Anthony Cosmo Callea (born 13 December 1982) is an Australian singer-songwriter and stage actor who rose to prominence as the runner-up in the 2004 season of ''

Australian Idol ''Australian Idol'' is an Australian singing competition, which began its first season in July 2003 and ended its initial run in November 2009. As part of the ''Idol'' franchise, Australian Idol originated from the reality program '' Pop Ido ...

''. Callea's debut single, a cover of

Celine Dion Céline Marie Claudette Dion ( ; born 30 March 1968) is a Canadian singer. Noted for her powerful and technically skilled vocals, Dion is the best-selling Canadian recording artist, and the best-selling French-language artist of all time. Her ...

and

Andrea Bocelli Andrea Bocelli (; born 22 September 1958) is an Italian tenor and multi-instrumentalist. He was born visually impaired, with congenital glaucoma, and at the age of 12, Bocelli became completely blind, following a brain hemorrhage resulting fro ...

's song " The Prayer" is the fastest-selling single by an Australian artist, held the No.1 spot on the

ARIA Singles Chart The ARIA Charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling songs and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA became the offici ...

for five weeks, a record for the debut single of an ''Australian Idol'' contestant, and was the second-highest selling Australian single of the last decade.ARIA’s End Of Decade Charts*
(PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. 7 January 2010. Retrieved 11 November 2010. Callea has accumulated a string of awards including an

ARIA Music Award The Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards (commonly known informally as ARIA Music Awards, ARIA Awards, or simply the ARIAs) is an annual series of awards nights celebrating the Australian music industry, put on by the Austra ...

, Channel V Artist of the Year, Pop Republic Artist of the Year, MTV Viewers' Choice Award, Variety's Young Entertainer of the Year, MO Award and a Gospel Music Award and is known for his powerful trained voice and his versatility in a range of genres in releases and live performances. All but one of the tracks on his second album '' A New Chapter'' were co-written by him. October 2011 saw Callea release his first new music in four years, a single titled "Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh", self-funded, released and distributed as a fully independent venture through his own production company, Vox Enterprises. The dance-pop track was co-written in LA with two-time Grammy-nominated and official DJ for the

Black Eyed Peas Black Eyed Peas (also known as The Black Eyed Peas) is an American musical group consisting of rappers will.i.am, apl.de.ap, Taboo. The group's line-up during the height of their popularity in the 2000s featured Fergie, who replaced Kim H ...

, Poet Name Life. It signals a departure from the ballads for which he is known and was released in digital format only. His albums, DVD and singles have all debuted in the top 20 of the

ARIA Charts The ARIA Charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling songs and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA became the offici ...

with the exception of "Oh Oh Oh Oh", an EP titled '' Last To Go'' released in February 2012 and his fourth album released in 2013. However, "Oh Oh Oh Oh" debuted at number 6 on the Official Independent Music Charts

AIR Charts The Australian Independent Record Labels Association (commonly known as AIR), formerly Association of Independent Record Labels, is a non-profit trade association which supports the growth and development of Australia's independent recording ...

, and in its first week, peaked at number 17 on the ARIA Top 20 Australian Artists Singles Chart.ARIA Top 20 Australian Singles Chart
ARIA

Australian Recording Industry Association The Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) is a trade association representing the Australian recording industry which was established in the 1970s by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replac ...

Retrieved 16 October 2011 '' Last To Go'' reached number 7 on the Independent Distribution Singles Chart.Last to Go
iTunes. Retrieved 19 March 2012
Independent Music Charts. 12 March 2012. Retrieved 20 March 2012 In March 2013, it was announced Callea signed a record deal with

ABC Music ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...

and would release his third studio album on 26 April 2013. The new release, entitled ''

Thirty 30 (thirty) is the natural number following 29 and preceding 31. In mathematics 30 is an even, composite, pronic number. With 2, 3, and 5 as its prime factors, it is a regular number and the first sphenic number, the smallest of the form ...

'', was the first of two albums released that year, and were distributed by

Universal Music Universal Music Group N.V. (often abbreviated as UMG and referred to as just Universal Music) is a Dutch–American multinational music corporation under Dutch law. UMG's corporate headquarters are located in Hilversum, Netherlands and it ...

. The second, released on 8 November 2013 was a Christmas album titled '' This Is Christmas''. In August 2014 Callea released his third album with ABC music but, in contrast to previous albums, this was a Live DVD/CD '' Ladies & Gentlemen: The Songs of George Michael'' filmed and recorded at the Palms at Crown

Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/ Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a metro ...

