Jedward
Encyclopedia
John Paul Henry Daniel Richard Grimes and Edward Peter Anthony Kevin Patrick Grimes (born 16 October 1991 in Dublin, Ireland
) are an Irish hip pop
duo. They are identical twins and perform under the name Jedward. Widely known for their blond quiff
s, the twins first appeared as John & Edward on the sixth series
of The X Factor
in 2009, generating a phenomenon described as "the Jedward paradox
". They finished sixth and are now managed by Louis Walsh
, who was their mentor during the show.
Jedward's debut single "Under Pressure (Ice Ice Baby)
", featuring Vanilla Ice
, was released on 1 February 2010. They first performed the song as a duet with Vanilla Ice at the 2010 National Television Awards on 20 January. Released by Sony Music
, it reached number two on the UK Singles Chart
and number one on the Irish Singles Chart
. Having only had a one-single deal, Jedward were dropped by Sony on 16 March, but signed to Universal Records on a three-album deal the following day. They then released their second single, a cover of Blink-182
's "All the Small Things", on 16 July and their debut studio album Planet Jedward
on 26 July. Planet Jedward reached number one on the Irish Albums Chart
and number 17 on the UK Albums Chart
. It was also certified double platinum in Ireland and platinum in Northern Ireland
.
On 11 February 2011, Jedward won the Irish national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest 2011
on The Late Late Show
with their entry single "Lipstick
". They consequently represented Ireland
at the contest in Düsseldorf
, progressing through the second semi-final on 12 May, and performed at the final on 14 May 2011, achieving eighth place. "Lipstick" was released as the first single released from their second album Victory
. Both "Lipstick" and the following single "Bad Behaviour
" reached number 1 in the Irish Singles Chart, while Victory also went to number 1 in the Irish Albums Chart.
On 18 August 2011, Jedward participated in Celebrity Big Brother 2011
, finishing in third place.
with their brother, law student Kevin. John is ten minutes older than Edward.
John and Edward's first school was Scoil Bhríde National School in Rathangan. They then attended King's Hospital School
for four years, but were constantly bullied for standing out from the rest and their love of pop music, before being moved to the Dublin Institute of Education
. The twins competed in school talent shows during their school years and were inspired by Justin Timberlake
, Britney Spears
and the Backstreet Boys
. John and Edward were also members of the Lucan Harriers Athletic Club and have competed in several Irish athletic tournaments. In addition, they briefly worked as games testers for Xbox 360
format holder Microsoft
and support football clubs Newcastle United
and Celtic
.
as a group for the sixth series
of The X Factor
. They used the name John & Edward and spoke in what judge Simon Cowell
described as American accents
. Cowell cut off their rendition of the Backstreet Boys
' "As Long as You Love Me
" after one verse and called them "not very good and incredibly annoying." Dannii Minogue
, another judge, described them as "Absolutely, the cockiest couple of singers I've ever come across." Cowell voted against sending them through to the "bootcamp" stage of the competition, but Minogue and fellow judges Cheryl Cole
and Louis Walsh
all said "yes", putting them through to bootcamp.
At bootcamp, John & Edward were at the centre of controversy when they sang over the solos of two fellow acts, but they made it through to the second stage of bootcamp while one of the other acts was eliminated. Following this, Cowell said of them, "They're vile little creatures who would step on their mother's head to have a hit." The twins progressed to "Judges houses" with Walsh as their mentor. At Judges houses, John & Edward performed "I Want It That Way
" in front of Walsh and Ronan Keating
. Walsh later told the twins that they reminded him of the early days of Keating's band Boyzone
and put them through to the live shows, where they later became known as "Jedward". Many X Factor fans were unhappy about Walsh's decision and all three received negative press in newspapers and on social networking sites. However, they survived until week seven of the competition. Walsh told the News of the World
, "I don't know how people can hate two nice young kids from Ireland. They've been edited really badly and come across as the people everyone loves to hate... but they're just raw, naïve and innocent and they have the potential to be really good." Cowell threatened to leave the country if John & Edward won The X Factor, but believed they could go on to have a successful music career.
On the first live show on 10 October, John & Edward performed Robbie Williams
' hit "Rock DJ
". Cowell said afterwards, "It was a musical nightmare." and that "The truth is... is that Louis has put you through because you're Irish." In week 3, John & Edward performed Ricky Martin
's "She Bangs
". Afterwards, they were heckled
by the studio audience, but Walsh confronted the audience by saying "Boo all you bloody want. I don't like bullying." John & Edward were later criticised for performing what was referred to as "a lewd
dance act" in front of female fans at a window of the house where the X Factor contestants resided during the competition, although this was denied by an X Factor spokesman.
On 8 November, following a rendition of "Ghostbusters
", the boys found themselves in the bottom two with Lucie Jones, with both being in the position for the first time. Jones was subsequently sent home after a public vote. Jones later claimed that the twins were "racked with guilt" by the vote and had since apologised to her. The following week was Queen
week, and while John & Edward sang a mashup
of Queen's "Under Pressure
" and Vanilla Ice
's "Ice Ice Baby
", Calvin Harris
ran onto the stage with a pineapple
on his head, poking fun at the twins' quiffs. John & Edward later claimed that they initially thought Harris's stunt was part of the performance. Harris was wrestled out of the building by security men and later apologised for his behaviour, posting on his Twitter page: "At the end of the day, I had a pineapple on my head. Sorry if I caused anyone embarrassment. P.S. I love Jedward. (sic)". The twins were praised by their mentor Walsh, who said that it was their best performance of the competition. He also praised them for ignoring Harris's stage invasion. The twins' performance also won over harshest critic Cowell, who also said that it was their best performance. Following the incident, John & Edward were accused of having their singing drowned out by backing vocals, in a bid to hide their apparent lack of singing talent. Producers of the show insisted that the twins were not given extra help.
On 21 November, John & Edward sang a mashup of Wham!
's "I'm Your Man" and "Enjoy What You Do
". They received constructive comments from all three and ended up in the bottom two again the following night with Over 25s contestant Olly Murs
, but this time, they lost out in the judges' vote; with Cowell, Cole and Minogue all opting to save Murs.
had reached "an amicable agreement" with Modest!, which allowed him to take the twins on. From February until April 2010, they performed on the X Factor Live tour, where they were credited with the boost in demand for tickets, that led to an extension in the tour run.
Jedward signed a £90,000 one-single contract with Sony Music
in January 2010. It was also announced that they would have their own ITV2
documentary. On 20 January, they performed their debut single "Under Pressure (Ice Ice Baby)
" (a mashup
of "Under Pressure
" and "Ice Ice Baby
") at the 2010 National Television Awards with rapper Vanilla Ice
, who performed with them in the second half of the song. "Under Pressure (Ice Ice Baby)" was released on 31 January and the CD came out two weeks later. The song debuted at No.1 on the Irish Singles Chart
and No.2 on the UK Singles Chart
, falling just behind "Fireflies" by Owl City
. On 16 March, Jedward's Sony contract was culminated, but the following day, which coincidentally was Saint Patrick's Day
, Universal Music Ireland
signed them up on a three-album contract.
On 6 April, Jedward began their first solo tour, a 27-date tour of Ireland called the Planet Jedward Tour. The tour was originally supposed to end of 1 May, but due to extremely high demand, a second 43-date tour of concerts in both Ireland and the UK was announced. The final concert took place on 2 December 2010 at the 2010 ChildLine Concert. The Irish Independent
has rated the tour positively, saying that "Jedwardmania is right up there with Beatlemania
."
On 4 June, Jedward announced that their second single would be a cover of Blink-182
's 1999 hit "All the Small Things". They then appeared at T4 on the Beach
at Weston-super-Mare
on 4 July and performed a medley of "Ghostbusters
/Under Pressure (Ice Ice Baby)/All the Small Things". Whilst performing a roundoff during "Ghostbusters", Edward fell and severely injured his left leg. This was later worsened when he fell again whilst doing a hip gesture near the end of "Under Pressure (Ice Ice Baby)". He continued the performance of "All the Small Things" either limping or kneeling down. After the performance, Edward was taken to hospital and Jedward's spokeswoman
said at the time of the incident: "We think he's broken his leg and at the very least has badly twisted the ligament in his knee." It was later revealed that Edward had torn ligaments in his left knee and would require surgery on it, but he insisted that he would still be able to perform "even if I have to bring crutches on stage".
On 16 July, Jedward's single "All the Small Things" was released which peaked at No.21 on the Irish Chart and No.6 on the UK Indie Chart
. On 26 July, Jedward released their debut album Planet Jedward
, which went straight to No.1 on the Irish Albums Chart
and No.17 on the UK Albums Chart
. Blink-182 referenced Jedward at the Reading and Leeds Festival in August. Frontman Mark Hoppus
announced "We would like very much to thank that band Jedward for allowing us to cover their song." On 30 July, the twins appeared on the Channel 4
reality show Big Brother
and performed "All the Small Things" in the garden as part the housemates' task to "ignore the obvious".
documentary, entitled Jedward: Let Loose
. Produced by RDF Television, it was a three-part series in which they moved out of their home for ten days. Jedward: Let Loose covered the launch of their debut album Planet Jedward
, took a look back at their time on The X Factor. It also documented the time Jedward spent designing trainers for a sports label and the production of the music videos for "Under Pressure (Ice Ice Baby)
" and "All the Small Things".
Jedward began recording tracks for a second album in early 2011. Jedward announced on 9 June that they had finished recording their second album. "Lipstick" and the second single "Bad Behaviour
" have both reached number one in Ireland
. On 23 June 2011, Jedward announced the track listing for their new album. The album consists entirely of original tracks, whereas Planet Jedward had featured only covers.
