left the band in August 2008 preferring a solo career.
- Access All Areas
In 2009, Lee Mulhern became part of a 4-member boy band project called Access All Areas alongside former Stateside member, the Venezuelan Antonio Jones in addition to 2 new recruits, Mali-Michael McCalla, the UK X Factor Final 24 contestant from series 5 and another UK recruit Tom Pepper. McCalla was later replaced by the Irish/Welsh/Australian Brandon Kemeny. The band broke up in 2011.
Solo career as Lee.M and collaboration in NXT-GEN duo
In 2012, Lee Mulhern now adopting the stage name Lee.M joined forces with Pete Doherty to form the duo NXT-GEN (Next Generation), releasing a demo titled "Magnetic". Lee.M also engaged in a 2012-2013 tour to promote his music.
He collaborated with New York singer J Pearl as well as Iyaz and Snoop Dogg in his Lee.M debut single in "Slow Motion" credited to Lee M & J Pearl featuring Iyaz and Snoop Dogg.[1][2][3][14] The track was produced by Swiss producer David May and was on an international release with Strictly Rhythm label who has signed J. Pearl to its label. The music video was shot in Milan, Italy and Snoop Dogg parts in Los Angeles and is directed by renowned Italian music video director Claudio Zagarini.[3]
In 2013, Lee was approached by several of the mentors of "Eurosong 2013" to be in the Irish competition for choosing the Irish entry to the Eurovision Song Contest 2013 and he suggested "Magnetic". But due to his commitments with the launch of "Slow Motion" with his record label, Lee had to decline for this year.[15]
Solo career as Lee Matthews
During a recent spell in the United States, Lee's love of country music was reignited, after he saw the upsurge of a new generation of young country singers as crossover pop stars with a country flavour. Changing his name to Lee Matthews, he started giving gigs with a country flavour. He explains his decision in an interview with the Strabane Chronicle:
In America I got a buzz from seeing the country scene explode with a new generation of young country artists making country cooler. When I got back to Ireland I was so excited to see that Derek Ryan and Nathan Carter were also making country cool again here. It’s such a buzz to be back on stage again singing great songs that people love and enjoy dancing to. The people in Ireland appreciate good country music and they go out of their way to make you feel welcome. The first couple of gigs I did this year people were coming up and thanking me and just talking country music, it’s great
Discography
Albums
- As Lee Mulhern
- 1996: Hey Good Looking
Singles
- as NXT-GEN
- 2012: "Magnetic"
- as Lee.M
- 2012: "Slow Motion" (Lee M & J. Pearl featuring Iyaz & Snoop Dogg)
- as Lee Mathews
- 2013: "Sadie’s Got Her New Dress On"
References
- ^ a b c Aisling Scally (27 October 2012). "The former Castlederg crooner recording with Snoop Dogg". Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 12 January 2013.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ a b c "New Lee-verage with the Dogg". Ulster Herald. 22 October 2012. Retrieved 13 January 2013.
{{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ a b c d "Local singer's debut with rap legend Snoop Dogg". Derry Journal. 2 November 2012. Retrieved 13 January 2013.
{{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ a b Carton, Donna. "Child star Lee finds Mum knows best", Daily Mirror, 1999-10-05, p. 8.
- ^ a b Regan, Claire. "It's viva Las Vegas for teenager: Singer Lee to jet off for date with the stars", The Belfast Telegraph, 2001-12-22.
- ^ "NY's finest aid our kids", The Sun, 2004-02-11, p. 15.
- ^ a b StarNow: Lee Mulhern page
- ^ "NorthWest: Rock scene hots up at Buncrana", The Belfast Telegraph, 2002-07-11.
- ^ McEntee, Myles. "Fire hero tribute by Gerry", The Sun, 2002-09-10, p. 7.
- ^ The Gerry Ryan Show
- ^ Clements, Andrea. "Fame is beckoning for Streetwize Lee: teen signs for boyband", The Belfast Telegraph, 2005-09-05.
- ^ Appearance in Childline Irish charity event in 2007
- ^ MySpace.com - Stateside - Venezuela, Ireland, US, UK, US - Pop - www.myspace.com/statesideofficial
- ^ StarNow: Lee Mulhern page
- ^ Eurovision Ireland: Ireland 2013 - Eurosong could have had this amazing Irish Act in 2013!
- ^ Strabane Chronicle: Lee's new major