Altiyan Childs
Altiyan Childs | |
|---|---|
| Born | Altijan Juric June 10, 1975 Mount Isa, Queensland, Australia |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter |
| Years active | 2004–present |
| Known for | Winner of The X Factor Australia (2010) |
| Notable work | "Somewhere in the World", Altiyan Childs (album), Born Before the Sun |
Altijan Juric (born 10 June 1975), professionally recognized as Altiyan Childs, is an Australian singer and songwriter. He rose to prominence after winning the second season of The X Factor Australia in 2010, which led to a recording contract with Sony Music Australia.
His initial single, "Somewhere in the World", achieved top ten status in both Australia and New Zealand. The debut album bearing his stage name reached number three on the ARIA Albums Chart and earned platinum certification. His follow-up studio album, Born Before the Sun, was launched in September 2015, preceded by six singles. In 2016, he took on the lead role in a Queensland staging of Jesus Christ Superstar.
1975–2008: Early years
Born Altijan Juric in Mount Isa, Queensland, Altiyan Childs grew up in Sydney. His father has Croatian roots while his mother is of Serbian heritage. Both he and his sister were named after their aunt Altijana, who tragically died in infancy. At age 13, during his time at Chatswood High School, Childs led a rock band named Over the Edge. Soon after finishing school, he co-founded the band Masonia alongside Daniel Rivers, Mo Bloomfield, and Nathan Meryment. Masonia found modest success in 2004 with their debut single "Simple," which peaked at number 41 on the ARIA Singles Chart. The group dissolved in 2008, and Childs initially stepped away from the music industry.
2010: Participation in The X Factor Australia
In 2010, Childs auditioned for the second season of The X Factor Australia, competing within the Over 25s category mentored by Irish singer Ronan Keating. Although there was early skepticism about Keating’s choice—especially after Childs forgot lyrics during auditions—he progressed through to the finals, which consisted of ten live shows decided by public votes.
Throughout the final stages, Childs received acclaim for his renditions of songs such as Bon Jovi's "Livin' on a Prayer", U2's "Beautiful Day", "Eye of the Tiger", "Sex on Fire" by Kings of Leon, and Bryan Adams' "Summer of '69". Midway through the competition, he took a brief break to reconnect with what he described as his "beautiful sadness," which he credited as fueling his creativity during a radio interview.
Childs consistently avoided landing in the bottom two and ultimately reached the grand final alongside Sally Chatfield and Andrew Lawson. After Lawson’s elimination, Childs competed head-to-head against Chatfield. On 22 November 2010, he was declared the winner—the first contestant from the Over 25s group to claim victory—and secured a deal with Sony Music Australia.
2010–present: Debut release and subsequent challenges
Following his X Factor triumph, Childs’ debut single "Somewhere in the World" was released immediately in November 2010. It entered the ARIA Singles Chart at number eight and climbed to number five in New Zealand. His self-titled debut album came out in December 2010, featuring re-recorded versions of songs performed on the show; it reached number three on the ARIA Albums Chart and was certified platinum for shipments exceeding 70,000 units. In New Zealand, it also peaked at number three and attained platinum status for sales surpassing 15,000 copies.
In April 2011, Childs’ personal manager was arrested on charges related to running a drug laboratory and illegal weapons possession; although Childs was not implicated and had recently moved out from their shared residence. Despite continuing to tour and release music, Childs disclosed that his income was lower than when working as a forklift operator. He announced intentions for a national tour along with a second album release, contingent upon label approval.
In January 2012, Childs was convicted for driving under the influence of methamphetamine and marijuana metabolites, resulting in a six-month suspension of his driver’s license and a fine of $600. Subsequently, Rockdale City Council rescinded an honorary key to the city previously awarded to him. This incident also caused strain with mentor Ronan Keating. Later that month, Childs mutually parted ways with Sony Music Australia; he revealed plans to publish a memoir titled Altiyan & Goliath, chronicling both successes and setbacks throughout his career.
By late 2012, Childs had signed with independent label Oxygen Music Group in preparation for releasing his second album Born Before the Sun slated for 2013. However, its lead single "Headlines" did not enter the ARIA Top 100 chart. In March 2013, Oxygen Music Group terminated their contract with him. Subsequently, he joined Vibe Management aiming for performances and recording opportunities in the United States; nevertheless, several venues declined to host his shows. Returning to Australia by May 2013, Childs expressed disappointment with his US agent but affirmed having new contracts lined up in both America and France; he also confirmed ending his association with Vibe Management.
On 20 December 2013, he independently released "Dreams," followed by singles "Girl" (March 2014) and "Celebrity" (July 2014). His album Born Before the Sun was officially released on 27 September 2015 through 9LoveRecords without major label backing. The collection comprised songs written over a span of fifteen years and was primarily distributed digitally; physical copies were made available via his official website.
In 2016, Childs starred as Jesus Christ in Gateway Theatre Production’s rendition of Jesus Christ Superstar staged in Queensland; performances sold out and received favorable critical response.
Later that year, he married longtime partner Samantha Greenland during a private ceremony.
On 15 April 2021, Childs published an extensive five-hour video on YouTube accusing international Freemasonry of being "organised Satanism," claiming firsthand experience as a former member who renounced his oaths.
In 2023, Childs resumed releasing music independently with singles including "Nobody" (January), "Baptised" (February), "Covenant" and "24 years" (April), "Since I Heard About You" (May), and "The Power" (July).
Studio albums
| Album Title | Release Information | Highest Chart Rankings | Certifications | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | New Zealand | |||
| Altiyan Childs |
|
3 | 3 | |
| Born Before the Sun |
|
— | — | |
Singles
| Single Title | Release Year | Top Chart Positions | Certifications | Associated Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | New Zealand | ||||
| "Somewhere in the World" | 2010 | 8 | 5 |
|
Altiyan Childs |
| "Ordinary Man" | 2011 | 55 | — | Released as non-album singles | |
| "Headlines" | 2012 | — | — | ||
| "Dreams" | 2013 | — | — | Born Before the Sun | |
| "Girl" | 2014 | — | — | ||
| "Celebrity" | — | — | |||
| "Water" | — | — | |||
| "Rise Up" | 2015 | — | — | ||
| "Kiss Me" | — | — | |||
| "Driving" | — | — | |||
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award Category | Award Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | ARIA Music Awards | Highest Selling Album (Altiyan Childs) | Won |
| Most Popular Australian Artist | Nominated | ||
| 2013 | Australian Independent Music Video Awards | Best Rock Music Video ("Headlines") | Won |