"Bad Behaviour
" became the second single from their new album and was released in most territories on 1 July along with an accompanying music video. On 7 July 2011, Jedward announced that the title of their new album would be Victory. The following day, "Bad Behaviour" became the twins' third single to go to number one in the Irish charts. The third single from Victory, entitled "Wow oh Wow", was released in Ireland on 18 November, and in the UK on 20 November 2011.
A new version of Planet Jedward was issued by the German branch of Univeral Music on 15 July, featuring a mix of tracks from the 2010 album and new songs from Victory. This European edition of Planet Jedward was subsequently released in several other countries. Victory went to number one in the Irish album charts on its release and remained there for two weeks. The album sold over 10,000 units in its first week, breaking the previous the record for first week album sales in Ireland which had been set by Lady Gaga
.
In August 2011, the twins began the Carnival Tour with eight dates across Ireland. On 17 September Jedward played a concert in Sweden before travelling to Germany to play six dates around the country from 18-25 September A UK tour has been announced for 30 November to 6 December 2011 and a further set of concerts in Germany have been scheduled for January 2012.
at the Eurovision Song Contest 2011
in Germany with their entry "Lipstick
". On 11 February 2011, they won the national selection, beating runner-up Nikki Kavanagh by two points. On 12 May, Jedward performed in the second semi-final in Dusseldorf, and were voted through to the final, which took place on 14 May. They finished in 8th position overall, with 119 points which is Ireland's best result since 2000. They also won the Marcel Bezençon Artistic Award as voted for by the 43 event commentators.
After the contest, "Lipstick" was released digitally across Europe, where it charted in many countries such as Belgium
, Sweden
, Germany
and most notably Austria
where it peaked at number 3. The song also peaked at number 8 in the South Korea's international artists'
chart. "Lipstick" had featured in a Hyundai
advertising campaign in South East Asia.
Shortly after Eurovision, on 23 May, Jedward performed in front of an audience of 60,000 people at College Green
in Dublin City ahead of a speech by visiting U.S. President
Barack Obama
.
and finished in third place.
apologised for "the haircuts, those PVC
suits and the speaking bit in "Oops!... I Did It Again
"". The twins are in talks to promote the Coco Pops cereal in Ireland, as well as the Coco Pops Fun Raise for Kids Campaign.
In 2010, Jedward fronted an advertising campaign for fast food chain Abrakebabra
in Ireland. Following this they helped relaunch the Shake 'n' Vac
brand for Glade alongside original Shake 'n' Vac actress Jenny Logan
in a modern day remake of the popular 1980's advert. Jedward have also fronted advertising campaigns for East Midlands Trains
, Rowntree's Randoms, Nintendo DS
game Dragon Quest IX
, and a Travel Supermarket commercial with comedian Omid Djalili
; the latter was later banned after advertising watchdogs agreed that the advert was misleading. As of August 2011 they have become the faces of an advertising campaign for mobile network 3 Ireland.
. Each week they appear in a pre-recorded VT
in which they compete against host Keith Lemon
in various tasks.
On 14 September 2010, RTÉ
aired a one hour documentary entitled "OMG It's Jedward". It followed the twins on the promotional tour for the release of their album Planet Jedward
. Two months after the show aired, it was released on DVD, and became the third best-selling Music DVD of the year in Ireland. On 12 May 2011, a 30 minute Eurovision special aired, documenting the twins as they prepared to represent Ireland in the 2011 Eurovision Song Contest
.
On 3 June 2011, they made an appearance during Antonio Popeye's act on Britain's Got Talent
. They later on appeared in Britain's Got More Talent.
In December 2011, the duo will also front a new CBBC
show, called Jedward's Big Adventure. The twins will act as tour guides around several famous sites across the UK and attempt to lead a tour of genuine visitors. A second show, entitled OMG - Jedward's Dream Factory has also been announced for TRTÉ
.
's pantomime
Cinderella
which took place from 22 December until 9 January 2011. They will return to the Olympia Theatre
for the Christmas pantomime "Jedward & the Beanstalk" in December 2011.
, Esquire
and Grazia
.
websites and in the media. Many celebrities have also commented on the Jedward phenomenon. Their fans include Peaches Geldof
, Pixie Lott
, Westlife
and Robbie Williams
. Taoiseach
Brian Cowen
also backed the singers, while Leona Lewis
has said that she worries about them. Others have openly criticised them, with Liam Gallagher
stating: "How do you not smack them? I know all about annoying fucking brothers, but nobody comes close to them. What the fuck is happening to British music? And what are those things on their heads?" Queen
guitarist Brian May
and drummer Roger Taylor
have both expressed their opinions about Jedward. On 6 November 2009, Taylor opined on BBC News
that "They're not good singers. But you know... eight-year olds love them... you know there's nothing wrong with that – it's entertainment", while in week 6 of the X Factor live shows, when May and Taylor were the finalists' celebrity mentors, May told them "You have something, you really do have something." He also said that "People love them or hate them, that's always a good sign. If they're indifferent then forget it. Some people love you, some people hate you – you got something going for you."
Politicians in both Ireland and the UK have also made their feelings about Jedward heard. The two leading British political parties, Labour
and the Conservatives
, each released campaign posters parody
ing the twins. Former Prime Minister Gordon Brown
came under fire in November 2009 for describing Jedward as "not very good" and later apologised for doing so. Following this, Walsh stated "So Gordon Brown and Simon Cowell both have something in common: neither of them know what the public want." Current Prime Minister David Cameron
admitted that he enjoyed watching The X Factor and that Jedward were his favourite act. Cameron also bought a t-shirt with their faces on it. The Irish Independent
called Jedward "tone-deaf
twins", even though the pair were voted more popular than The Beatles
in a teenage poll. Followers of Jedward, in popular culture, are often referred to as being in possession of the "JW Gene", publicized by comedian Harry Evans.
and Ben Miller
, Vic Reeves
and Bob Mortimer
, and presenters Adam and Joe, but lost out to Reeves and Mortimer.
At the end of 2009, Jedward were placed third in BBC Three
's The Most Annoying People of 2009
following "the overexposure they received during their time on The X Factor". In The Most Annoying People of 2010
, they were placed second (behind the England football team
) for "becoming successful and being everywhere on TV".
The Irish Tourism "Apology for Jedward" commercial won a silver award in the Best Single Promotion category at the Sony Radio Academy Awards
. A year later, Jedward were awarded the Marcel Bezençon Artistic Award- as voted by commentators – when they took part in the Eurovision Song Contest 2011
in Germany.
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
) are an Irish hip pop
Hip pop
Hip pop is a fusion music genre combining the vocal style of pop with hip hop, which became popular in Japan in the late 2000s. Because there were rap artists to mix rap with pop music in the United States in the late 1980s and early 1990s such as LL Cool J, also, recently rapper turned hip pop...
duo. They are identical twins and perform under the name Jedward. Widely known for their blond quiff
Quiff
The quiff is a hairstyle that combines the 1950s pompadour hairstyle, the 50s flattop, and sometimes a mohawk. The etymology of the word is uncertain but may derive from the French word "coiffe" which can mean either a hairstyle or, going further back, the mail knights wore over their heads and...
s, the twins first appeared as John & Edward on the sixth series
The X Factor (UK series 6)
The sixth series of British television music competition The X Factor started on ITV on 22 August 2009 and was won by Joe McElderry on 13 December 2009. Cheryl Cole emerged as the winning mentor for the second consecutive year, the first time in the show's history that a mentor has won back-to-back...
of The X Factor
The X Factor (UK)
The X Factor is a British television music competition to find new singing talent. Created by Simon Cowell, it began in September 2004 and is contested by aspiring singers drawn from public auditions. It is the originator of the international X Factor franchise. The seven series of the show to date...
in 2009, generating a phenomenon described as "the Jedward paradox
Paradox
Similar to Circular reasoning, A paradox is a seemingly true statement or group of statements that lead to a contradiction or a situation which seems to defy logic or intuition...
". They finished sixth and are now managed by Louis Walsh
Louis Walsh
Louis Walsh is an Irish music manager and judge on the British television talent show The X Factor.-Band manager:...
, who was their mentor during the show.
Jedward's debut single "Under Pressure (Ice Ice Baby)
Under Pressure (Ice Ice Baby)
"Under Pressure " is the debut single by Irish pop duo Jedward. The song is a mashup of "Under Pressure", originally recorded in 1981 by Queen and David Bowie, and "Ice Ice Baby", recorded by Vanilla Ice in 1989. Vanilla Ice also provides vocals for the track...
", featuring Vanilla Ice
Vanilla Ice
Robert Matthew Van Winkle , best known by his stage name Vanilla Ice, is an American rapper, extreme athlete and home improvement television personality...
, was released on 1 February 2010. They first performed the song as a duet with Vanilla Ice at the 2010 National Television Awards on 20 January. Released by Sony Music
Sony Music Entertainment
Sony Music Entertainment ' is the second-largest global recorded music company of the "big four" record companies and is controlled by Sony Corporation of America, the United States subsidiary of Japan's Sony Corporation....
, it reached number two on the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
and number one on the Irish Singles Chart
Irish Singles Chart
The Irish Singles Chart is Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured...
. Having only had a one-single deal, Jedward were dropped by Sony on 16 March, but signed to Universal Records on a three-album deal the following day. They then released their second single, a cover of Blink-182
Blink-182
Blink-182 is an American rock band consisting of vocalist and bass guitarist Mark Hoppus, vocalist and guitarist Tom DeLonge, and drummer Travis Barker. They have sold over 27 million albums worldwide since forming in Poway, California in 1992...
