Damien Leith

Damien Leith
Born	Damien Leo Leith (1976-01-18) January 18, 1976 Dublin, Ireland
Occupation	Singer–songwriter
Years active	2006–present
Known for	Winner of Australian Idol 2006

Damien Leo Leith (born 18 January 1976 in Dublin) is an Irish-Australian singer–songwriter. He emerged victorious in the 2006 season of Australian Idol broadcast on Network Ten. Since his win, Leith has produced nine studio albums, with four reaching the top two positions on the ARIA Charts, including two that secured the number one spot. His sales achievements have been recognized with seven platinum and one gold certification from ARIA, totaling over 500,000 units sold.

Early life

During his teenage years, Leith and his siblings formed a family band initially named "Leaf," later rebranded as "Releaf," which attained a position within the Irish Top 100 charts. After moving to Sydney, he took on the role of lead vocalist for the band Revelate, performing at notable venues such as The Basement located in Circular Quay.

Prior to his participation in Australian Idol, Leith was employed as a chemist at Pharmalab in Sydney. This role utilized his Honours degree in Chemistry obtained from University College, Dublin, along with his postgraduate research experience at the Chemistry Department of Trinity College, Dublin.

Australian Idol 2006

Prompted by encouragement from friends, Leith auditioned for the fourth season of Network Ten's Australian Idol, competing among approximately 25,000 hopefuls. He advanced to become one of the final 24 contestants and was notably the first to be voted into the top 12 by viewers across the nation. Demonstrating exceptional falsetto abilities, he accompanied his performances with guitar and piano—an unprecedented approach on the show—delivering renditions of songs such as Chris Isaak's "Wicked Game" and Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah."

Although judges Mark Holden and Kyle Sandilands occasionally criticized aspects of his appearance and some performances, Leith consistently garnered favorable reviews and was considered a 'dark horse' competitor. He received four "Touchdowns"—the highest commendation on the program—from Holden for his interpretations of "Wicked Game," Roy Orbison's "Crying," "Hallelujah," and Puccini's "Nessun Dorma." This achievement tied him with fellow winner Casey Donovan for the most touchdowns awarded.

Kyle Sandilands disclosed that Roy Orbison's family requested a recording of Leith's performance of "Crying." Despite gaining popularity on Idol's companion show Idol Backstage, betting agencies did not consider Leith the frontrunner; early predictions favored Dean Geyer.

Leith consistently avoided placement in the competition's bottom groups throughout the season and ultimately won during the live finale held at the Sydney Opera House, surpassing runner-up Jessica Mauboy. At 30 years old, he became the second oldest winner in any global Idol series. His victory generated some debate due to his non-citizen status in Australia at that time.

Australian Idol performances

Week	Theme	Song choice	Original artist	Result
Audition	-	"The Blower's Daughter"	Damien Rice	Advanced
Theatre Week	First Solo			Advanced
Theatre Week	Group Performance			Advanced
Theatre Week	Second Solo	"Hallelujah"	Leonard Cohen	Advanced
Top 24	none	"You Are So Beautiful"	Billy Preston	Advanced
Top 12	Contestant's Choice	"With or Without You"	U2	Safe
Top 11	Rock	"Creep"	Radiohead	Safe
Top 10	Number Ones	"If Tomorrow Never Comes"	Garth Brooks	Safe
Top 9	The Year They Were Born	"Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word"	Elton John	Safe
Top 8	Disco	"Celebration"	Kool & the Gang	Safe
Top 7	Acoustic	"Wicked Game" (Touchdown)	Chris Isaak	Safe
SPECIAL	Up Close & Personal	"Sky"	own composition	Safe
Top 6	Rock Swings	"High and Dry"	Radiohead	Safe
Top 5	ARIA Hall of Fame	"Message to My Girl"	Split Enz	Safe
Top 4	Viewer's Choice	"Crying" (Touchdown) "Hallelujah" (Touchdown)	"Roy Orbison" "Leonard Cohen"	"Safe"

|- | Top 3

| Judges' Choice
Contestant's Choice
| "Nessun Dorma" (Touchdown) 
"Unchained Melody"
| Giacomo Puccini
Todd Duncan
| Safe

|- | Top 2

| Contestant's Choice
Contestant's Choice
Winner's Single
| "Never Meant to Fail"
"Waiting on an Angel"
"Night of My Life"
| Alex Lloyd
Ben Harper
-
| Winner

|}

2006: The Winner's Journey

Following his victory, Leith secured a contract with Sony BMG and released his debut single, "Night of My Life," initially available as a paid digital download through Bigpond Music soon after the show's finale. The official CD version, which included the original track "Come to Me," was launched on 28 November.

