Rhydian Roberts Explained

Rhydian Roberts
Birth Name:	Rhydian James Roberts
Birth Date:	1983 2, df=y
Birth Place:	Sennybridge, Wales
Genre:	Musical theatre, classical crossover, opera, Operatic pop, Wagnerian rock
Occupation:	Singer, musical theatre actor, television presenter
Years Active:	2007–2023 (announced retirement)
Label:	Sony, Syco, Conehead

Rhydian James Roberts (born 14 February 1983), also known mononymously as Rhydian, is a Welsh former baritone singer, television presenter and musical theatre actor. He rose to fame in series 4 of The X Factor (2007), and subsequently became less widely known. Rhydian Roberts retired from performing in February 2023 with a farewell album.^[1] He is currently an artist manager at Neil O'Brien Entertainment.^[1]

Early years

Born in Sennybridge, Rhydian attended the Pontsenni Cylch Meithrin in Brecon and then Ysgol y Bannau Welsh medium school. He played rugby union for the Gwernyfed rugby football club as a junior and later for his school, as well as cricket for Powys County Junior teams.^{[2] [3]} Following a gap year teaching in a small school in South Africa, Rhydian won a bursary to the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire at the University of Central England.^[4]

Career

The X Factor

Rhydian has said: "I'm very proud of what I achieved on X Factor.^[5] I'm a showman and it gave me the chance to put on a show". Amongst other songs, he sang:

• A full theatrical account of "The Phantom of the Opera"
• "Get the Party Started"^[6]
• "Go West"^[7]

During the live stages of competition, eventually his "trademark white hair and flamboyant dress sense made him an audience favourite."^[8] His version of "The Impossible Dream" became the keynote track on his first album.^[9]

Rhydian's performances and results on The X Factor
Episode	Theme	Song	Result
Audition	Free choice	"Love to Me" \ "Dancing Queen"	Advanced
Bootcamp 1		"Delilah"	Advanced
Bootcamp 2		"Let It Be"	Advanced
Judges' houses	Free choice	"Somebody to Love"	Advanced
Week 1	Number Ones	"I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)"	Safe
Week 2	Film Themes	"The Phantom of the Opera"	Safe
Week 3	Big Band	"Get the Party Started"	Safe
Week 4	21st Century Classics	"You Raise Me Up"	Safe
Week 5	Disco	"Go West"	Safe
Week 6	Love Songs	"Somewhere"	Safe
Week 7	British Classics	"Somebody to Love"	Safe
		"I Vow to Thee, My Country" \ "World in Union"
Week 8: Semi final	Mentor's choice	"Bridge over Troubled Water"	Safe
	Contestants' choice	"You'll Never Walk Alone"
Week 9: Final	Christmas Songs	"O Holy Night"	Runner-up
	Celebrity Duets	"You Raise Me Up" (with Katherine Jenkins)
	Song of the Series	"Somewhere"
	Winner's single	"When You Believe"

Recordings

• 2008's highest-selling album by a male newcomer (600,000 copies), was Rhydian's eponymous debut, Rhydian. It incorporated material by Jim Steinman^{[10] [11]}
• His second, O Fortuna (2009), co-produced by composer Karl Jenkins,^[12] included duets with Kiri te Kanawa and Bryn Terfel. Rhydian was a guest on Morriston Orpheus Choir's CD To Where You Are (Sain, 2011).^[13]
• There were two further albums during 2011: Waves, with covers of classic 1980s pop^{[14] [15]} and Caneuon Cymraeg (Welsh Songs), a mix of classic Welsh songs and original songs.
• Returning to his core repertoire of classics and pop anthems, Rhydian's fifth album, One Day Like This featured duets with Kerry Ellis and Bonnie Tyler.^[16] Within a week of release, it topped the Official Classical Album Chart, occupying the spot for ten weeks. It also reached 19 in the UK Albums Chart,^[17] and topped the Classic FM Chart.^[17]
• In 2015, he released Carry the Fire, an album inspired by the Rugby World Cup 2015. It included his version of "World In Union" - which was the official song of the Rugby World Cup - and songs related to all of the Home Nations.^[18]
• His seventh album, The Long Road, was released in 2018 and added to Spotify in 2020. It includes covers of "Castle on the Hill" by Ed Sheeran, and "The Sound of Silence" by Paul Simon.
• Rhydian's eighth album was released in February 2023, and became his second album to top the UK Classical Albums Chart (after One Day Like This).^[19] He has announced it will be his final studio album, before ending his recording career with a Greatest Hits album later in the year.^[20]

