Nicholas McDonald
Nicholas "Nicky" McDonald is a Scottish singer–songwriter and recording artist. He was the runner-up of the tenth series of The X Factor in 2013. After the show, he signed with RCA Records and released his debut single "Answerphone" as the lead single from his debut album. The single peaked at number twenty eight in Scotland and number seventy three in the United Kingdom. The album, In the Arms of an Angel (2014), was recorded in a period of only one week, and debuted at number one in his native Scotland, spending eight weeks within the Scottish Albums Chart Top 100. Additionally, it debuted at number six in the United Kingdom and number twenty-one in the Republic of Ireland. He had previously indicated that he wished to release two studio albums, and in 2018, released the single "Limelight", expected to be the lead single from his yet to be announced second studio album. Despite delays in the release of his second studio album, he continues to tour, both at festivals and private functions, with McDonald claiming in 2023 that he "roughly does about 100 to 120 shows a year". In 2024, McDonald headlined a homecoming performance in his hometown of Wishaw, celebrating ten years since his debut on The X Factor. He performed at the Town House in Wishaw, and stated that the performance was "probably the biggest show of the year for me".
