Steve Brookstein
Soul Singer
Known for winning Season One of the British X Factor, this soul and jazz vocalist released his first album, Heart and Soul, in 2005. His 2004 single, a cover of the Phil Collins hit "Against All Odds," rose to #1 on United Kingdom music charts.
Nearly a decade before appearing on The X Factor, he made the finals of the Jonathan Ross-hosted ITV program The Big Big Talent Show.
In the final episode of The X Factor, he received a record-breaking six million votes.
He was born in London, England, to a South African father and an Estonian-British mother. His wife, Eileen Hunter, also had a career as a jazz singer.
After being dropped from the Sony BMG music label, Brookstein publicly criticized Simon Cowell and the entire reality talent competition industry.