Big concerts this month: Olly Murs performs in the capital and New Order hit Dubai

From talent show runner-up to the top of the charts, Olly Murs performs in the UAE this month

The path to talent show-led fame is one littered with casualties, and for every hopeful stepping into the spotlit gaze of Simon Cowell with a will to win, there’s a winner wondering why they bothered. Indeed, few prove the existence of the so-called ‘winner’s curse’ better than Olly Murs, the chart-topping, multiple double-platinum selling artist who came in second on the UK edition of

The X Factor in 2009 (to Joe McElderry. Nope, us neither).

Since then, his unashamedly poppy style and cheeky chappie persona have seen him rise to significant fame in the UK, with hits such as Troublemaker,

You Are Not Alone and Heart Skips A Beat landing him at number one on Britain’s charts. Renowned as much for his performance style as for his voice, Murs has performed live alongside big names such as Gary Barlow, Robbie Williams and Madness, and his lively stage persona has also helped score him a host of TV and modelling gigs in the UK – though those that view him as lightweight on account of that would be reminded that he has written or co-written the majority of his hits, earning him a fortune now said to exceed Dhs44 million. Which we can only assume is more than poor Joe McElderry… April 28 a Du Forum, Yas West, Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, 7.30pm, Dhs250 to Dhs400. Tel: (02) 5098143. Taxi: Du Forum. duforum.ae