Steve Brookstein
Encyclopedia
Steve Brookstein is an English jazz and soul
singer
, who rose to fame in the UK
in 2004 after winning the first series of The X Factor
. He is originally from Mitcham
, South London
.
.
). His audition failed to impress two of the judges, Sharon Osbourne
and Louis Walsh
, who thought he lacked the motivation and confidence to succeed but the third, Simon Cowell
, thought he was "that good" that he asked Brookstein to return the following day and sing again. At the second audition, Brookstein managed to impress the other judges and was put through to the next stage of the competition. He went on to reach the live shows, where contestants are put to the public vote, as one of three contestants in the Over 25s category mentored by Cowell. He reached the grand final on 11 December 2004 alongside G4
, and won despite a controversial outburst against him from Osbourne. However, according to Sharon Osbourne's subsequent autobiography, he had gained the most votes in every single one of the live shows. For five years, he held the record for the greatest number of votes ever received in the final - 6 million, but this is now held by series 6 winner Joe McElderry, who received over 6.1 million votes.
" on 20 December 2004. The song debuted on the UK Singles Chart at number 2 and then climbed to number 1 on 2 January 2005, staying there for one week. In Ireland, the song peaked at number 11. The music video for the song was a montage of clips from his time on The X Factor, from his initial audition to his final performance after being declared the winner.
Brookstein released his debut album Heart and Soul
on 9 May 2005 through Sony BMG. The album was a success, also debuting on the UK charts at number one and going on to sell approximately 250,000 copies. Although Brookstein continued to perform tracks from the album on television shows such as CD:UK
, a second single failed to materialise. In August 2005 it was announced that Sony BMG had dropped him from their line-up only eight months after his X Factor victory and despite the success of his debut single and album. Brookstein maintains that the decision to 'drop' him reportedly came after he was offered a second album and to come back on the show, which he declined as it was to be another album of covers and he preferred a mix of old and new.
Portsmouth
to Bilbao
ship for cruisers, alongside The X Factor series 2 alumni Chico Slimani
and Journey South
. In September 2007, Brookstein embarked on his Great American Soul Book tour, and in October he recorded and contributed the track "Head Over Heels" for Ian Levine
's Disco 2008 album. He is currently writing and recording new material. Jack Massarik, reviewer for the Evening Standard, described Brookstein's performance at a show at the Soho Jazz Club thus: "His short-noted delivery, virile yet high-pitched and tremulous with barely contained passion, recalled the late Otis Redding".
In 2008, he played 'the father' in a touring production of the award-winning musical Our House
.
In 2009, he was working on producing his wife Eileen Hunter's jazz album and performing at smaller venues such as Pizza Express
in Maidstone
. He also recorded a cover of Promised Land with the Boogie Pimps
which was a best-seller for the label, Liberty Records, reaching number 6 in the club charts.
In March 2010, Brookstein performed at a pub in Cornwall where punters paid £2.50 to hear him sing - the charge was waived if you bought "a pint and a pie", with his two albums on sale for £3 each. The gig was dubbed a sell-out. In May 2010, he was voted the biggest reality flop of all time by 1,286 visitors to second-hand goods website Pre Loved, topping the poll with 87%.
and The X Factor, claiming "there is absolutely no way he would want me within 100 miles of him" and admitting spending years feeling bitter about the way he was treated on the show. In 2005, eight months after being dropped from his record label, Brookstein publicly attacked The X Factor, claiming the show was "one big theatre... turning music into the WWF
" and that it was "killing music".
In December 2009, when a Facebook campaign was launched to stop The X Factor winner from achieving the coveted Christmas number 1 spot, Brookstein backed the campaign to see Rage Against the Machine
's "Killing in the Name
" reach the top of the chart, blasting Cowell in an online rant. He further attacked Cowell claiming the latter "ruined Christmas" and that he was dropped from his record label because he "wouldn't play the game". Brookstein also claimed the show was staged and the winner was fixed, and was subsequently removed from the official The X Factor website following those comments. He is currently writing a tell-all book entitled X Factor Nightmares: The Manipulations. The Greed. The Deceptions about the show.