's "All the Small Things", on 16 July and their debut studio album Planet Jedward
Planet Jedward
Planet Jedward is the debut studio album by Irish pop duo Jedward. The album was released on July 16, 2010.-Background:The album was released via Absolute Records, a minor subsidiary of the Universal Music Group label. Despite this, the twins' debut single, "Under Pressure ", was released by Sony...
on 26 July. Planet Jedward reached number one on the Irish Albums Chart
Irish Albums Chart
The Irish Albums Chart is the Irish music industry standard albums popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on its behalf by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured electronically...
and number 17 on the UK Albums Chart
UK Albums Chart
The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
. It was also certified double platinum in Ireland and platinum in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
.
On 11 February 2011, Jedward won the Irish national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest 2011
Eurovision Song Contest 2011
The Eurovision Song Contest 2011 was the 56th annual Eurovision Song Contest and was won by Eldar & Nigar performing "Running Scared" for Azerbaijan. The event took place in the Esprit Arena in Düsseldorf, Germany, following Germany's win in the previous year...
on The Late Late Show
The Late Late Show
The Late Late Show, sometimes referred to as The Late Late, or in some cases by the acronym LLS, is the world's longest-running chat show by the same broadcaster and the official flagship television programme of Irish broadcasting company RTÉ...
with their entry single "Lipstick
Lipstick (Jedward song)
"Lipstick" is the third single released by Irish pop duo Jedward. It is the first song released from their second studio album, Victory. The song also represented Ireland at the Eurovision Song Contest 2011 in Düsseldorf, Germany. "Lipstick" was selected on 11 February 2011, following the...
". They consequently represented Ireland
Ireland in the Eurovision Song Contest 2011
Ireland participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 2011 in Düsseldorf, Germany with the song "Lipstick" performed by Jedward. The song was selected by the Irish public through the national final Eurosong 2011 competition, organised by the Irish broadcaster, Raidió Teilifís Éireann .-Eurosong...
at the contest in Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf is the capital city of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and centre of the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region.Düsseldorf is an important international business and financial centre and renowned for its fashion and trade fairs. Located centrally within the European Megalopolis, the...
, progressing through the second semi-final on 12 May, and performed at the final on 14 May 2011, achieving eighth place. "Lipstick" was released as the first single released from their second album Victory
Victory (Jedward album)
Victory is the second album by Irish pop duo Jedward. The album was released on August 5, 2011 in Ireland and on August 15, 2011 in the United Kingdom.-Background:Jedward began recording tracks for the album in January 2011...
. Both "Lipstick" and the following single "Bad Behaviour
Bad Behaviour
Bad Behaviour is a 1993 British comedy film directed by Les Blair and starring Stephen Rea, Sinéad Cusack and Philip Jackson. The film depicts an Irish couple living with their family in North London.-Cast:* Stephen Rea - Gerry McAllister...
" reached number 1 in the Irish Singles Chart, while Victory also went to number 1 in the Irish Albums Chart.
On 18 August 2011, Jedward participated in Celebrity Big Brother 2011
Celebrity Big Brother 2011 (UK)
Celebrity Big Brother 2011 was the eighth series of Celebrity Big Brother and the first series of Big Brother UK to air on Channel 5. It launched on 18 August 2011 at 9 pm on Channel 5. It ran for 22 days concluding on 8 September 2011 and was followed by the twelfth regular series of Big Brother...
, finishing in third place.
Life and career
Identical twin brothers John and Edward were born in Dublin, to teacher Susannah and were raised in RathanganRathangan, County Kildare
Rathangan is a town in the west of County Kildare, Ireland, with a population of 1,718. It is located from the centre of Dublin, and from Kildare, at the intersection of the R401, R414, and R419 regional roads. The Slate River and the Grand Canal run through the town.Rathangan is situated beside...
with their brother, law student Kevin. John is ten minutes older than Edward.
John and Edward's first school was Scoil Bhríde National School in Rathangan. They then attended King's Hospital School
The King's Hospital
The King's Hospital is a Church of Ireland co-educational fee-paying boarding and day school situated in Palmerstown, Dublin, Ireland.Founded in 1669, it is one of the oldest schools in Ireland and was also known as the Blue Coat School....
for four years, but were constantly bullied for standing out from the rest and their love of pop music, before being moved to the Dublin Institute of Education
Institute of Education (Dublin)
The Institute of Education was founded in 1969 by Irish applied mathematics school teacher, Raymond Kearns, and is currently one of the largest private secondary schools in Ireland. Unlike most other Irish secondary schools, the Institute only provides tuition for the final two years of the...
. The twins competed in school talent shows during their school years and were inspired by Justin Timberlake
Justin Timberlake
Justin Randall Timberlake is an American pop musician and actor. He achieved early fame when he appeared as a contestant on Star Search, and went on to star in the Disney Channel television series The New Mickey Mouse Club, where he met future bandmate JC Chasez...
, Britney Spears
Britney Spears
Britney Jean Spears is an American recording artist and entertainer. Born in McComb, Mississippi, and raised in Kentwood, Louisiana, Spears began performing as a child, landing acting roles in stage productions and television shows. She signed with Jive Records in 1997 and released her debut album...
and the Backstreet Boys
Backstreet Boys
The Backstreet Boys are an American vocal group, formed in Orlando, Florida in 1993. The band originally consisted of A. J. McLean, Howie Dorough, Brian Littrell, Nick Carter and Kevin Richardson. They rose to fame with their debut international album, Backstreet Boys...
. John and Edward were also members of the Lucan Harriers Athletic Club and have competed in several Irish athletic tournaments. In addition, they briefly worked as games testers for Xbox 360
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
format holder Microsoft
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
and support football clubs Newcastle United
Newcastle United F.C.
Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
and Celtic
Celtic F.C.
Celtic Football Club is a Scottish football club based in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which currently plays in the Scottish Premier League. The club was established in 1887, and played its first game in 1888. Celtic have won the Scottish League Championship on 42 occasions, most recently in the...
.
2009: The X Factor
In 2009, the twins auditioned in GlasgowGlasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
as a group for the sixth series
The X Factor (UK series 6)
The sixth series of British television music competition The X Factor started on ITV on 22 August 2009 and was won by Joe McElderry on 13 December 2009. Cheryl Cole emerged as the winning mentor for the second consecutive year, the first time in the show's history that a mentor has won back-to-back...
of The X Factor
The X Factor (UK)
The X Factor is a British television music competition to find new singing talent. Created by Simon Cowell, it began in September 2004 and is contested by aspiring singers drawn from public auditions. It is the originator of the international X Factor franchise. The seven series of the show to date...
. They used the name John & Edward and spoke in what judge Simon Cowell
Simon Cowell
Simon Phillip Cowell is an English A&R executive, television producer, entrepreneur, and television personality. He is known in the United Kingdom and United States for his role as a talent judge on TV shows such as Pop Idol, The X Factor, Britain's Got Talent and American Idol...
described as American accents
American English
American English is a set of dialects of the English language used mostly in the United States. Approximately two-thirds of the world's native speakers of English live in the United States....
. Cowell cut off their rendition of the Backstreet Boys
Backstreet Boys
The Backstreet Boys are an American vocal group, formed in Orlando, Florida in 1993. The band originally consisted of A. J. McLean, Howie Dorough, Brian Littrell, Nick Carter and Kevin Richardson. They rose to fame with their debut international album, Backstreet Boys...
' "As Long as You Love Me
As Long as You Love Me
"As Long As You Love Me" is the second single by the Backstreet Boys from their debut album in the United States and the second single from Backstreet's Back internationally. It was released in September 1997 internationally and in October of the same year in the United States. It is one of the...
" after one verse and called them "not very good and incredibly annoying." Dannii Minogue
Dannii Minogue
Danielle Jane "Dannii" Minogue is an Australian singer-songwriter, actress, television personality, radio personality, fashion designer and model...
, another judge, described them as "Absolutely, the cockiest couple of singers I've ever come across." Cowell voted against sending them through to the "bootcamp" stage of the competition, but Minogue and fellow judges Cheryl Cole
Cheryl Cole
Cheryl Ann Cole is an English pop and R&B recording artist, songwriter, dancer, actress and model. She rose to fame in late 2002 when she auditioned for the reality television show Popstars: The Rivals on ITV. The programme announced that Cole had won a place as a member of the girl group, Girls...
and Louis Walsh
Louis Walsh
Louis Walsh is an Irish music manager and judge on the British television talent show The X Factor.-Band manager:...
all said "yes", putting them through to bootcamp.
At bootcamp, John & Edward were at the centre of controversy when they sang over the solos of two fellow acts, but they made it through to the second stage of bootcamp while one of the other acts was eliminated. Following this, Cowell said of them, "They're vile little creatures who would step on their mother's head to have a hit." The twins progressed to "Judges houses" with Walsh as their mentor. At Judges houses, John & Edward performed "I Want It That Way
I Want It That Way
"I Want It That Way" is a song by the Backstreet Boys, and their first single from their 1999 album Millennium. It was written by Max Martin and Andreas Carlsson along with other producers. The song was highly played on the radio and the video, directed by Wayne Isham, was well played on television...
" in front of Walsh and Ronan Keating
Ronan Keating
Ronan Patrick John Keating is an Irish recording artist, singer-songwriter, musician, and philanthropist. Keating debuted on the professional music scene alongside Keith Duffy, Mikey Graham, Shane Lynch and Stephen Gately, in 1994 as the lead singer of Boyzone. His solo career started in 1999, and...
. Walsh later told the twins that they reminded him of the early days of Keating's band Boyzone
Boyzone
Boyzone are an Irish boy band comprising Keith Duffy, Mikey Graham, Ronan Keating,Shane Lynch, and formerly Stephen Gately. Boyzone have 19 singles in the top 40 UK charts and 21 singles in the Ire charts. The group currently have 6 UK number one singles and 9 number one singles in Ireland with 12...
and put them through to the live shows, where they later became known as "Jedward". Many X Factor fans were unhappy about Walsh's decision and all three received negative press in newspapers and on social networking sites. However, they survived until week seven of the competition. Walsh told the News of the World
News of the World
The News of the World was a national red top newspaper published in the United Kingdom from 1843 to 2011. It was at one time the biggest selling English language newspaper in the world, and at closure still had one of the highest English language circulations...
