Ray Quinn Tickets

Ray Quinn
Born on August 25, 1988, in Knowley, Merseyside, Raymond Arthur Quinn, is an English actor and singer. Raymond Quinn attended Rudston Junior School in Childwall, which is also where he currently lives. He also attended Children Casting School in West Derby, Liverpool, from a very young age.

His singing coach, Suzanne Taylor, was a major influence in his early life. Ray had become quite unpopular in school and left with very few friends because of his old soul and the type of music he'd become accustomed to. Ray described his school life as humming my favourite songs in the corner of the playground whilst all the other lads would be playing football or other things that teenagers would get up to. In accordance to his interests, Quinn went on to study Performing Arts at college for a one-year course.

Acting Career
Having gotten quite well known for playing teenager Anthony Murray in the Channel 4 soap opera Brookside, which was also his first major role in TV, Quinn picked up several awards for a storyline which involved him killing a teenage girl who had been bullying him. . He even managed to win himself a UK Soap Award in 2002 for Best Dramatic Performance and the storyline he was part of won Best storyline of 2003.

His numerous awards include in 2002, the Best Dramatic Performance, The British Soap Awards; in 2002 again for the Best Storyline, The British Soap Awards and Best Young Actor, Inside Soap Awards. In 2005, he won the Manchester Talent Competition, winning ?5000 prize money. He has been in a children's drama called The Singing Cactus. Along with being a superb award-winning actor, Ray also loves to sing and entertain.

On 16th December 2006, Ray emerged as runner up on ITV's talent show, The X Factor, which was no mean feat, but a huge achievement for this chap, since there are 100,000s of contestants in this UK based television program. Along with winning the Manchester Talent Competition, Search for a Star, Ray's proudest moments have been performing in Liverpool's Philharmonic Hall for a Tsunami Aid concert.

Singing Career
In the third series of ITV's Talent Show, The X Factor, Quinn was runner up to Leona Lewis. He participated in The X Factor UK and Ireland Tour during February and March of 2007 After X Factor, Quinn was signed by Sony BMG and on January 16, 2007 recorded a hit album at the Capitol Records Tower in Los Angeles. His debut album Doing It My Way was released 12 March 2007, the same day as fellow X Factor finalist Ben Mills. Having gone to gold in the first week, his debut album went straight to number one in the UK charts. Released on 18 July 2007, Mr. Bojangles/I Will Survive is a double A-Side single. The Gloria Gaynor covers of I Will Survive, being a new track, is not on the album.

He was in Simon Cowell's category, the 16-24s. Initially, Quinn didn't make Cowell's final seven, but Cowell felt he had made a mistake, and expanded the final seven to a final eight, including Quinn. Quinn was eventually chosen to be in Simon's final four, and went through to the live rounds on Saturday nights and eventually to the final itself.

Ray will embark on his own solo tour in October 2007. On music channel Smash Hits, Ray appeared at 30 in Chantelles Top 50 Reality TV Stars.

Advertising Career
Wella Hair Products offered Ray a ?100,000 deal to face their hair products due to his success on The X Factor. He would hence, be appearing in a series of advertisements for hair gels and creams over the next few months. Gareth Gates was offered a similar deal after coming second in the first series of Pop Idol.

Ray Quinn first came to prominence playing teenager Anthony Murray in Brookside, but his career has since taken a new direction when he finished as runner up in last year's X Factor. He spoke to Jase and Mel about his upcoming gig at the CIA next month and gave his thoughts on this year's X Factor.