. The DVD debuted at number 1 on the Australian ARIA Charts. On 5 August 2016, after three albums with ABC Music, Callea announced that he had re-signed with

Sony Music Australia Sony Music Entertainment Australia is the predominant record label operated by American parent company Sony Music Entertainment in Australia. SMEA also formerly published and distributed video games in Australia & New Zealand on behalf of Sony ...

and would be releasing his sixth album ''

Backbone The backbone is the vertebral column of a vertebrate. Arts, entertainment, and media Film * ''Backbone'' (1923 film), a 1923 lost silent film starring Alfred Lunt * ''Backbone'' (1975 film), a 1975 Yugoslavian drama directed by Vlatko Gilić ...

'' along with an East Coast tour, due to be released in September 2016.

Early life

Callea began entering talent contests as a child and trained with the

Johnny Young Johnny Young (born Johnny Benjamin de Jong; 12 March 1947) is a Dutch Australian singer, composer, record producer, disc jockey, television producer and host. Originally from Rotterdam, The Netherlands, his family settled in Perth in the early ...

Young Talent Time Talent School.

Music career

2004: ''Australian Idol''

He was selected for the final 30 in the television series ''

'' in 2004. Based on viewer votes, he did not make it through the first round of competition, but was invited back as a "Judge's Choice Wildcard", where his performance earned him a place in the final 12. The competition concluded in November 2004 with Callea finishing as runner-up to Casey Donovan. Callea was immediately signed to Sony/BMG Records, and his first single, " The Prayer" was released in December 2004. It debuted on the

at number one, and remained there for five consecutive weeks. Within seven weeks, it was certified four times

platinum Platinum is a chemical element with the symbol Pt and atomic number 78. It is a dense, malleable, ductile, highly unreactive, precious, silverish-white transition metal. Its name originates from Spanish , a diminutive of "silver". Pla ...

, selling in excess of 280,000 copies. In 2010 ARIA named it as the second-highest selling single of the last decade, which also made it the second-highest selling Australian artist song of that decade. His next single, the double A-side "

Rain Rain is water droplets that have condensed from atmospheric water vapor and then fall under gravity. Rain is a major component of the water cycle and is responsible for depositing most of the fresh water on the Earth. It provides water f ...

"/" Bridge over Troubled Water" spent two weeks at number one. His self-titled album debuted at number one in the week of 4 April 2005, and remained at the top of the chart for three weeks. His third single " Hurts So Bad" debuted at number ten on the ARIA Charts, while the album's final single, " Per Sempre (for Always)" debuted at number five.

2005-present: Continued success

In July 2005, Callea made an east coast of Australia tour adding dates along the way in 2005. Supporting Callea on tour was

Tina Cousins Tina Patricia Cousins (born 20 April 1974) is an English singer, songwriter and former model. She has had five singles in the Top 20 of the UK Singles Chart, both as a solo artist and in collaboration with others, including " Mysterious Times" w ...

. Callea's DVD ''Live in Concert'' was released on 7 November 2005. It debuted at No. 3 in the ARIA DVD Chart and was awarded platinum status. Callea released the single " Live for Love" on 26 May from his second album ''A New Chapter'', the only song on the album which he did not co-write. Both the single and the album, released on 25 November 2006, debuted at number 9. The album contains a mix of genres characteristic to Callea, including power ballads and more up-tempo songs. Callea also contributed his version of the

Brian McKnight Brian Kelly McKnight (born June 5, 1969) is an American singer, songwriter, actor, record producer, radio host and multi-instrumentalist. He is most recognized for his strong head voice, high belting range and melisma. McKnight is known for h ...

song, "Home", to the compilation album '' Home: Songs of Hope & Journey'', which was released to raise funds for BeyondBlue, an anti-depression organisation. The second single " Addicted to You" debuted at no. 19 when released in February 2007. From July to September 2007, Callea embarked on his ''A New Chapter'' tour with his four-piece band. Callea performed the songs in his album ''A New Chapter'' as well as some of his classic songs, playing 18 shows across the country. In 2011, Callea headlined the 2011

Stockholm Pride Stockholm Pride (styled as STHLM Pride) is an annual gay pride festival held in Stockholm, the capital of Sweden. Since the start in 1998, Stockholm Pride has grown. In 2014, some 60,000 participated and 600,000 followed the parade at the streets ...

Festival. Callea's third release was released independently. Callea released the lead single "Oh Oh Oh Oh" to his upcoming EP in 2011. It reached No.17 on the Australian Artist Singles Chart. A 2012 EP titled '' Last To Go'' peaked at No. 7 on the Independent Distribution Music Chart. His third studio album ''

'' in 2013 is a collection of inspirational songs embracing the artists and music that had influenced him, with some original tracks. Callea released a 2013

Christmas album Christmas music comprises a variety of genres of music regularly performed or heard around the Christmas season. Music associated with Christmas may be purely instrumental, or, in the case of carols or songs, may employ lyrics whose subject ma ...