, "I don't know how people can hate two nice young kids from Ireland. They've been edited really badly and come across as the people everyone loves to hate... but they're just raw, naïve and innocent and they have the potential to be really good." Cowell threatened to leave the country if John & Edward won The X Factor, but believed they could go on to have a successful music career.
On the first live show on 10 October, John & Edward performed Robbie Williams
Robbie Williams
Robert Peter "Robbie" Williams is an English singer-songwriter, vocal coach and occasional actor. He is a member of the pop group Take That. Williams rose to fame in the band's first run in the early- to mid-1990s. After many disagreements with the management and certain group members, Williams...
' hit "Rock DJ
Rock DJ
"Rock DJ" is a song by English pop singer Robbie Williams from his fourth album, Sing When You're Winning released in the summer of 2000. The song heavily musically samples Barry White's 1977 song "It's Ecstasy When You Lay Down Next to Me" and also contains a sample of "Can I Kick It?" by A Tribe...
". Cowell said afterwards, "It was a musical nightmare." and that "The truth is... is that Louis has put you through because you're Irish." In week 3, John & Edward performed Ricky Martin
Ricky Martin
Enrique "Ricky" Martín Morales , better known as Ricky Martin, is a Puerto Rican and Spanish pop singer and actor who achieved prominence, first as a member of the Latin boy band Menudo, then as a solo artist since 1991.During his career he has sold more than 60 million album copies worldwide...
's "She Bangs
She Bangs
"She Bangs" is a song performed by Ricky Martin, from his 2000 album Sound Loaded. An up-tempo, salsa-influenced song with double entendres about the singer's infatuation with a woman, Martin's recording earned him continued crossover success around the world.The song was co-written by Desmond...
". Afterwards, they were heckled
Heckler
A heckler is a person who harass and try to disconcert others with questions, challenges, or gibes.Hecklers are often known to shout disparaging comments at a performance or event, or interrupts set-piece speeches, for example at a political meeting, with intent to disturb its performers or...
by the studio audience, but Walsh confronted the audience by saying "Boo all you bloody want. I don't like bullying." John & Edward were later criticised for performing what was referred to as "a lewd
Lascivious
"Lascivious" is a word synonymous with lustful or lewd or unruly .- Legal usage :In American legal jargon, lascivious is a semi-technical term indicating immoral sexual thoughts or actions. It is often used in the legal description of criminal acts in which some sort of sexual activity is...
dance act" in front of female fans at a window of the house where the X Factor contestants resided during the competition, although this was denied by an X Factor spokesman.
On 8 November, following a rendition of "Ghostbusters
Ghostbusters (song)
"Ghostbusters" is a 1984 song recorded by Ray Parker, Jr. as the theme to the film of the same name starring Bill Murray and Dan Aykroyd. It hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 on August 11 in 1984, and stayed there for three weeks...
", the boys found themselves in the bottom two with Lucie Jones, with both being in the position for the first time. Jones was subsequently sent home after a public vote. Jones later claimed that the twins were "racked with guilt" by the vote and had since apologised to her. The following week was Queen
Queen (band)
Queen are a British rock band formed in London in 1971, originally consisting of Freddie Mercury , Brian May , John Deacon , and Roger Taylor...
week, and while John & Edward sang a mashup
Mashup (music)
A mashup or bootleg is a song or composition created by blending two or more pre-recorded songs, usually by overlaying the vocal track of one song seamlessly over the instrumental track of another...
of Queen's "Under Pressure
Under Pressure
"Under Pressure" is a 1981 song recorded by Queen and David Bowie. It marked Bowie's first released collaboration with another recording artist as a performer, and is featured on Queen's 1982 album Hot Space. The song reached #1 on the UK Singles Chart. It was also number 31 on VH1's 100 Greatest...
" and Vanilla Ice
Vanilla Ice
Robert Matthew Van Winkle , best known by his stage name Vanilla Ice, is an American rapper, extreme athlete and home improvement television personality...
's "Ice Ice Baby
Ice Ice Baby
"Ice Ice Baby" is a hip hop song written by American rapper Vanilla Ice and DJ Earthquake. The song samples the bassline of "Under Pressure" by Queen and David Bowie, who did not initially receive songwriting credit or royalties until after it had become a hit...
", Calvin Harris
Calvin Harris
Calvin Harris is a Scottish singer-songwriter, record producer and DJ. His gold-selling debut album, I Created Disco, was released in 2007 and contained the top ten singles "Acceptable in the 80s" and "The Girls"...
ran onto the stage with a pineapple
Pineapple
Pineapple is the common name for a tropical plant and its edible fruit, which is actually a multiple fruit consisting of coalesced berries. It was given the name pineapple due to its resemblance to a pine cone. The pineapple is by far the most economically important plant in the Bromeliaceae...
on his head, poking fun at the twins' quiffs. John & Edward later claimed that they initially thought Harris's stunt was part of the performance. Harris was wrestled out of the building by security men and later apologised for his behaviour, posting on his Twitter page: "At the end of the day, I had a pineapple on my head. Sorry if I caused anyone embarrassment. P.S. I love Jedward. (sic)". The twins were praised by their mentor Walsh, who said that it was their best performance of the competition. He also praised them for ignoring Harris's stage invasion. The twins' performance also won over harshest critic Cowell, who also said that it was their best performance. Following the incident, John & Edward were accused of having their singing drowned out by backing vocals, in a bid to hide their apparent lack of singing talent. Producers of the show insisted that the twins were not given extra help.
On 21 November, John & Edward sang a mashup of Wham!
WHAM!
Wham! were a short-lived British musical duo formed by George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley in the early 1980s. They were briefly known in the United States as Wham! UK due to a naming conflict with an American band....
's "I'm Your Man" and "Enjoy What You Do
Wham Rap! (Enjoy What You Do)
"Wham Rap! "' is a 1982 song by British pop duo Wham! on Innervision Records. It was written by Wham! members George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley....
". They received constructive comments from all three and ended up in the bottom two again the following night with Over 25s contestant Olly Murs
Olly Murs
Oliver Stanley "Olly" Murs is an English singer-songwriter and TV presenter. Murs rose to fame after being the runner-up on the sixth series of The X Factor...
, but this time, they lost out in the judges' vote; with Cowell, Cole and Minogue all opting to save Murs.
Performances on The X Factor
Below is a list of John & Edward's performances on The X Factor:| Week | Song performed | Theme | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Audition | "As Long as You Love Me As Long as You Love Me "As Long As You Love Me" is the second single by the Backstreet Boys from their debut album in the United States and the second single from Backstreet's Back internationally. It was released in September 1997 internationally and in October of the same year in the United States. It is one of the... " |
Free choice | Through to bootcamp |
| Bootcamp | "Apologize Apologize (song) "Apologize" is a song written by OneRepublic frontman Ryan Tedder for OneRepublic's debut album Dreaming Out Loud. A remix version was included on the Timbaland album, Shock Value and on the deluxe version of Dreaming Out Loud... " |
Free Choice | Through to judges houses |
| "You Are Not Alone You Are Not Alone "You Are Not Alone", released on the 10th of August 1995, is the second single from Michael Jackson's album HIStory. The R&B ballad's composition has been attributed R. Kelly in response to difficult times in his personal life. He then forwarded a bare demo tape to Jackson, who liked the song and... " |
Free choice | ||
| Judges' houses | "I Want It That Way I Want It That Way "I Want It That Way" is a song by the Backstreet Boys, and their first single from their 1999 album Millennium. It was written by Max Martin and Andreas Carlsson along with other producers. The song was highly played on the radio and the video, directed by Wayne Isham, was well played on television... " |
Free choice | Through to live shows |
| "When Will I Be Famous? When Will I Be Famous? (song) "When Will I Be Famous?" was a single by UK boyband Bros, released as a single in 1987 and later appearing on their 1988 album Push. The verses are sung from the viewpoint of an agent or talent scout and the chorus is sung by the viewpoint of the person asking when they will be famous. The song... " |
Free choice | ||
| Week 1 | "Rock DJ Rock DJ "Rock DJ" is a song by English pop singer Robbie Williams from his fourth album, Sing When You're Winning released in the summer of 2000. The song heavily musically samples Barry White's 1977 song "It's Ecstasy When You Lay Down Next to Me" and also contains a sample of "Can I Kick It?" by A Tribe... " |
Musical heroes | Safe |
| Week 2 | "Oops!... I Did It Again Oops!... I Did It Again (song) "Oops!... I Did It Again" is a song by American recording artist Britney Spears. The song was written and produced by Max Martin and Rami for Spears' second studio album, Oops!... I Did It Again . It was released on March 27, 2000 by Jive Records, as the first single from the album. "Oops!..... " |
Diva Diva A diva is a celebrated female singer. The term is used to describe a woman of outstanding talent in the world of opera, and, by extension, in theatre, cinema and popular music. The meaning of diva is closely related to that of "prima donna".... s |
Safe |
| Week 3 | "She Bangs She Bangs "She Bangs" is a song performed by Ricky Martin, from his 2000 album Sound Loaded. An up-tempo, salsa-influenced song with double entendres about the singer's infatuation with a woman, Martin's recording earned him continued crossover success around the world.The song was co-written by Desmond... " |
Big band Big band A big band is a type of musical ensemble associated with jazz and the Swing Era typically consisting of rhythm, brass, and woodwind instruments totaling approximately twelve to twenty-five musicians... |
Safe |
| Week 4 | "We Will Rock You" | Rock Rock music Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music... |
Safe |
| Week 5 | "Ghostbusters Ghostbusters (song) "Ghostbusters" is a 1984 song recorded by Ray Parker, Jr. as the theme to the film of the same name starring Bill Murray and Dan Aykroyd. It hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 on August 11 in 1984, and stayed there for three weeks... " |
Songs from film Film A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects... s |
Bottom Two |
| Final Showdown (Week 5) | "Rock DJ Rock DJ (song) "Rock DJ" is a song by English pop singer Robbie Williams from his fourth album, Sing When You're Winning released in the summer of 2000. The song heavily musically samples Barry White's 1977 song "It's Ecstasy When You Lay Down Next to Me" and also contains a sample of "Can I Kick It?" by A Tribe... " |
Free choice | Saved by deadlock |
| Week 6 | "Under Pressure Under Pressure "Under Pressure" is a 1981 song recorded by Queen and David Bowie. It marked Bowie's first released collaboration with another recording artist as a performer, and is featured on Queen's 1982 album Hot Space. The song reached #1 on the UK Singles Chart. It was also number 31 on VH1's 100 Greatest... "/"Ice Ice Baby Ice Ice Baby "Ice Ice Baby" is a hip hop song written by American rapper Vanilla Ice and DJ Earthquake. The song samples the bassline of "Under Pressure" by Queen and David Bowie, who did not initially receive songwriting credit or royalties until after it had become a hit... " |
Queen songs | Safe |
| Week 7 | "I'm Your Man"/"Wham Rap! Wham Rap! (Enjoy What You Do) "Wham Rap! "' is a 1982 song by British pop duo Wham! on Innervision Records. It was written by Wham! members George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley.... " |
Wham! WHAM! Wham! were a short-lived British musical duo formed by George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley in the early 1980s. They were briefly known in the United States as Wham! UK due to a naming conflict with an American band.... /George Michael songs |
Bottom Two |
| Final Showdown (Week 7) | "No Matter What No Matter What (Boyzone song) "No Matter What" is a song from the 1996 musical Whistle Down the Wind, written by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Jim Steinman and popularized by the group Boyzone. The song reached #1 on the UK Singles Chart, and was the only Boyzone hit to become popular in the U.S. Jewels & Stone did a remix for the... " |
Free choice | Eliminated by judges vote |
2010: Planet Jedward
After their departure, Jedward, now officially performing under that name, were signed to Modest! Management, however it was later announced that Louis WalshLouis Walsh
Louis Walsh is an Irish music manager and judge on the British television talent show The X Factor.-Band manager:...
