Declan - Greatest Hits (2018)

Despite sporting a name that could only be more Irish if the "i'" were dotted with a shamrock, teen pop singer Declan Galbraith is a native of a small village in a largely rural area of the county of Kent in southern England. The son of a Scots father and an Irish mother whose own father was a semi-professional musician in the Irish folk tradition, Galbraith was raised in a musical household. After making his public debut at the age of seven at a local festival devoted to the life and work of Charles Dickens, the young singer became a regular on the talent show circuit. In 2001, at the age of nine, Declan's first single, a version of the Christmas standard "Walking in the Air," was released. It was followed a year later by the now ten-year-old singer's first album, Declan. An album of largely traditional songs and Irish airs ranging from "Danny Boy" to a cover of Robbie Williams' "Angels," Declan was a modest success, but EMI dropped the young singer shortly after its release. In 2006, a newly adolescent Declan signed to the Starwatch label, which reintroduced the young singer to the European audience as a pop idol heartthrob. Declan's second album, Thank You, featured smooth adult contemporary versions of pop hits like Eric Clapton's "Tears in Heaven" and the Moody Blues' "Nights in White Satin". In 2007, Declan released his third album, You and Me, which featured a cover of Queen's ballad "Love of My Life". ~ Stewart Mason