The music career of the Skerries, Dublin-born former child actor Ryan O’Shaughnessy was given a kickstart in May 2012 when he reached the final of the ITV talent show Britain’s Got Talent. He’d previously spent nine years playing the part of Mark Halpin in the popular Irish soap Fair City. O’Shaughnessy left the show in 2010 not only to focus on his music studies, but also to join the boy band Mission 4, who were assembled by the former New Kids on the Block and B*Witched manager Kim Glover. When the promotional push for their debut album was brought to a standstill -- the financial climate in Ireland being partly to blame -- he auditioned for RTE One’s The Voice of Ireland competition, before being kicked out during the first live show. This experience led to his comparatively lengthy stint on Britain’s Got Talent, which in turn helped him secure a solo deal with RCA. His debut single, the folk-tinged original composition “No Name” -- twice performed to millions on Britain’s Got Talent -- was a U.K. Top 40 hit as well as a number three hit in Ireland. His subsequent eponymous EP topped the Irish albums chart in August 2012 and snuck into the Top 10 in the U.K. The six-track disc showcased his clear, soul-influenced vocal style and gift for writing the kind of slow and moody, acoustic guitar-led ballads that nodded toward Ronan Keating. ~ James Wilkinson