Young Men Society
| Company type | Boy band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 2009 |
| Headquarters | Australia |
Key people | Andi Tahta, Josh Fonmosa, Nathan Tamati |
| Products | Music singles |
Young Men Society is a boy band from Australia, consisting of members Andi Tahta, Josh Fonmosa, and Nathan Tamati. They rose to prominence as finalists on the third season of The X Factor Australia in 2011. Following their success on the show, they secured a contract with Sony Music Australia and launched their first single, "We Own the Night," in March 2012, which reached the top thirty on New Zealand's music charts.
Origins and background
The group Young Men Society was established in 2009 during a hip hop dance class. Although the band’s name was originally viewed as somewhat "corny," it eventually became accepted by its members. Josh Fonmoa comes from Sydney, Andi Tahta was born in Jakarta, Indonesia, and Nathan Tamati originates from England. Tahta moved to Australia at the age of 10 in search of greater opportunities, while Tamati relocated in 2005 to join his brother. Before embarking on their musical journey, all three worked in retail and served as dance teachers.
2011: Participation in The X Factor Australia
Young Men Society auditioned for the third season of The X Factor Australia performing Mike Posner's "Cooler Than Me." They advanced through the competition stages under the guidance of mentor Ronan Keating until their elimination on 18 October 2011.
| Show | Song choice | Original Artist | Theme | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Auditions | "Cooler than Me" | Mike Posner | Free choice | Advanced to bootcamp |
| Bootcamp | "Down" | Jay Sean | Progressed to home visits | |
| Home visits | "The Scientist" | Coldplay | Advanced to live shows | |
| Home visits | "True" | Spandau Ballet | ||
| Live show 1 | "The Lazy Song"/"Price Tag" | Bruno Mars/Jessie J | Judges' choice | Safe |
| Live show 2 | "You Shook Me All Night Long" | AC/DC | Party anthems | Safe |
| Live show 3 | "Walk This Way" | Aerosmith | Rock | Bottom two |
| Live show 3 (bottom two) | "Change the World" | Eric Clapton | Free choice | Safe |
| Live show 4 | "Black or White" | Michael Jackson | The 90s | Safe |
| Live show 5 | "Single Ladies"/"Get Busy" | Beyoncé/Sean Paul | Number-one hits | Bottom two |
| Live show 5 (bottom two) | "Let's Get Married" | Jagged Edge | Free choice | Eliminated |
2012 and beyond: Signing and debut release
Following their stint on The X Factor, Young Men Society did not immediately receive any offers from record labels. Taking initiative, they self-produced their debut track "We Own the Night" along with its accompanying music video. Tahta shared with The Music Network that despite early disappointments, they remained determined and took matters into their own hands by creating both the song and video independently. The quality of their work attracted Sony Music Australia, who subsequently signed them.
In early 2012, Young Men Society toured as a supporting act for Justice Crew during the Sexy and I Know It Tour. Their single "We Own the Night" was released digitally on iTunes on 16 March 2012, achieving a peak position of number 28 on New Zealand’s Singles Chart but failing to enter Australian charts. The following month, they joined Reece Mastin's tour across New Zealand as opening performers. The band is no longer affiliated with Sony Music Australia.
Singles
| Title | Year | Highest chart rankings | Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AUS |
NZ | |||
| "We Own the Night" | 2012 | — | 28 | Non-album single |
| The symbol "—" indicates the track did not enter the charts. | ||||
Music videos
| Title | Year | Director(s) |
|---|---|---|
| "We Own the Night" | 2012 |