Despite Brookstein's bitterness towards The X Factor, he signed up to critique the show weekly on London 24 in 2010, where he labelled the judges "ridiculous" and questioned the standards of several of the finalists and the vocal coach.
Brookstein is married to jazz performer Eileen Hunter.
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
singer
Singing
Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, who rose to fame in the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
in 2004 after winning the first series 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...
. He is originally from Mitcham
Mitcham
Mitcham is a district in the south west area of London, in the London Borough of Merton. A suburban area, Mitcham is located on the border of Inner London and Outer London. It is both residentially and financially developed, well served by Transport for London, and home to Mitcham Town Centre,...
, South London
South London
South London is the southern part of London, England, United Kingdom.According to the 2011 official Boundary Commission for England definition, South London includes the London boroughs of Bexley, Bromley, Croydon, Greenwich, Kingston, Lambeth, Lewisham, Merton, Southwark, Sutton and...
.
1997
In 1997, seven years before his breakthrough on The X Factor, Brookstein was a finalist on the ITV series The Big Big Talent Show, hosted by Jonathan RossJonathan Ross
Jonathan Ross may refer to:* Jonathan Ross , English television and radio personality* Jonathan Ross , United States Senator, Justice of the Vermont Supreme Court* Jonathon Ross , former Australian rules footballer...
.
2004: The X Factor
In early 2004, Brookstein auditioned for the first series of The X Factor, a new television talent show that aimed to discover a star recording artist in the UK (effectively replacing Pop IdolPop Idol
Pop Idol is a British television series which debuted on ITV on 6 October 2001. The show was a talent contest to decide the best new young pop singer in the United Kingdom, based on viewer voting and participation. Two series were broadcast - one in 2001-02 and a second in 2003...
). His audition failed to impress two of the judges, Sharon Osbourne
Sharon Osbourne
Sharon Rachel Osbourne is an English television host, author, music manager, businesswoman and promoter as well as the wife of heavy metal singer-songwriter Ozzy Osbourne....
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:...
, who thought he lacked the motivation and confidence to succeed but the third, 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...
, thought he was "that good" that he asked Brookstein to return the following day and sing again. At the second audition, Brookstein managed to impress the other judges and was put through to the next stage of the competition. He went on to reach the live shows, where contestants are put to the public vote, as one of three contestants in the Over 25s category mentored by Cowell. He reached the grand final on 11 December 2004 alongside G4
G4 (band)
G4 were a four-piece British vocal troupe who first came to prominence when they finished second in ITV's talent show The X Factor in 2004. The members met at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, from which the name G4, standing for "Guildhall 4", derives.-The X Factor:G4 auditioned for the...
, and won despite a controversial outburst against him from Osbourne. However, according to Sharon Osbourne's subsequent autobiography, he had gained the most votes in every single one of the live shows. For five years, he held the record for the greatest number of votes ever received in the final - 6 million, but this is now held by series 6 winner Joe McElderry, who received over 6.1 million votes.
2004–2006: Heart and Soul
After winning The X Factor, Brookstein was immediately signed to the Sony BMG record label through which he released his first single, a cover of "Against All OddsAgainst All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)
"Against All Odds " is a song by British singer Phil Collins recorded for soundtrack to the 1984 film of the same name. It is a power ballad in which its protagonist implores an ex-lover to "take a look at me now", knowing that reconciliation is "against all odds" while considering it worth trying...
" on 20 December 2004. The song debuted on the UK Singles Chart at number 2 and then climbed to number 1 on 2 January 2005, staying there for one week. In Ireland, the song peaked at number 11. The music video for the song was a montage of clips from his time on The X Factor, from his initial audition to his final performance after being declared the winner.