Within just three days, the single reached "Gold" certification by selling 35,000 copies and entered the charts at number one on 3 December 2006, where it remained for four consecutive weeks. It earned Platinum status in its debut week and became the fastest-selling debut single of that year, also leading radio airplay charts. The music video, created by Cutting Edge Productions, premiered nationwide on 9 December.

Leith’s combined CD/DVD release, The Winner's Journey,’’ featuring all his performances from Australian Idol along with two original songs, was available in stores prior to its official release date of 6 December. It debuted at number three on the ARIA Album Charts with Platinum certification and climbed to number one the following week, selling 89,000 copies. Ultimately, it attained four times Platinum status and set a record for pre-Christmas sales in 2006 by exceeding 101,000 units sold.

In December 2006, Leith expanded his contract with Sony BMG Ireland; by January 2007, "Night of My Life" had entered the Top 10 singles chart in Ireland. That same month, he appeared at Australia Day Live in Canberra, performing alongside the Canberra Symphony Orchestra.

In February 2007, Leith embarked on The Winner's Journey Tour,’’ a two-week series consisting of 14 concerts along Australia's East Coast. The setlist included Idol hits as well as new original songs such as “Song for Jarvis” and “Beautiful.” Sydney-based singer-songwriter Mark Wilkinson provided support during the tour.

On 22 February 2007, Leith was honored with two ARIA No.1 Chart Awards recognizing his single and album reaching number one between December 2005 and December 2006. Additionally, he received nominations for "Spankin' New Artist" and "Best Male Artist" at the MTV Australia Video Music Awards held in March.

By July 2007, Leith had earned a nomination for a Helpmann Award in the category of Best Performance in an Australian Contemporary Concert, competing alongside notable artists including Kylie Minogue and Olivia Newton-John. In November of that year, he performed "22 Steps" on the television soap opera Neighbours.'

2007–2008: Where We Land

Leith’s follow-up single "22 Steps" was sent to Australian radio stations on 22 June 2007 and released commercially on 21 July. It debuted and peaked at number eleven on the ARIA Singles Chart. His studio album Where We Land was issued on 18 August 2007 and entered the ARIA Albums Chart at number one on 27 August. This achievement marked his second chart-topping album within seven months, making him the first Australian Idol winner to secure two consecutive number one albums. He appeared on Rove on 26 August and performed live during the semi-finals of Australian Idol 2007 on 30 August. The album’s second single, "All I Want Is You," was showcased during the episode aired on 8 October.

In November, Leith commenced a national tour promoting Where We Land, initially concentrating on venues along Australia's east coast before extending performances to include Adelaide and Perth.

Earlier in February 2007, Leith had signed a publishing deal with HarperCollins; his psychological thriller novel set in Nepal titled One More Time was published on 1 October that year.

At the Australian ARIA Music Awards held in October 2007, Leith received three nominations: Best Breakthrough Single and Highest Selling Single for "Night of My Life" (for which he did not win), and Highest Selling Album for The Winner's Journey, which he won.

In February 2008, Damien took on hosting duties for Network Ten’s series Saving Kids, filmed at Sydney Children's Hospital, featuring stories about children undergoing treatment for serious medical conditions. His track "Not Just for the Weekend" from his debut album served as the show’s theme song and was released as a promotional single.

2008: Catch the Wind

Less than a year after releasing Where We Land, Leith unveiled his second album titled Catch the Wind: Songs of a Generation on 26 April 2008. This project featured his renditions of classic folk songs.

The album debuted at number three on the ARIA Albums Chart dated 4 May and climbed to number two the following week, held back from number one by André Rieu and Mirusia’s Waltzing Matilda. Within three weeks it earned Gold certification. To promote this release, Leith conducted an intimate national tour from May through July accompanied by two band members performing in smaller venues.

2009: Remember June

Leith’s third studio album, titled Remember June, was released across Australia on 9 October. It entered the ARIA Albums Chart at number twenty-five and remained within the Top 50 for two weeks as well as spending three weeks in the ARIA Top 20 Australian Artist Albums Chart. The lead single "To Get to You" hit radio on 14 September before its commercial release on 25 September. The second single "Forgive Forget," issued in April 2010, achieved position No. 65 on the ARIA Singles Chart, topped the ARIA Physical Singles Chart at No.1, and reached No.13 on the Australian Artists Single Chart.