Concerts, galas and solo tours

• Rhydian toured the UK in 2008, 2013 and 2014–15. His third tour was names after his fifth record album, "One Day Like This".^[21]
• During 2018 he toured the UK in Les Musicals, co-starring with Jonathan Ansell.^[22]

Stage

• Rhydian made his debut in the 2010 European tour of The War of the Worlds – Live on Stage! (Parson Nathaniel),^[23]
• He then toured the UK in musical theatre. From 2010 to 2013 he appeared in We Will Rock You (Khashoggi, Chief of Police),^[24] Grease (40th anniversary tour, playing "Teen Angel")^[25] and Rocky Horror Show (Rocky).^[26]
• He played pantomime leads in Beauty and the Beast, praised for carrying the show "rather spectacularly" with "remarkable gravitas",^[27] and Cinderella.^[28]
• In 2015 he played Pontius Pilate in Jesus Christ Superstar^[29] and in 2016 the Dentist in Little Shop of Horrors.^[30] During Christmas 2017, he appeared in Aladdin at the SSE Arena, Belfast.^[31]

Television

• During 2009, Rhydian, One Year On was aired by S4C.^[32]
• In 2011, Rhydian presented an eight-part television entertainment series for S4C,^{[33] [34]} with his album Caneuon Cymraeg (Welsh Songs) being released to tie in with it.

Final record album

In February 2023, Rhydian Roberts announced his retirement from singing and released a final album:

"I’ve enjoyed my career. It's been 15 years since The X Factor, I’ve released eight albums already, and I just wanted to sign off my singing career with a couple of releases. One classical album and then later on in the year I'm doing a Best Of which has all my favourite songs from the pop world, musical theatre, and classical. That’ll be it then – I'm hanging up my recording voice."^[1]

Retirement and career change

Rhydian currently works as an artist manager at Neil O'Brien Entertainment.

Discography

See main article: Rhydian Roberts discography.

External links

• Rhydian Roberts at BBC Wales
• Rhydian Roberts biography from BBC Wales Music
• What's On Wales interview
• "Rhydian's new album" movie video at YouTube
• Rhydian on Premier Christian TV