Brookstein released his debut album Heart and Soul
Heart and Soul (Steve Brookstein album)
Heart and Soul is the debut album from X Factor winner Steve Brookstein, released in May 2005. It was released only several months after his X Factor win and therefore he opted to produce a record of cover songs of classic soul and jazz songs, including "If You Don't Know Me By Now" and his debut...
on 9 May 2005 through Sony BMG. The album was a success, also debuting on the UK charts at number one and going on to sell approximately 250,000 copies. Although Brookstein continued to perform tracks from the album on television shows such as CD:UK
CD:UK
CD:UK was a British music television programme. Originally run in conjunction with SMTV Live, the programme was first aired on ITV on 29 August 1998 to rival the BBC's Live & Kicking and was the replacement for The Chart Show, which had been airing on the network for nine and a half years.In...
, a second single failed to materialise. In August 2005 it was announced that Sony BMG had dropped him from their line-up only eight months after his X Factor victory and despite the success of his debut single and album. Brookstein maintains that the decision to 'drop' him reportedly came after he was offered a second album and to come back on the show, which he declined as it was to be another album of covers and he preferred a mix of old and new.
2006: 40,000 Things
After being released from his contract by Sony BMG, Brookstein spent the next year writing his own material and forming his own record label. On 2 October 2006, he released his second single, "Fighting Butterflies", independently. Although accompanied and promoted by a music video, the song failed to chart in the UK Top 75. Undeterred, Brookstein released his second album, 40,000 Things, on 9 October 2006. However, the album also failed to chart. From September to November 2006, Brookstein embarked on a nationwide tour of small venues in order to promote 40,000 Things. Many of the shows were sold out, but several had to be cancelled due to low ticket sales.2007–present
In June 2007, Brookstein appeared on the P&OP&O Ferries
P&O Ferries is the current name for the amalgamation of a range of ferry services that operated from the United Kingdom to Ireland and Continental Europe...
Portsmouth
Portsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
to Bilbao
Bilbao
Bilbao ) is a Spanish municipality, capital of the province of Biscay, in the autonomous community of the Basque Country. With a population of 353,187 , it is the largest city of its autonomous community and the tenth largest in Spain...
ship for cruisers, alongside The X Factor series 2 alumni Chico Slimani
Chico Slimani
Yousseph "Chico" Slimani is a Welsh born singer of Moroccan descent who rose to prominence in the United Kingdom after reaching the quarter-finals of the 2005 series of the talent show The X Factor. In 2006, he had a number 1 hit on the British charts entitled "It's Chico Time"...
and Journey South
Journey South
Journey South are an English singing duo, consisting of brothers Andy and Carl Pemberton. They are originally from Middlesbrough, Teesside, and performed in pubs and clubs throughout the United Kingdom for over eight years, prior to achieving third place on the second UK series of television talent...
. In September 2007, Brookstein embarked on his Great American Soul Book tour, and in October he recorded and contributed the track "Head Over Heels" for Ian Levine
Ian Levine
Ian Levine is an English songwriter, producer, and DJ. He is also a well-known fan of the long-running television show Doctor Who.Levine attended Arnold School in Blackpool from 1963 to 1970...
's Disco 2008 album. He is currently writing and recording new material. Jack Massarik, reviewer for the Evening Standard, described Brookstein's performance at a show at the Soho Jazz Club thus: "His short-noted delivery, virile yet high-pitched and tremulous with barely contained passion, recalled the late Otis Redding".
In 2008, he played 'the father' in a touring production of the award-winning musical Our House
Our House (musical)
Our House is a musical with music and lyrics from Madness and the book by Tim Firth. The show featured songs from the ska/pop band Madness, and was named after one of their popular hit singles, "Our House"...
.
In 2009, he was working on producing his wife Eileen Hunter's jazz album and performing at smaller venues such as Pizza Express
Pizza Express
PizzaExpress is a restaurant group with over 400 restaurants across the United Kingdom and 40 overseas in China, Europe, Hong Kong, Japan and the Middle East. It was founded in 1965 by Peter Boizot.In Ireland, PizzaExpress trades under the name Milano....
in Maidstone
Maidstone
Maidstone is the county town of Kent, England, south-east of London. The River Medway runs through the centre of the town linking Maidstone to Rochester and the Thames Estuary. Historically, the river was a source and route for much of the town's trade. Maidstone was the centre of the agricultural...
