Marcus Collins

In 2007, English vocalist Marcus Collins joined Eton Road, a group that had previously competed during the third series of The X Factor. The singer left the group within a year, became a hairdresser, and eventually opted to pursue a solo career. He was a contestant in series eight of The X Factor and made it to the final after ingratiating himself with a broad range of covers, including "Moves Like Jagger" (Maroon 5), "Russian Roulette" (Rihanna), "Are You Gonna Go My Way" (Lenny Kravitz), and "(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher" (popularized by Jackie Wilson). Although he advanced to the final, Collins was eliminated by female quartet Little Mix. X Factor mentor Gary Barlow (Take That) initiated a close working relationship with him, and he signed to the RCA label, where he quickly got to work on his debut album. With a January 2012-released cover of the White Stripes' "Seven Nation Army" as its lead single, Marcus Collins was issued in March 2012, featuring collaborations with Barlow and Swedish production team StarGate, as well as a fresh studio version of "(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher" and a cover of Janelle Monáe's "Tightrope." ~ Andy Kellman