Marcus Canty facts for kids

Marcus Canty (born January 22, 1991) is an American R&B and soul singer and dancer. He became well-known after competing on the first season of The X Factor USA. He was the tenth contestant to be eliminated from the show.

Early Life and Discovering Music

Marcus Canty was born in Washington, D.C. and grew up in Landover, Maryland. He was raised by his mother, Darlene M. Canty. He went to several schools in Maryland, including Columbia Park Elementary and Montrose Christian School.

Marcus started acting when he was just three years old. He performed in church plays and later in bigger stage productions. He didn't realize he could sing until he was 11. His very first public singing performance was at the famous Apollo Theater in New York. He won second place there, competing against both adults and young people!

He continued singing in church, school choirs, and other groups. He also performed in talent shows and competitions across the United States and Canada. Even though singing came naturally to him, basketball was his first favorite sport. He played basketball throughout high school. Eventually, he had to choose between basketball and singing. Marcus realized he wouldn't grow tall enough for a professional basketball career. So, he chose singing and has been following his musical dreams ever since.

Music Career Journey

Marcus Canty became famous when he auditioned for The X Factor TV show. This show helps new singers get discovered. For his audition, he sang "I Wish" by Stevie Wonder.

Marcus looks up to many great musicians. Some of his biggest musical inspirations include Marvin Gaye, Luther Vandross, Stevie Wonder, Usher, and Whitney Houston.

Competing on The X Factor

During the "Judges' Houses" round of The X Factor, Marcus sang "All My Life" by K-Ci & JoJo. As the competition went on, contestants would sometimes end up in the "bottom two" or "bottom three." This meant they were at risk of being eliminated.

Marcus faced elimination several times. In one week, he was in the bottom three with other contestants named Drew and Astro. He had to sing again to try and stay in the competition. The judges then voted. Simon Cowell voted for Drew, but L.A. Reid, Nicole Scherzinger, and Paula Abdul voted for Marcus. This meant Marcus moved on.

Later, in the quarter-final, Marcus was again in the bottom two, this time with Rachel Crow. The judges' votes were tied, so the decision went to a "deadlock." This means the contestant with more public votes would stay. Marcus had more votes and moved to the semi-final. However, in the semi-final, Marcus received the fewest votes from the public and was eliminated.

Performances and Results on The X Factor

Here's a look at Marcus Canty's performances and how he did on The X Factor:

After The X Factor

Even though he didn't win The X Factor, Marcus Canty's career continued. In January 2012, he signed a recording contract with Epic Records. This meant he would get to make and release his own music!

On March 7, 2012, Marcus released his first single, "Won't Make a Fool Out of You". This song was even featured in the 2012 movie Think Like a Man. The song became popular and reached number 98 on Billboard's R&B chart.

Later that year, on July 31, Marcus released his second single, "In & Out", which featured the rapper Wale. Marcus then released his first collection of songs, called an extended play (EP), titled This...Is Marcus Canty on March 5, 2013. This EP reached number 114 on the US Billboard 200 chart.

Marcus Canty's Music

Here are some of the songs and music collections Marcus Canty has released:

Singles

Extended Plays

Studio Albums

• Jazzy Knights (2020)