had reached "an amicable agreement" with Modest!, which allowed him to take the twins on. From February until April 2010, they performed on the X Factor Live tour, where they were credited with the boost in demand for tickets, that led to an extension in the tour run.
Jedward signed a £90,000 one-single contract with Sony Music
Sony Music Entertainment
Sony Music Entertainment ' is the second-largest global recorded music company of the "big four" record companies and is controlled by Sony Corporation of America, the United States subsidiary of Japan's Sony Corporation....
in January 2010. It was also announced that they would have their own ITV2
ITV2
ITV2 is a 24 hour, free-to-air entertainment television channel in the United Kingdom owned by ITV Digital Channels Ltd, a division of ITV plc. It was launched on 7 December 1998, and is available on digital television via satellite, cable, IPTV and terrestrial platforms. The channel has the...
documentary. On 20 January, they performed their debut single "Under Pressure (Ice Ice Baby)
Under Pressure (Ice Ice Baby)
"Under Pressure " is the debut single by Irish pop duo Jedward. The song is a mashup of "Under Pressure", originally recorded in 1981 by Queen and David Bowie, and "Ice Ice Baby", recorded by Vanilla Ice in 1989. Vanilla Ice also provides vocals for the track...
" (a mashup
Mashup (music)
A mashup or bootleg is a song or composition created by blending two or more pre-recorded songs, usually by overlaying the vocal track of one song seamlessly over the instrumental track of another...
of "Under Pressure
Under Pressure
"Under Pressure" is a 1981 song recorded by Queen and David Bowie. It marked Bowie's first released collaboration with another recording artist as a performer, and is featured on Queen's 1982 album Hot Space. The song reached #1 on the UK Singles Chart. It was also number 31 on VH1's 100 Greatest...
" and "Ice Ice Baby
Ice Ice Baby
"Ice Ice Baby" is a hip hop song written by American rapper Vanilla Ice and DJ Earthquake. The song samples the bassline of "Under Pressure" by Queen and David Bowie, who did not initially receive songwriting credit or royalties until after it had become a hit...
") at the 2010 National Television Awards with rapper Vanilla Ice
Vanilla Ice
Robert Matthew Van Winkle , best known by his stage name Vanilla Ice, is an American rapper, extreme athlete and home improvement television personality...
, who performed with them in the second half of the song. "Under Pressure (Ice Ice Baby)" was released on 31 January and the CD came out two weeks later. The song debuted at No.1 on the Irish Singles Chart
Irish Singles Chart
The Irish Singles Chart is Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured...
and No.2 on the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
, falling just behind "Fireflies" by Owl City
Owl City
Owl City is an American electronica musical project by singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Adam Young formed in 2007 in Owatonna, Minnesota. Young created the project while experimenting with music in his parents' basement...
. On 16 March, Jedward's Sony contract was culminated, but the following day, which coincidentally was Saint Patrick's Day
Saint Patrick's Day
Saint Patrick's Day is a religious holiday celebrated internationally on 17 March. It commemorates Saint Patrick , the most commonly recognised of the patron saints of :Ireland, and the arrival of Christianity in Ireland. It is observed by the Catholic Church, the Anglican Communion , the Eastern...
, Universal Music Ireland
Universal Music Group
Universal Music Group is an American music group, the largest of the "big four" record companies by its commanding market share and its multitude of global operations...
signed them up on a three-album contract.
On 6 April, Jedward began their first solo tour, a 27-date tour of Ireland called the Planet Jedward Tour. The tour was originally supposed to end of 1 May, but due to extremely high demand, a second 43-date tour of concerts in both Ireland and the UK was announced. The final concert took place on 2 December 2010 at the 2010 ChildLine Concert. The Irish Independent
Irish Independent
The Irish Independent is Ireland's largest-selling daily newspaper that is published in both compact and broadsheet formats. It is the flagship publication of Independent News & Media.-History:...
has rated the tour positively, saying that "Jedwardmania is right up there with Beatlemania
Beatlemania
Beatlemania is a term that originated during the 1960s to describe the intense fan frenzy directed toward The Beatles during the early years of their success...
."
On 4 June, Jedward announced that their second single would be a cover of Blink-182
Blink-182
Blink-182 is an American rock band consisting of vocalist and bass guitarist Mark Hoppus, vocalist and guitarist Tom DeLonge, and drummer Travis Barker. They have sold over 27 million albums worldwide since forming in Poway, California in 1992...
's 1999 hit "All the Small Things". They then appeared at T4 on the Beach
T4 on the Beach
T4 On The Beach is a British one day music event which is held on the beach at Weston-super-Mare and televised for Channel 4. The event began in 2003 as Pop Beach in Great Yarmouth, changing to the current title and venue in 2005....
at Weston-super-Mare
Weston-super-Mare
Weston-super-Mare is a seaside resort, town and civil parish in the unitary authority of North Somerset, which is within the ceremonial county of Somerset, England. It is located on the Bristol Channel coast, south west of Bristol, spanning the coast between the bounding high ground of Worlebury...
on 4 July and performed a medley of "Ghostbusters
Ghostbusters (song)
"Ghostbusters" is a 1984 song recorded by Ray Parker, Jr. as the theme to the film of the same name starring Bill Murray and Dan Aykroyd. It hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 on August 11 in 1984, and stayed there for three weeks...
/Under Pressure (Ice Ice Baby)/All the Small Things". Whilst performing a roundoff during "Ghostbusters", Edward fell and severely injured his left leg. This was later worsened when he fell again whilst doing a hip gesture near the end of "Under Pressure (Ice Ice Baby)". He continued the performance of "All the Small Things" either limping or kneeling down. After the performance, Edward was taken to hospital and Jedward's spokeswoman
Spokesman
A spokesperson or spokesman or spokeswoman is someone engaged or elected to speak on behalf of others.In the present media-sensitive world, many organizations are increasingly likely to employ professionals who have received formal training in journalism, communications, public relations and...
said at the time of the incident: "We think he's broken his leg and at the very least has badly twisted the ligament in his knee." It was later revealed that Edward had torn ligaments in his left knee and would require surgery on it, but he insisted that he would still be able to perform "even if I have to bring crutches on stage".
On 16 July, Jedward's single "All the Small Things" was released which peaked at No.21 on the Irish Chart and No.6 on the UK Indie Chart
UK Indie Chart
The UK Independent Chart or Indie Chart is a chart of the best-selling independent record releases in the UK.- History :In the wake of punk, small record labels began to spring up, as an outlet for artists that were unwilling to sign contracts with major record companies, or were not considered...
. On 26 July, Jedward released their debut album Planet Jedward
Planet Jedward
Planet Jedward is the debut studio album by Irish pop duo Jedward. The album was released on July 16, 2010.-Background:The album was released via Absolute Records, a minor subsidiary of the Universal Music Group label. Despite this, the twins' debut single, "Under Pressure ", was released by Sony...
