Let It Shine contestant profiles: Curtis T Johns

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Age: 23

Twitter: @CurtisTJohns

From: Leeds

Sings: Put Your Records On by Corinne Bailey Rae

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Job: Songwriter

Asked about his experience, Curtis T Johns revealed that he wrote “a few tracks” on Matt Cardle’s latest album. In fact, his husband Carl revealed that he has 120 songs written on his computer.

Johns became a published songwriter after John Beck and Steve Chrisanthou – two established songwriters who have worked with the likes of Will Young, Charlotte Church and Paloma Faith – spotted him. They are now his mentors, and alongside Cardle he has also written music for Kerri Watt and Ray Quinn.

He is also managed by Matthew Rumbold – the man who signed Corinne Bailey Rae. It probably wasn’t such a co-incidence that Curtis performed one of her greatest hits on Let It Shine.

He also revealed that his goal is to work as many “great artists” as he can, citing his influences as Jamie Cullum, Plan B, Emeli Sande and Brandon Flowers. Last year, he even went to Tennessee for a month to write music and he is currently working on an EP.

He is also a seasoned performer, taking to the stage at events such as Leeds Pride in 2015:

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Let it Shine continues on Saturday 14 January at 7pm on BBC One

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