Oritsé Williams facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Oritsé Williams
Oritsé at a fashion event in 2016
Born	Oritsé Jolomi Matthew Soloman Williams (1986-11-27) 27 November 1986 (age 38) London, England
Occupation	Singer songwriter
Years active	2006–present
Children	1
Musical career
Genres	R&B pop hip hop dance
Instruments	Vocals
Labels	Epic O-Street Overthrow
Signature

Oritsé Jolomi Matthew Soloman Williams (born 27 November 1986), known by his stage name Oritsé, is a British singer and songwriter. He is famous for creating the popular boy band JLS.

The group became a huge success after they were the runners-up on the TV show The X Factor in 2008. JLS went on to sell over 10 million records. In 2013, Oritsé won the ITV dancing competition Stepping Out.

Early Life and Family

Oritsé Williams was born in London, England. His family has roots in Nigeria and the Caribbean.

From the age of 12, Oritsé took on a big responsibility. He helped care for his mother, who was diagnosed with an illness called multiple sclerosis. He also helped look after his two brothers and his sister. While in primary school, he learned to play the trumpet.

Music Career

The JLS Journey

JLS in Chicago during a 2010 tour.

In 2007, Oritsé had a special goal. He wanted to use his love for music to support his family and help his mother. He decided to form a boy band with his friends Aston Merrygold, Marvin Humes, and JB Gill. At first, they called themselves UFO.

In 2008, the group auditioned for the TV show The X Factor. They changed their name to JLS, which stands for "Jack the Lad Swing." They were a big hit with the audience and made it all the way to the final, finishing in second place.

After the show, JLS became one of the UK's biggest bands. They sold over 10 million records around the world. The group had five number-one hit songs in the UK. They also won many awards, including five MOBO Awards and two BRIT Awards.

In April 2013, JLS announced that they would be splitting up after releasing a greatest hits album. They said they wanted their fans to hear the news directly from them.

Life After JLS

After JLS, Oritsé continued to work on new projects. He showed off his dancing skills and worked on his own music.

Winning 'Stepping Out'

In 2013, Oritsé competed in the ITV dance show Stepping Out. He and his dance partner reached the final and won the competition on 28 September 2013.

• Note: In week 4, there was a "Partner Swap" challenge where celebrities danced with a different partner.

Solo Music

Oritsé began working on his solo career under the name OWS. He announced his first solo album, Waterline, which was released in 2015.

Other Projects

Products and Fun Facts

In 2010, dolls of Oritsé and the other JLS members were released. The band also worked with Nintendo to advertise the Wii Party game in a series of TV commercials.

JLS was also part of an advertising campaign for Walkers crisps. They performed at a school as part of the fun TV ad.

Helping Others

Oritsé and the other members of JLS started The JLS Foundation. This organization raises money for several charities, including Cancer Research UK, Rays of Sunshine, Childline, and the MS Society. Even though the band split up, the members continue to support the foundation.

Because of his mother's illness, Oritsé also became an ambassador for the MS Society to help raise awareness.

JLS used their fame to help many causes.

• Their number-one song Love You More raised money for Children in Need.
• They helped raise money for Comic Relief by appearing in funny sketches on TV.
• In 2012, the band visited Uganda for Sport Relief and released the official charity song, Proud.
• They were part of five charity singles in total, with four of them reaching number one in the UK charts.