Notes and References

1. https://www.walesonline.co.uk/lifestyle/tv/x-factor-star-rhydian-roberts-26245035 "X Factor star Rhydian Roberts announces retirement as he reflects on turning 40"
2. Web site: Cricket: 'My brush with Rhydian'. https://web.archive.org/web/20080213074047/http://icwales.icnetwork.co.uk/sports/sports-news-round-up/2007/12/29/cricket-my-brush-with-rhydian-91466-20295467/. 13 February 2008. 7 January 2008.
3. News: Change of tune that led to fame for Rhydian Roberts. 2 February 2008. The Times. Souster. Mark.
4. Web site: bcu.ac.uk 2. https://web.archive.org/web/20080214215052/http://www.bcu.ac.uk/news/releases07/rhydian_winner.html. 14 February 2008.
5. Web site: Rhydian Roberts . classicfm.co.uk . 12 February 2012.
6. Web site: TheXFactorUK . X Factor 4, ep 13, Rhydian (itv.com/xfactor) . https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211212/YC61Bp_dq8U. 2021-12-12 . live. YouTube . 3 November 2007 . 1 January 2012.
7. Web site: TheXFactorUK . X Factor 4, ep 15, Rhydian (itv.com/xfactor) . https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211212/zfMnBmO8ksg. 2021-12-12 . live. YouTube . 17 November 2007 . 1 January 2012.
8. http://www.classicfm.co.uk/music/artists/p-s/rhydian-roberts/ Rhydian biography from Classic FM website
9. Rhydian (2008), recorded for Sony BMG, who offered him a recording contract the day after finishing as runner-up. He fulfilled a long-held dream by duetting in the final with Katherine Jenkins.Web site: ICWales.
10. https://itunes.apple.com/gb/artist/rhydian/id172164693 Apple iTunes website
11. Upon release, the album charted at number 3, selling over 150,000 in its first two weeks and over 300,000 after four weeks to win Platinum Album status as awarded by the BPI.
12. News: Exclusive: X Factor loser Rhydian set for new album.. while Leon Jackson is dumped by label . Daily Record. Scotland . 1 January 2012.
13. Rhydian performs lead vocals in "Stars" (Les Misérables), "Bui Doi" (Miss Saigon), and "You'll Never Walk Alone" (Carousel).
14. http://www.ok.co.uk/lifestyle/view/38774/Interview-Rhydian-Roberts-and-Hayley-Westenra/ Interview in OK Magazine
15. http://www.walesonline.co.uk/showbiz-and-lifestyle/showbiz/2011/07/24/x-factor-s-rhydian-to-go-from-opera-star-to-pop-star-91466-29108762/ "X-factor's Rhydian to go from Opera star to pop star,"
16. http://www.pledgemusic.com/projects/rhydianroberts Pledge Music website: projects page
17. http://www.classicfm.com/radio/shows/official-classic-fm-chart/27-april-2014/ The Classic FM Chart
18. Web site: Carry The Fire. Rhydian-roberts.co.uk. 29 March 2023.
19. Web site: Rhydian - Official Store - Rhydian - Classical Album - Hymns, Songs & Arias (Signed) Limited Edition CD. Rhydian.tmstor.es. 29 March 2023.
20. Web site: X Factor star Rhydian Roberts announces retirement. Sam. Cook. 18 February 2023. WalesOnline.co.uk. 29 March 2023.
21. http://www.rhydian-roberts.co.uk/tickets-mainmenu-161 Tickets section of Rhydian Roberts official fansite
22. https://www.ents24.com/uk/tour-dates/les-musicals Tour itinerary and dates
23. http://www.thewaroftheworlds.com/news/newsLetterDetail.aspx?id=31 War of the Worlds tour website
24. http://www.brianmay.com/queen/queennews/queennewsaug10a.html Queen News
25. Other guest "Teen Angels" on this tour included Robin Cousins and Mary Byrne. See Grease website . Retrieved 31 July 2011. See also "Rhydian Roberts to Star in GREASE UK Tour," from broadwayworld.com. Retrieved 31 July 2011. Rhydian played at Blackpool, Sunderland, Liverpool F.C., Norwich, and Edinburgh.
26. Web site: Press release Tuesday, October 16th, 2012. TimeWarp The Official UK Rocky Horror Fan Club. 17 October 2012.
27. http://www.thestage.co.uk/reviews/review.php/40597/beauty-and-the-beast-img Paul Vale, "Beauty and the Beast"
28. http://rhydianroberts.com/17th-november-rhydian-is-prince-charming/ Official website, news blog
29. Directed by Bill Kenwright and Bob Thomson. He played in Bromley, Cardiff, Dublin, Blackpool, Northampton, and Liverpool. See Official website . Retrieved 2 September 2015.
30. http://britishtheatre.com/little-shop-of-horrors-uk-tour/ Tour schedule and venue in Douglas Mayo, "Little Shop of Horrors 2016"
31. Web site: 2 Aug: Rhydian to star as Abanazer in Aladdin. Rhydian-roberts.co.uk. 29 March 2023.
32. http://www.s4c.cymru/adloniant/e_rhydian.shtml S4C Adloniant, "Rhydian"
33. Guests included Hayley Westenra and Claire Jones
34. Web site: Rhydian . S4C . 1 January 2012 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090504100651/http://www.s4c.co.uk/rhydian/e_index.shtml . 4 May 2009 .