, which went straight to No.1 on the Irish Albums Chart
Irish Albums Chart
The Irish Albums Chart is the Irish music industry standard albums popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on its behalf by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured electronically...
and No.17 on the UK Albums Chart
UK Albums Chart
The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
. Blink-182 referenced Jedward at the Reading and Leeds Festival in August. Frontman Mark Hoppus
Mark Hoppus
Mark Allan Hoppus is an American musician, record producer, and television host. He is the bass guitarist and one of the two lead vocalists of the pop punk band Blink-182, as well as the bass guitarist and lead vocalist of the alternative rock band +44. He is a co-founder of both bands...
announced "We would like very much to thank that band Jedward for allowing us to cover their song." On 30 July, the twins appeared on the Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
reality show Big Brother
Big Brother (UK)
Big Brother UK is the British version of the Dutch Big Brother television format, which takes its name from the character in George Orwell's 1948 novel Nineteen Eighty-Four...
and performed "All the Small Things" in the garden as part the housemates' task to "ignore the obvious".
Jedward: Let Loose
In August 2010, Jedward appeared in a ITV2ITV2
ITV2 is a 24 hour, free-to-air entertainment television channel in the United Kingdom owned by ITV Digital Channels Ltd, a division of ITV plc. It was launched on 7 December 1998, and is available on digital television via satellite, cable, IPTV and terrestrial platforms. The channel has the...
documentary, entitled Jedward: Let Loose
Jedward: Let Loose
Jedward: Let Loose is a three part television series, following the Irish pop duo, Jedward, after their time spent on the sixth series of The X Factor, and the rise in fame they experienced...
. Produced by RDF Television, it was a three-part series in which they moved out of their home for ten days. Jedward: Let Loose covered the launch of their debut album Planet Jedward
Planet Jedward
Planet Jedward is the debut studio album by Irish pop duo Jedward. The album was released on July 16, 2010.-Background:The album was released via Absolute Records, a minor subsidiary of the Universal Music Group label. Despite this, the twins' debut single, "Under Pressure ", was released by Sony...
, took a look back at their time on The X Factor. It also documented the time Jedward spent designing trainers for a sports label and the production of the music videos for "Under Pressure (Ice Ice Baby)
Under Pressure (Ice Ice Baby)
"Under Pressure " is the debut single by Irish pop duo Jedward. The song is a mashup of "Under Pressure", originally recorded in 1981 by Queen and David Bowie, and "Ice Ice Baby", recorded by Vanilla Ice in 1989. Vanilla Ice also provides vocals for the track...
" and "All the Small Things".
2011: Victory and the Carnival Tour
On 6 April, Jedward began their second tour, the Bad Behaviour Tour, with a series of dates across Ireland.Jedward began recording tracks for a second album in early 2011. Jedward announced on 9 June that they had finished recording their second album. "Lipstick" and the second single "Bad Behaviour
Bad Behaviour (song)
"Bad Behaviour" is the second single from Irish pop rap duo Jedward's second studio album, Victory. The single was released on 1 July 2011 in Ireland, and 4 July 2011 in the United Kingdom. The single peaked at #1 on the Irish Singles Chart and at #60 on the UK Singles Chart.-Music video:The music...
" have both reached number one in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. On 23 June 2011, Jedward announced the track listing for their new album. The album consists entirely of original tracks, whereas Planet Jedward had featured only covers.
"Bad Behaviour
Bad Behaviour (song)
"Bad Behaviour" is the second single from Irish pop rap duo Jedward's second studio album, Victory. The single was released on 1 July 2011 in Ireland, and 4 July 2011 in the United Kingdom. The single peaked at #1 on the Irish Singles Chart and at #60 on the UK Singles Chart.-Music video:The music...
" became the second single from their new album and was released in most territories on 1 July along with an accompanying music video. On 7 July 2011, Jedward announced that the title of their new album would be Victory. The following day, "Bad Behaviour" became the twins' third single to go to number one in the Irish charts. The third single from Victory, entitled "Wow oh Wow", was released in Ireland on 18 November, and in the UK on 20 November 2011.
A new version of Planet Jedward was issued by the German branch of Univeral Music on 15 July, featuring a mix of tracks from the 2010 album and new songs from Victory. This European edition of Planet Jedward was subsequently released in several other countries. Victory went to number one in the Irish album charts on its release and remained there for two weeks. The album sold over 10,000 units in its first week, breaking the previous the record for first week album sales in Ireland which had been set by Lady Gaga
Lady GaGa
Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta , better known by her stage name Lady Gaga, is an American singer and songwriter. Born and raised in New York City, she primarily studied at the Convent of the Sacred Heart and briefly attended New York University's Tisch School of the Arts before withdrawing to...
.
In August 2011, the twins began the Carnival Tour with eight dates across Ireland. On 17 September Jedward played a concert in Sweden before travelling to Germany to play six dates around the country from 18-25 September A UK tour has been announced for 30 November to 6 December 2011 and a further set of concerts in Germany have been scheduled for January 2012.
2011 Eurovision Song Contest
Jedward were one of five acts bidding to represent IrelandIreland in the Eurovision Song Contest 2011
Ireland participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 2011 in Düsseldorf, Germany with the song "Lipstick" performed by Jedward. The song was selected by the Irish public through the national final Eurosong 2011 competition, organised by the Irish broadcaster, Raidió Teilifís Éireann .-Eurosong...
at the Eurovision Song Contest 2011
Eurovision Song Contest 2011
The Eurovision Song Contest 2011 was the 56th annual Eurovision Song Contest and was won by Eldar & Nigar performing "Running Scared" for Azerbaijan. The event took place in the Esprit Arena in Düsseldorf, Germany, following Germany's win in the previous year...
in Germany with their entry "Lipstick
Lipstick (Jedward song)
"Lipstick" is the third single released by Irish pop duo Jedward. It is the first song released from their second studio album, Victory. The song also represented Ireland at the Eurovision Song Contest 2011 in Düsseldorf, Germany. "Lipstick" was selected on 11 February 2011, following the...
". On 11 February 2011, they won the national selection, beating runner-up Nikki Kavanagh by two points. On 12 May, Jedward performed in the second semi-final in Dusseldorf, and were voted through to the final, which took place on 14 May. They finished in 8th position overall, with 119 points which is Ireland's best result since 2000. They also won the Marcel Bezençon Artistic Award as voted for by the 43 event commentators.
After the contest, "Lipstick" was released digitally across Europe, where it charted in many countries such as Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and most notably Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
where it peaked at number 3. The song also peaked at number 8 in the South Korea's international artists'
Gaon Chart
The Gaon Chart is a national record chart of South Korea. It is complied by the Korea Music Content Industry Association and sponsored by South Korea's Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism; with an aim to create a national chart for Korea similar to the Billboard charts and Oricon charts...
chart. "Lipstick" had featured in a Hyundai
Hyundai
Hyundai ) is a global conglomerate company, part of the Korean chaebol, that was founded in South Korea by one of the most famous businessmen in Korean history: Chung Ju-yung...
advertising campaign in South East Asia.
Shortly after Eurovision, on 23 May, Jedward performed in front of an audience of 60,000 people at College Green
College Green
College Green is a three-sided "square" in the centre of Dublin. On its northern side is a building known today as the Bank of Ireland which until 1800 was Ireland's Parliament House. To its east stands Trinity College Dublin, the only constituent college of the University of Dublin. To its south...
in Dublin City ahead of a speech by visiting U.S. President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
.
Celebrity Big Brother 2011
The twins took part in Celebrity Big Brother 2011Celebrity Big Brother 2011 (UK)
Celebrity Big Brother 2011 was the eighth series of Celebrity Big Brother and the first series of Big Brother UK to air on Channel 5. It launched on 18 August 2011 at 9 pm on Channel 5. It ran for 22 days concluding on 8 September 2011 and was followed by the twelfth regular series of Big Brother...
and finished in third place.
Advertising
In December 2009, Jedward fronted a radio campaign promoting Irish tourism in the UK. Although their voices were not heard, the duo are the butt of a series of comic commercials in which Tourism IrelandTourism Ireland
Tourism Ireland is the marketing body responsible for marketing the island of Ireland overseas...
apologised for "the haircuts, those PVC
Polyvinyl chloride
Polyvinyl chloride, commonly abbreviated PVC, is a thermoplastic polymer. It is a vinyl polymer constructed of repeating vinyl groups having one hydrogen replaced by chloride. Polyvinyl chloride is the third most widely produced plastic, after polyethylene and polypropylene. PVC is widely used in...
suits and the speaking bit in "Oops!... I Did It Again
Oops!... I Did It Again
Oops!...I Did It Again is the second studio album by American pop singer Britney Spears. The album was released on May 16, 2000 by Jive Records. The album became a commercial success after debuting at top position on the U.S. Billboard 200 selling over 1,319,193 units during its first week...
"". The twins are in talks to promote the Coco Pops cereal in Ireland, as well as the Coco Pops Fun Raise for Kids Campaign.
In 2010, Jedward fronted an advertising campaign for fast food chain Abrakebabra
Abrakebabra
Abrakebabra is an Irish fast food restaurant franchise chain owned by Abrakebabra Investments, established in 1982.When the first Abrakebabra restaurant was opened in Rathmines in Dublin, it attracted a young market because of its late opening hours and novel menu including kebabs and taco fries.In...
in Ireland. Following this they helped relaunch the Shake 'n' Vac
Shake 'n' Vac
Shake 'n' Vac is a powdered carpet freshener. The powder is shaken onto the carpet before vacuuming. It is currently marketed and sold in the United Kingdom by S. C...
brand for Glade alongside original Shake 'n' Vac actress Jenny Logan
Jenny Logan
Jenny Logan is an English actress, trained dancer and singer. Though she played WPC Sally Reed in the TV series Dixon of Dock Green between 1968 and 1969, she is perhaps best known for her appearances as the woman in the television commercial for the carpet freshener Shake'n'Vac which was shot in...
in a modern day remake of the popular 1980's advert. Jedward have also fronted advertising campaigns for East Midlands Trains
East Midlands Trains
East Midlands Trains is a British passenger train operating company. Based in Derby, it provides train services in the East Midlands, chiefly in the counties of Lincolnshire, South Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Derbyshire and Northamptonshire, and between the East Midlands and London...