. He also recorded a cover of Promised Land with the Boogie Pimps
Boogie Pimps
Boogie Pimps are an electronic music duo from Erfurt, Germany. It was formed by the two DJs Mark J Klak and Mirko Jacob.Their collaboration started in 2000, when Mirko Jacob started performing in Klak's JoueJoueClub in Erfurt...
which was a best-seller for the label, Liberty Records, reaching number 6 in the club charts.
In March 2010, Brookstein performed at a pub in Cornwall where punters paid £2.50 to hear him sing - the charge was waived if you bought "a pint and a pie", with his two albums on sale for £3 each. The gig was dubbed a sell-out. In May 2010, he was voted the biggest reality flop of all time by 1,286 visitors to second-hand goods website Pre Loved, topping the poll with 87%.
Personal life
Brookstein has been very vocal in his public feud with Simon CowellSimon 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...
and The X Factor, claiming "there is absolutely no way he would want me within 100 miles of him" and admitting spending years feeling bitter about the way he was treated on the show. In 2005, eight months after being dropped from his record label, Brookstein publicly attacked The X Factor, claiming the show was "one big theatre... turning music into the WWF
World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
" and that it was "killing music".
In December 2009, when a Facebook campaign was launched to stop The X Factor winner from achieving the coveted Christmas number 1 spot, Brookstein backed the campaign to see Rage Against the Machine
Rage Against the Machine
Rage Against the Machine is an American rock band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1991, the group's line-up consists of vocalist Zack de la Rocha, bassist and backing vocalist Tim Commerford, guitarist Tom Morello and drummer Brad Wilk...
's "Killing in the Name
Killing in the Name
"Killing in the Name" is a song by American rap metal band Rage Against the Machine, featured on their self-titled debut album, and was released as the lead single from the album in November 1992...
" reach the top of the chart, blasting Cowell in an online rant. He further attacked Cowell claiming the latter "ruined Christmas" and that he was dropped from his record label because he "wouldn't play the game". Brookstein also claimed the show was staged and the winner was fixed, and was subsequently removed from the official The X Factor website following those comments. He is currently writing a tell-all book entitled X Factor Nightmares: The Manipulations. The Greed. The Deceptions about the show.
Despite Brookstein's bitterness towards The X Factor, he signed up to critique the show weekly on London 24 in 2010, where he labelled the judges "ridiculous" and questioned the standards of several of the finalists and the vocal coach.
Brookstein is married to jazz performer Eileen Hunter.
Albums
| Year | Information | 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... |
IRE 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... |
Sales and Certifications |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Heart and Soul Heart and Soul (Steve Brookstein album) Heart and Soul is the debut album from X Factor winner Steve Brookstein, released in May 2005. It was released only several months after his X Factor win and therefore he opted to produce a record of cover songs of classic soul and jazz songs, including "If You Don't Know Me By Now" and his debut...
|
1 | 20 | U.K sales: 105,016
BPI British Phonographic Industry The British Phonographic Industry is the British record industry's trade association.-Structure:Its membership comprises hundreds of music companies including all four "major" record companies , associate members such as manufacturers and distributors, and hundreds of independent music companies... : Silver |
| 2006 | 40,000 Things
|
165 | - | U.K sales: 7,000
BPI British Phonographic Industry The British Phonographic Industry is the British record industry's trade association.-Structure:Its membership comprises hundreds of music companies including all four "major" record companies , associate members such as manufacturers and distributors, and hundreds of independent music companies... : N/A |
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart Positions | Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 ... |
IRE 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... |
|||
| 2004 | "Against All Odds" | 1 | 11 | Heart and Soul |
| 2006 | "Fighting Butterflies" | 193 | - | 40,000 Things |
| 2010 | "Don't Give Up" | - | - | - |
Tours
- The X Factor Live! Tour 2005
- The 40,000 Things Tour 2006
- The Great American Soul Book Tour 2007