Alex Boyé facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Alex Boye
Boyé in a speech performance in Oregon, US
Born	(1970-08-16) 16 August 1970 (age 55) London, England, UK
Nationality	British American
Occupation	Singer actor dancer musician
Spouse(s)	Julie Boyé ​ (m. 2007)​
YouTube information
Years active	2012–present
Genre	Music
Subscribers	783 thousand
Total views	231.13 million
Associated acts	The Piano Guys Alan Hewitt & One Nation Marie Osmond One Voice Children's Choir
Subscriber and view counts updated as of 14 June 2020.

Alex Boyé is a talented singer, dancer, and actor. He was born in London, England, on August 16, 1970. He later became an American citizen. In 2017, he won the "Rising Artist of the Year" award from Pepsi and Hard Rock Cafe.

Early Life and Music Beginnings

Alex Boyé was born in London, England. His parents were from Nigeria. He grew up in a tough neighborhood called Tottenham. For much of his childhood, he lived in foster homes with different families.

As a teenager, Alex loved listening to music. He was inspired by famous African-American artists. These included Stevie Wonder, James Brown, and Marvin Gaye.

When he was 16, Alex was working at a McDonald's in London. There, he learned about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He joined the church soon after. Alex first sang in public while serving as a church missionary in Bristol, England.

Music Career Highlights

Starting in the 1990s

After his mission, Alex Boyé became a backup dancer. He even danced for famous singer George Michael.

In 1995, Alex started a European boy band called Awesome. He was the lead singer. The band performed at small events at first. In 1996, they won a singing contest on London's biggest radio station, Capital Radio.

After winning, Universal Records of Europe signed Awesome. They released three hit songs from their first album, Rumors. These songs reached the top 10 charts across Europe. The band sold 500,000 albums. They performed with big stars like Bryan Adams and George Michael.

However, Alex didn't like the touring lifestyle. He felt it was taking him in a direction he didn't want to go. In 1999, he decided to leave the band to start a solo career. He lost many of the things he had gained, like his apartment and money.

Later in 1999, Alex joined two other artists in London. They wanted to record a demo tape of church hymns with a pop and R&B style. They created a group called 'Soul Saints'. They started recording songs and performed in Hyde Park, London. Then, they toured in Utah.

Moving to Utah and Solo Work

In 2000, Alex Boyé moved to Salt Lake City, Utah. He wanted to focus on making Mormon music. His first religious album, The Love Goes On, came out in 2001.

Alex also started acting. He played the role of Frederick Douglass in a play called Civil War. He had no acting experience but learned his lines quickly. He also played Abinadab in the movie David and Goliath. In 2005, his album Testimony won an award.

In 2006, Alex joined the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. This choir has 360 voices. He was one of only three black members at the time. He also continued his solo music career. He sang two solo parts on the choir's album, Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing.

Success in the 2010s

In 2010, Alex sang "Born to Be a Scout" at the National Scout Jamboree. His songs have also been in movie soundtracks. These include Charly (2002) and Church Ball.

Alex became very popular on YouTube. In 2012, he was featured in a video by The Piano Guys. They covered Coldplay's song "Paradise" in an African style. This video, called "Peponi," got many views. In 2013, his cover of The Lumineers' "Ho Hey" also became a hit.

In 2014, Alex worked with the One Voice Children's Choir. They made an African-style version of "Let It Go" from the movie Frozen. This video went viral, meaning it was watched by millions. It was chosen as YouTube's best pop cover of 2014. He also released his "Lemonade" video, which has over 1.7 million views.

Alex also acted in the 2014 film Saints and Soldiers: The Void. He made a music video to promote the movie. His cover of Taylor Swift's "Shake It Off" also gained a lot of attention.

In 2015, Alex released an African version of "Circle of Life". The money from sales helped the Koins for Kenya mission. He also received the Governor's Mansion Artist Award.

In June 2015, Alex and his band, Changing Lanes Experience, performed on America's Got Talent. They sang their version of "Shake It Off." They advanced to the next round but were later eliminated.

In 2016, Alex and the Brigham Young University Men's Chorus released a version of "Baba Yetu". This song is the theme music for the video game Civilization IV. Alex also sang a duet with Marie Osmond on her album Music Is Medicine. He also played Pastor Aiken in the family film Drop Off.

In 2017, Alex Boyé won the "Grand Prize Winner" of the Hard Rock Rising Battle of the Bands. He also performed at the Mormon Tabernacle Choir Pioneer Concert.

In 2018, Alex released the song "Bend Not Break." This song focuses on suicide prevention. The music video was filmed with over 1,000 students and community members in Herriman, Utah.

Personal Life

Alex Boyé met his wife, Julie, at a church meeting. They got married on January 6, 2007. They have eight children together.

In 2009, Alex started raising money to buy a house for a refugee family. He did this by selling his song, "Crazy for You."

On February 22, 2012, Alex became a citizen of the United States. During the ceremony, he was asked to sing "The Star-Spangled Banner" as a surprise.

Discography

Albums

• Testimony (2004)
• Spirit (2007)
• Be Still, My Soul: Classic Hymns & Folk Songs (2009)
• Africanized (2014)
• African Gospel Inspirations (2016)
• Coming to Amerika (2019)

EPs

• Hope for Israel (2011)
• We All Bleed the Same (2016)
• Africanized Christmas (2016)

Singles

Filmography