, Rowntree's Randoms, Nintendo DS
Nintendo DS
The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP...
game Dragon Quest IX
Dragon Quest IX
is a role-playing video game for the Nintendo DS released on July 11, 2009 in Japan. It is the ninth and most recent installment in the acclaimed Dragon Quest series created by Yūji Horii. The game was developed by Level-5 and published by Square Enix in Japan and by Nintendo in North America and...
, and a Travel Supermarket commercial with comedian Omid Djalili
Omid Djalili
Omid Djalili is a British Iranian stand-up comedian, actor, television producer and writer.-Personal life:Djalili was born in Chelsea, London to Iranian Bahá'í parents and is a Bahá'í himself...
; the latter was later banned after advertising watchdogs agreed that the advert was misleading. As of August 2011 they have become the faces of an advertising campaign for mobile network 3 Ireland.
Television
Since March 2010, Jedward have been series regulars on the comedy panel show Celebrity JuiceCelebrity Juice
Celebrity Juice is a British television comedy panel game show on ITV2 that has been airing since 24 September, 2008. The show is presented by Keith Lemon, with regular captains Holly Willoughby and Fearne Cotton, alongside regular panellist Rufus Hound...
. Each week they appear in a pre-recorded VT
Videotape
A videotape is a recording of images and sounds on to magnetic tape as opposed to film stock or random access digital media. Videotapes are also used for storing scientific or medical data, such as the data produced by an electrocardiogram...
in which they compete against host Keith Lemon
Keith Lemon
-Background:In an interview, Francis claimed that Lemon is loosely based on his best friend. The character is easily distinguished by hiscamp demeanour, exaggerated Yorkshire accent, bleached mullet, ginger moustache and fake tan...
in various tasks.
On 14 September 2010, RTÉ
Raidió Teilifís Éireann
Raidió Teilifís Éireann is a semi-state company and the public service broadcaster of Ireland. It both produces programmes and broadcasts them on television, radio and the Internet. The radio service began on January 1, 1926, while regular television broadcasts began on December 31, 1961, making...
aired a one hour documentary entitled "OMG It's Jedward". It followed the twins on the promotional tour for the release of their album Planet Jedward
Planet Jedward
Planet Jedward is the debut studio album by Irish pop duo Jedward. The album was released on July 16, 2010.-Background:The album was released via Absolute Records, a minor subsidiary of the Universal Music Group label. Despite this, the twins' debut single, "Under Pressure ", was released by Sony...
. Two months after the show aired, it was released on DVD, and became the third best-selling Music DVD of the year in Ireland. On 12 May 2011, a 30 minute Eurovision special aired, documenting the twins as they prepared to represent Ireland in the 2011 Eurovision Song Contest
Eurovision Song Contest 2011
The Eurovision Song Contest 2011 was the 56th annual Eurovision Song Contest and was won by Eldar & Nigar performing "Running Scared" for Azerbaijan. The event took place in the Esprit Arena in Düsseldorf, Germany, following Germany's win in the previous year...
.
On 3 June 2011, they made an appearance during Antonio Popeye's act on Britain's Got Talent
Britain's Got Talent (series 5)
The fifth series of Britain's Got Talent began on 16 April 2011 and ended on 4 June 2011. The winner of the show was Jai McDowall, who received £100,000 and a place at the 2011 Royal Variety Performance. The show was hosted by Ant & Dec on ITV, while Stephen Mulhern presented Britain's Got More...
. They later on appeared in Britain's Got More Talent.
In December 2011, the duo will also front a new CBBC
CBBC
CBBC is one of two brand names used for the BBC's children's television strands. Between 1985 and 2002, CBBC was the name given to all the BBC's programmes on TV for children aged under 14...
show, called Jedward's Big Adventure. The twins will act as tour guides around several famous sites across the UK and attempt to lead a tour of genuine visitors. A second show, entitled OMG - Jedward's Dream Factory has also been announced for TRTÉ
TRTÉ
TRTÉ is a programming block which airs on RTÉ Two targeting children between 8 and 16 years of age. It operates along its sister strand RTÉjr, which targets children of less than 8 years of age. The strand also appears on RTÉ Junior....
.
Stage
Jedward performed at the Dublin Olympia TheatreOlympia Theatre, Dublin
The Olympia Theatre is a concert hall/theatre venue in Dublin, Ireland, located in Dame Street.-History:Built in 1879, it was originally called the "Star of Erin Music Hall". Two years later in 1881, it was renamed "Dan Lowrey's Music Hall" and was renamed again in 1889 to "Dan Lowrey's Palace of...
's pantomime
Pantomime
Pantomime — not to be confused with a mime artist, a theatrical performer of mime—is a musical-comedy theatrical production traditionally found in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Jamaica, South Africa, India, Ireland, Gibraltar and Malta, and is mostly performed during the...
Cinderella
Cinderella
"Cinderella; or, The Little Glass Slipper" is a folk tale embodying a myth-element of unjust oppression/triumphant reward. Thousands of variants are known throughout the world. The title character is a young woman living in unfortunate circumstances that are suddenly changed to remarkable fortune...
which took place from 22 December until 9 January 2011. They will return to the Olympia Theatre
Olympia Theatre, Dublin
The Olympia Theatre is a concert hall/theatre venue in Dublin, Ireland, located in Dame Street.-History:Built in 1879, it was originally called the "Star of Erin Music Hall". Two years later in 1881, it was renamed "Dan Lowrey's Music Hall" and was renamed again in 1889 to "Dan Lowrey's Palace of...
for the Christmas pantomime "Jedward & the Beanstalk" in December 2011.
Modelling
Jedward have also been signed to Next Models and appeared in fashion magazines such as i-DI-D
i-D is a British magazine dedicated to fashion, music, art and youth culture. i-D was founded by designer and former Vogue art director Terry Jones in 1980. The first issue was published in the form of a hand-stapled fanzine with text produced on a typewriter...
, Esquire
Esquire (magazine)
Esquire is a men's magazine, published in the U.S. by the Hearst Corporation. Founded in 1932, it flourished during the Great Depression under the guidance of founder and editor Arnold Gingrich.-History:...
and Grazia
Grazia
Grazia is an Italian weekly women's fashion and celebrity gossip magazine, with international editions printed in France, Serbia, Australia, United Kingdom, Greece, Portugal, Japan, the Netherlands, India, Bulgaria and Germany....
.
Reactions
Jedward have been subjects of commentary on social networkingSocial network service
A social networking service is an online service, platform, or site that focuses on building and reflecting of social networks or social relations among people, who, for example, share interests and/or activities. A social network service consists of a representation of each user , his/her social...
websites and in the media. Many celebrities have also commented on the Jedward phenomenon. Their fans include Peaches Geldof
Peaches Geldof
Peaches Honeyblossom Geldof is a British journalist, television presenter and model.-Background:Geldof was born in London in 1989, the second daughter of Bob Geldof and Paula Yates. She is the granddaughter of Hughie Green. Her sisters are Fifi Trixibelle Geldof and Pixie Geldof...
, Pixie Lott
Pixie Lott
Victoria Louise "Pixie" Lott is an English singer-songwriter, dancer and actress. Her debut single "Mama Do" was released in June 2009 and went straight to number one in the UK Singles Chart. Her second single "Boys and Girls", also topped the UK charts in September 2009. Her debut album Turn It...
, Westlife
Westlife
Westlife are an Irish boy band established on 3 July 1998. They are to disband in 2012. The group's line-up was Nicky Byrne, Kian Egan, Mark Feehily, Shane Filan, and Brian McFadden . The group are the only act in British and Irish history to have their first seven singles peak at number one...
and Robbie Williams
Robbie Williams
Robert Peter "Robbie" Williams is an English singer-songwriter, vocal coach and occasional actor. He is a member of the pop group Take That. Williams rose to fame in the band's first run in the early- to mid-1990s. After many disagreements with the management and certain group members, Williams...
. Taoiseach
Taoiseach
The Taoiseach is the head of government or prime minister of Ireland. The Taoiseach is appointed by the President upon the nomination of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas , and must, in order to remain in office, retain the support of a majority in the Dáil.The current Taoiseach is...
Brian Cowen
Brian Cowen
Brian Cowen is a former Irish politician who served as Taoiseach of Ireland from 7 May 2008 to 9 March 2011. He was head of a coalition government led by Fianna Fáil which until 23 January 2011 had the support of the Green Party and independent TDs.Cowen was also leader of Fianna Fáil from 7 May...
also backed the singers, while Leona Lewis
Leona Lewis
Leona Louise Lewis is a British singer and songwriter. Lewis first came to prominence in 2006 when she won the third series of the British television series The X Factor....
has said that she worries about them. Others have openly criticised them, with Liam Gallagher
Liam Gallagher
William John Paul "Liam" Gallagher is an English musician and singer-songwriter, the former frontman of the English rock band Oasis and currently of the band Beady Eye. Gallagher's erratic behaviour, distinctive singing style, and abrasive attitude have been the subject of commentary in the press...
stating: "How do you not smack them? I know all about annoying fucking brothers, but nobody comes close to them. What the fuck is happening to British music? And what are those things on their heads?" Queen
Queen (band)
Queen are a British rock band formed in London in 1971, originally consisting of Freddie Mercury , Brian May , John Deacon , and Roger Taylor...
guitarist Brian May
Brian May
Brian Harold May, CBE is an English musician and astrophysicist most widely known as the guitarist and a songwriter of the rock band Queen...
and drummer Roger Taylor
Roger Meddows-Taylor
Roger Meddows Taylor , known as Roger Taylor, is a British musician, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He is best known as the drummer, backing vocalist and occasional lead vocalist of British rock band Queen. As a drummer he is known for his "big" unique sound and is considered one of...
have both expressed their opinions about Jedward. On 6 November 2009, Taylor opined on BBC News
BBC News
BBC News is the department of the British Broadcasting Corporation responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs. The department is the world's largest broadcast news organisation and generates about 120 hours of radio and television output each day, as well as online...
that "They're not good singers. But you know... eight-year olds love them... you know there's nothing wrong with that – it's entertainment", while in week 6 of the X Factor live shows, when May and Taylor were the finalists' celebrity mentors, May told them "You have something, you really do have something." He also said that "People love them or hate them, that's always a good sign. If they're indifferent then forget it. Some people love you, some people hate you – you got something going for you."
