Mary Byrne (singer)

Mary Byrne
Birth nameMary Byrne
Born (1959-11-03) 3 November 1959 (age 65)
Ballyfermot, Dublin, Ireland
Genres
OccupationSinger
InstrumentVocals
Years active2010–present
LabelsSony Music (2010–11)
Universal Music (2011–12)
Decca Records (2011—)

Mary Byrne (born 3 November 1959) is a top 10 selling Irish singer and TV presenter based in Ireland and the UK. Mary rose to fame in 2010 after becoming a finalist on the seventh series of The X Factor. After finishing fifth on the show, she signed a record deal with Sony Music Ireland.[1] Byrne and her fellow The X Factor finalists gained a number-one single on the UK Singles Chart and the Irish Singles Chart with a cover of David Bowie's "'Heroes'" in aid of Help for Heroes.[2]

She was also Neil Diamond's special guest at the Aviva Stadium, where she performed in front of 55,000 people.[3] In August 2011, Byrne appeared in GREASE: The Musical at the Grand Canal Theatre in Dublin.[4] She began work on an autobiography, This Is My Life, and was released on 21 October 2011 in the UK and Ireland.[5] Mary decided to leave Sony Music as she accepted a new record deal offer with Decca Music and Universal Music, who are confident they can "get her music career up and off the ground". She has produced her second album, called ...with Love.[6] In 2012, Byrne appeared on Celebrity Bainisteoir.[7] Mary is also the main presenter on 3 networks panel show Midday, a show that airs live weekdays in Ireland and follows a format such as the ITV series Loose Women. She is also a co-presenter on the talk show Elaine Crowley.

  1. ^ Carbery, Genevieve (8 December 2010). "'X Factor' Mary signs record deal". The Irish Times. Retrieved 20 March 2011.
  2. ^ "Newsbeat – X Factor: Finalists cover David Bowie for charity". BBC. 15 October 2010. Retrieved 1 April 2011.
  3. ^ "X Factor star Mary Byrne confirmed as support act for Neil Diamond at The Aviva Stadium!". Music Scene. 28 March 2011. Retrieved 22 November 2013.
  4. ^ "Sunday World". www.sundayworld.com. Archived from the original on 2 April 2012.
  5. ^ This Is My Life: Amazon.co.uk: Mary Byrne: 9781847173102: Books. ASIN 1847173101.
  6. ^ "Music Review | Ed Case – Ed's Guest List". entertainment.ie. Archived from the original on 8 March 2012. Retrieved 9 August 2013.
  7. ^ "Rozanna Purcell takes charge of Tipp team for Celebrity Bainisteoir". Irish Independent. Independent News & Media. 24 July 2012. Retrieved 24 July 2012. Rozanna joins model Pippa O'Connor who will coach Naomh Brid from Ballintra, Co. Donegal while her husband, presenter Brian Ormand, will manage St. Mary's from Rochfortbridge in Co. Westmeath. X Factor star Mary Byrne is coaching a team from Tullow, Co Carlow and reality TV stars Calum Best and Paddy Doherty are also set to join the programme.