Alongside his musical endeavors, Leith published his second novel also named Remember June, released by HarperCollins. This book explores themes surrounding a father-son relationship and followed his first novel One More Time from 2007.

2011: Roy

In celebration of Roy Orbison’s 75th birthday in 2011, Damien released his fourth studio album titled Roy, consisting entirely of covers of Orbison’s songs. The project was produced by Orbison's widow Barbara Orbison prior to her passing later that year. The album peaked at number two on the ARIA Charts and achieved Platinum status after spending a total of twenty-five non-consecutive weeks within the Top 50.

2012–2014: Now & Then and Chapter Seven

Damien’s fifth studio effort titled Now & Then arrived on 20 April 2012. It debuted at number fourteen before reaching its peak position at number twelve on the ARIA Charts where it remained for four weeks within the Top 50. Although singles “Beautiful” and “Run” did not chart officially, “Beautiful” gained notable exposure through an Estee Lauder advertisement aired in the United States.

On 1 November 2013 Damien released his sixth studio album Chapter Seven, preceded by its lead single "Without a Fight," which came out on 13 September. The album reached number fifty-seven on the ARIA Top 100 but stayed there only one week. None of its three singles—“Without a Fight,” “Halfway Heart,” or “You and I”—managed to enter any charts.

In May of 2014 he issued a standalone single titled “One and Only Mum.” Later that year in August he released a triple A-sided single featuring “Last Goodbye,” “Fields of Gold,” and “Girl Back on Blue Bayou” collaborating with Joe Melson under his own label Leithal Enterprises.

November brought forth Damien’s Christmas-themed extended play called It's Christmas Time, which included traditional carols such as “Silent Night” and “Jingle Bells.”

2015-2017: Songs from Ireland

Announced in February 2015 was Leith’s eighth studio album entitled Songs from Ireland, marking a reunion with Sony Music Australia to perform classic Irish tunes like “Molly Malone” and “Galway Girl.” The album was released in March.

In celebration of ten years since winning Australian Idol, he toured Australia during his "Winner’s Journey: 10th Anniversary Tour" throughout 2016 to honor fan support across albums, books, and live shows.

January 2017 saw Damien receive his first-ever Golden Guitar award at the Country Music Awards of Australia for Song of the Year with “Call Me Cray,” co-written alongside Travis Collins. That same year he toured nationally with 'Roy – A Tribute to Roy Orbison.'

2018: Damien Leith Storytime and Gospel

In early 2018 Damien launched 'Damien Leith Storytime,' offering bedtime stories aimed at children alongside an EP released in February. Later that year in August he put out his ninth studio album titled Gospel, drawing inspiration from Elvis Presley’s music.

By late August he joined Muswellbrook-based radio station 98.1 Power FM as their breakfast show host.

In 2020 Damien collaborated with fellow artist Greg Gould performing “Uninvited” featured on Gould’s album titled 1998.

Personal life

Originally from Ireland near Milltown, County Kildare, Leith spent part of his childhood living abroad due to his father’s engineering profession; their family resided in countries including Libya and Botswana. He later relocated permanently to Australia, where he married Eileen Stapleton; together they have two sons and one daughter. On Australia Day in January 2007 he became an Australian citizen during a nationally broadcast ceremony where then Prime Minister John Howard administered the pledge. Currently residing in Wollongong, New South Wales, Leith works professionally as a radio announcer.

Discography

Live and Studio albums

• The Winner's Journey (2006)
• Where We Land (2007)
• Catch the Wind: Songs of a Generation (2008)
• Remember June (2009)
• Roy: A Tribute to Roy Orbison (2011)
• Now & Then (2012)
• Chapter Seven (2013)
• Songs from Ireland (2015)
• Gospel (2018)
• Two of Us: The Songs of Lennon & McCartney (2020) (with Darren Coggan)
• Treasured Favourites (2020)
• Roy Orbison Orchestrated (2023)

ARIA Music Awards

The annual ARIA Music Awards celebrate outstanding achievements across all genres within Australian music.

Helpmann Awards

Since their inception in 2001 by industry body Live Performance Australia, the Helpmann Awards honor excellence in live entertainment and performing arts throughout Australia; note that no awards were presented during both 2020 and 2021 due to impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic.

MTV Australia Awards

From 2005 until 2009, the annual MTV Australia Awards celebrated outstanding contributions within the Australian music scene.

! |- |rowspan="2"| 2007 |rowspan="2"| "Night of My Life" | Best Male Artist | |rowspan="2"| |- | Breakthrough Artist | |-