Politicians in both Ireland and the UK have also made their feelings about Jedward heard. The two leading British political parties, Labour
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
and the Conservatives
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
, each released campaign posters parody
Parody
A parody , in current usage, is an imitative work created to mock, comment on, or trivialise an original work, its subject, author, style, or some other target, by means of humorous, satiric or ironic imitation...
ing the twins. Former Prime Minister Gordon Brown
Gordon Brown
James Gordon Brown is a British Labour Party politician who was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Labour Party from 2007 until 2010. He previously served as Chancellor of the Exchequer in the Labour Government from 1997 to 2007...
came under fire in November 2009 for describing Jedward as "not very good" and later apologised for doing so. Following this, Walsh stated "So Gordon Brown and Simon Cowell both have something in common: neither of them know what the public want." Current Prime Minister David Cameron
David Cameron
David William Donald Cameron is the current Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service and Leader of the Conservative Party. Cameron represents Witney as its Member of Parliament ....
admitted that he enjoyed watching The X Factor and that Jedward were his favourite act. Cameron also bought a t-shirt with their faces on it. The Irish Independent
Irish Independent
The Irish Independent is Ireland's largest-selling daily newspaper that is published in both compact and broadsheet formats. It is the flagship publication of Independent News & Media.-History:...
called Jedward "tone-deaf
Tone deafness
Tone deafness is the lack of relative pitch, or the inability to distinguish between musical notes that is not due to the lack of musical training or education...
twins", even though the pair were voted more popular than The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
in a teenage poll. Followers of Jedward, in popular culture, are often referred to as being in possession of the "JW Gene", publicized by comedian Harry Evans.
Awards
Towards the end of 2009, John & Edward were nominated for "Funniest Double Act" at the Loaded Laftas Awards, competing with 6 Music comedy duos Alexander ArmstrongAlexander Armstrong (comedian)
Alexander Henry Fenwick Armstrong is a British comedian, actor and television presenter.-Early life and career:Armstrong was born in Rothbury, Northumberland, the youngest of three children, to Henry Angus Armstrong and his wife Emma Virginia Peronnet Thompson-McCausland, daughter of Lucius...
and Ben Miller
Ben Miller
Bennet Evan "Ben" Miller is an English comedian, actor and director. He is perhaps best known as one half of comedy double act Armstrong and Miller, along with Alexander Armstrong. Together the pair wrote and starred in Channel 4 sketch show Armstrong and Miller, and the more recent BBC television...
, Vic Reeves
Vic Reeves
James Roderick Moir , better known by the stage name Vic Reeves, is an English comedian, best known for his double act with Bob Mortimer . He is known for his surreal and non sequitur sense of humour....
and Bob Mortimer
Bob Mortimer
Robert "Bob" Renwick Mortimer is an English comedian and actor, who is best known for his double act with Vic Reeves...
, and presenters Adam and Joe, but lost out to Reeves and Mortimer.
At the end of 2009, Jedward were placed third in BBC Three
BBC Three
BBC Three is a television network from the BBC broadcasting via digital cable, terrestrial, IPTV and satellite platforms. The channel's target audience includes those in the 16-34 year old age group, and has the purpose of providing "innovative" content to younger audiences, focusing on new talent...
's The Most Annoying People of 2009
The Most Annoying People of 2009
The Most Annoying People of 2009 was broadcast on BBC Three on 27–28 December 2009 and narrated by Richard Bacon.-The top ten:...
following "the overexposure they received during their time on The X Factor". In The Most Annoying People of 2010
The Most Annoying People of 2010
The Most Annoying People of 2010 was broadcast on BBC Three on 27-28 Dcember 2010 and narrated by Richard Bacon.-The top ten:...
, they were placed second (behind the England football team
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
) for "becoming successful and being everywhere on TV".
The Irish Tourism "Apology for Jedward" commercial won a silver award in the Best Single Promotion category at the Sony Radio Academy Awards
Sony Radio Academy Awards
The Sony Radio Academy Awards , started in 1983, are some of the most prestigious awards in the British radio industry. They are run by ZAFER Associates in association with the Radio Academy...
. A year later, Jedward were awarded the Marcel Bezençon Artistic Award- as voted by commentators – when they took part in the Eurovision Song Contest 2011
Eurovision Song Contest 2011
The Eurovision Song Contest 2011 was the 56th annual Eurovision Song Contest and was won by Eldar & Nigar performing "Running Scared" for Azerbaijan. The event took place in the Esprit Arena in Düsseldorf, Germany, following Germany's win in the previous year...
in Germany.
Studio albums
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | Certifications | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IRL Irish Albums Chart The Irish Albums Chart is the Irish music industry standard albums popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on its behalf by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured electronically... |
SWE Sverigetopplistan Sverigetopplistan, earlier known as Topplistan and Hitlistan and other names, is since October 2007 the Swedish national record chart, based on sales data from Swedish Recording Industry Association .... |
GER Media Control Charts The official music charts in Germany are gathered and published by the company Media Control GfK International on behalf of Bundesverband Musikindustrie... |
AUT |
EST Estonia Estonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies... |
UK UK Albums Chart The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart... |
|||
| Planet Jedward Planet Jedward Planet Jedward is the debut studio album by Irish pop duo Jedward. The album was released on July 16, 2010.-Background:The album was released via Absolute Records, a minor subsidiary of the Universal Music Group label. Despite this, the twins' debut single, "Under Pressure ", was released by Sony... |
|
1 | 15 | 51 | 53 | 6 | 17 |
International Recording Media Association The International Recording Media Association , previously known as the International Tape Association , is an international trade association dealing with every facet of recording, media and related industries... : 2× Platinum |
| Victory Victory (Jedward album) Victory is the second album by Irish pop duo Jedward. The album was released on August 5, 2011 in Ireland and on August 15, 2011 in the United Kingdom.-Background:Jedward began recording tracks for the album in January 2011... |
15 August 2011 (UK) |
1 | — | — | — | — | 34 | |
Singles
| Single | Year | Peak chart positions | Album | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IRL Irish Singles Chart The Irish Singles Chart is Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured... |
AUT |
BEL (FL) Ultratop 50 Ultratop 50 singles, often just Ultratop 50, is the weekly chart of fifty best-selling singles in Flanders, Belgium, and is produced and published by the Ultratop organization. The chart has existed since March 31, 1995... |
BEL (WL) Ultratop 40 Ultratop 40 singles, often just Ultratop 40, is the weekly chart of best-selling singles in Wallonia and Brussels Capital Region, the french-speaking parts of Belgium. Its equivalent covering the Flanders region is Ultratop 50. Both charts are produced and published by the Ultratop organization... |
GER Media Control Charts The official music charts in Germany are gathered and published by the company Media Control GfK International on behalf of Bundesverband Musikindustrie... |
FIN |
NL MegaCharts MegaCharts is responsible for the composition and exploitation of a broad collection of official charts in the Netherlands, of which the Mega Top 50 and the Mega Album Top 100 are the most known ones. Mega Charts also provides information to the Stichting Nederlandse Top 40, of which the Dutch Top... |
SWE Sverigetopplistan Sverigetopplistan, earlier known as Topplistan and Hitlistan and other names, is since October 2007 the Swedish national record chart, based on sales data from Swedish Recording Industry Association .... |
SWI Swiss Music Charts The Swiss Music Charts are Switzerland's main music sales charts. The charts are a record of the highest-selling singles and albums in various genres in Switzerland.The Swiss Charts include:* Singles Top 75... |
UK UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
|||||
| "Under Pressure (Ice Ice Baby) Under Pressure (Ice Ice Baby) "Under Pressure " is the debut single by Irish pop duo Jedward. The song is a mashup of "Under Pressure", originally recorded in 1981 by Queen and David Bowie, and "Ice Ice Baby", recorded by Vanilla Ice in 1989. Vanilla Ice also provides vocals for the track... " |
2010 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | Planet Jedward | ||
| "All the Small Things All the Small Things "All the Small Things" is a song by American pop punk band Blink-182. It was the second single released from the band's third album Enema of the State... " |
21 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 80 | ||||
| "Lipstick Lipstick (Jedward song) "Lipstick" is the third single released by Irish pop duo Jedward. It is the first song released from their second studio album, Victory. The song also represented Ireland at the Eurovision Song Contest 2011 in Düsseldorf, Germany. "Lipstick" was selected on 11 February 2011, following the... " |
2011 | 1 | 3 | 14 | 26 | 12 | 22 | 84 | 11 | 28 | 40 | Victory | ||
| "Bad Behaviour Bad Behaviour (song) "Bad Behaviour" is the second single from Irish pop rap duo Jedward's second studio album, Victory. The single was released on 1 July 2011 in Ireland, and 4 July 2011 in the United Kingdom. The single peaked at #1 on the Irish Singles Chart and at #60 on the UK Singles Chart.-Music video:The music... " |
1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 60 | ||||
| "Wow Oh Wow" | 18 November 2011 | |||||||||||||
| As featured artist | ||||||||||||||
| "You Are Not Alone" (with The X Factor finalists) |
2009 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | Single-only release | ||
| "—" denotes single that did not chart or was not released in that country | ||||||||||||||