What About Tonight
| Company type | Vocal group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 2012 |
| Headquarters | Australia |
| Products | Music singles, live performances |
What About Tonight was an Australian male vocal group established in early 2012, consisting of Christian Anthony, Mitchel Cave, Tyrone Georgiadis, Luke Howell, and Brock Jays. The band advanced to the top 12 during the fourth season of The X Factor Australia. Following their elimination as the second act to leave the competition, the members returned to their respective hometowns. A reconfigured lineup featuring Jays, Georgiadis, Howell, and newcomer Wade Smith emerged in early 2013, releasing the single "Time of Our Lives" in July 2013, which reached number 25 on the ARIA singles chart. Subsequently, Anthony and Cave formed the alternative R&B group Chase Atlantic in 2014.
2012: Formation and The X Factor Journey
Originating as a pop boy band, What About Tonight brought together five Australian singers aged between 15 and 19 from Sydney, Cairns, Gold Coast, and Wangaratta. The members initially connected through YouTube before meeting in person. Their band name was derived from a casual comment made by Anthony.
The group auditioned for The X Factor Australia with a rendition of We the Kings' "Say You Like Me". During boot camp held in London, they garnered praise from Louis Tomlinson of One Direction, who remarked on their similarity to his own band. Their live performances included covers of The Wanted's "Glad You Came" and Busted's "Year 3000" (Jonas Brothers version).
In September 2012, talent managers David Caplice and Alfred Tuohey asserted they had been involved in developing the band prior to their television exposure—a claim contested by the members. On 26 September, What About Tonight was eliminated after judges’ votes resulted in a tie, with public voting favoring their competitor Nathaniel Willemse. Industry commentators suggested that their relatively low vote count stemmed from competing against another boy band on the show and limited voting engagement among their predominantly young fanbase.
Their cover of "Glad You Came" was released through Sony Music Australia and attained number 8 on the ARIA Hitseekers singles chart in September 2012. The subsequent single "Year 3000" entered the ARIA singles top 100 in October. Following their exit from the show, the members briefly returned home but regrouped before Christmas that year.
2013–2016: Release of "Time of Our Lives"
At the start of 2013, What About Tonight recorded a cover of the Jonas Brothers' "When You Look Me in the Eyes". In January, Nova FM presenter Smallzy announced their upcoming tour alongside Australasian acts Titanium and At Sunset, commencing in February. During this tour, At Sunset and What About Tonight revealed plans for a joint tour across Australia scheduled for April via twitcam broadcasts. At various in-store appearances, they performed tracks including "How Do You Not Know" and "Drop Dead for Your Love". Due to educational commitments, Anthony and Cave departed from the group; Wade Smith (a contestant from The Voice) joined Jays, Georgiadis, and Howell to form a quartet.
In July 2013, they independently issued "Time of Our Lives", which peaked at number 25 on the ARIA singles chart. The song was co-written by Sean Mullins (Snob Scrilla), Cassie Davis, and Joseph Davis. The accompanying music video was shot in Phuket, Thailand, showcasing members engaging in activities such as jet skiing, motorbiking, and speed boating.
Between August and September, What About Tonight collaborated with The Salvation Army's Oasis Youth Support Network on an east coast school tour aimed at raising awareness about homelessness. In January 2016, they partnered with Jane the Virgin actor Justin Baldoni to promote Los Angeles' Skid Row Carnival of Love event.
Afterwards
During his time with What About Tonight, Mitchel Cave collaborated with his elder brother Clinton on Clinton's YouTube platform. In 2014, the siblings joined forces with Christian Anthony to establish the alternative R&B group Chase Atlantic. The trio, managed by the Madden Brothers, operated between Australia and the United States.
Beginning in August 2016, Tyrone Georgiadis pursued a career as a bantamweight competitor in mixed martial arts. In 2019, Brock Jays adopted the stage name Jays as a pop artist, secured a contract with TMRW Music, and launched his solo track "Misfits." Meanwhile, Luke Howell introduced himself to audiences with the release of his single "Stuck on You" in June 2020.