, '' This Is Christmas'' with duets with the National Boys Choir and husband/actor Tim Campbell. On 16 May 2014 Callea performed a one-off concert titled ''Ladies and Gentlemen – The songs of George Michael''. This concert was recorded and will be released as a 17-track CD/DVD on 1 August 2014. In June, Callea announced an extension of his " Ladies & Gentlemen: The Songs of George Michael" concert, with dates in September and October through Perth, Adelaide, Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne. Callea released ''

'' in 2016, which debuted at number 1 on the

. In September 2017, Callea released '' ARIA Number 1 Hits in Symphony'' which also debuted at number 1 on the ARIA Charts. In October 2019, Called released the stand-along single " What's Wrong with Me?". This was followed in 2020 with "Lonely" and "Shadows". On 30 September 2022, Called released "Heaven" and announced the forthcoming release of studio album, ''Forty Love'', scheduled for release on 21 October 2022.

Notable performances

* In 2005, performed with

Luciano Pavarotti Luciano Pavarotti (, , ; 12 October 19356 September 2007) was an Italian operatic tenor who during the late part of his career crossed over into popular music, eventually becoming one of the most acclaimed tenors of all time. He made numero ...

on his last trip to Australia. * In March 2006, performed for

Queen Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until her death in 2022. She was queen regnant of 32 sovereign states during ...

at Commonwealth Day Church Service in Sydney. * In 2006, Callea was the support act for the Australian leg of

Diana Ross Diana Ross (born March 26, 1944) is an American singer and actress. She rose to fame as the lead singer of the vocal group the Supremes, who became Motown's most successful act during the 1960s and one of the world's best-selling girl groups ...

's ''

I Love You I Love You, I Love U, or I Luv U may refer to: Film and television Films * ''I Love You'' (1918 film), a silent drama written by Catherine Carr * ''I Love You'' (1925 film), a German silent drama film * ''I Love You'' (1938 film) a German ...

'' 2006 tour. * In 2007, Callea was the support act for Westlife's Arena Tour. * In 2008, Callea was the support act for

's ''

Taking Chances ''Taking Chances'' is the tenth English-language and twenty-third studio album by Canadian singer Celine Dion, released by Columbia Records on 7 November 2007. Dion returned to the music scene after almost five years of performing '' A New Day... ...

'' world tour. * In February 2009 joined

Tina Arena Filippina Lydia "Tina" Arena (born 1 November 1967) is an Australian singer-songwriter, musician, musical theatre actress and record producer. She is one of Australia's highest-selling artists and has sold over 10 million records worldwid ...

to perform an impromptu performance of "The Prayer" at Melbourne's Grand Hyatt re-launch * In 2010, was a special guest of the Australian leg of

Whitney Houston Whitney Elizabeth Houston (August 9, 1963 – February 11, 2012) was an American singer and actress. Nicknamed "Honorific nicknames in popular music, The Voice", she is Whitney Houston albums discography, one of the bestselling music artists ...

's ''

Nothing but Love World Tour The Nothing but Love World Tour was the ninth and final concert tour by American recording artist, Whitney Houston. It was her first major tour in almost a decade and was used to promote her seventh studio album '' I Look to You'' released in 200 ...

''. * In January 2011, performed aone-off special concert for the Australian Flood Victims at Rally For Relief at Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne. * In 2013, supported

Mariah Carey Mariah Carey (; born March 27, 1969) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and record producer. Referred to as the " Songbird Supreme", she is noted for her five-octave vocal range, melismatic singing style and signature use of the w ...

on her first Australian shows in 14 years. * In 2013, performed "Go the Distance" at The Special Olympics 2013 Asia Pacific Opening Ceremony.

Television work

''It Takes Two'' season 2

In 2007, Callea was one of the professional voices on the

Seven Network The Seven Network (commonly known as Channel Seven or simply Seven) is a major Australian commercial free-to-air Television broadcasting in Australia, television network. It is owned by Seven West Media, Seven West Media Limited, and is one of ...

's weekly musical competition program, '' It Takes Two'', in which celebrities from non-musical fields were teamed with professional singers to perform a duet each week. Callea was paired with radio DJ

Jo Stanley Joanne McFarlane (''née'' Bailey), commonly known as Jo Stanley, is an Australian television and radio presenter and comedian. Stanley was a host of ''Jo & Lehmo'' on Gold 104.3 from 2016 to 2017. She previously hosted ''Weekend Breakfast'' ...

and finished in second place, competing against

Jolene Anderson Jolene Anderson (born 26 May 1980) is an Australian actress and singer. From 2006 to 2008, she played the character of Erica Templeton on the drama series ''All Saints (TV series), All Saints''. She is also the winner of the second series o ...

and David Campbell at the finals.

Performances

* Week One: The Veronicas – " 4ever" (Pop) * Week Two:

Chaka Khan Yvette Marie Stevens (born March 23, 1953), better known by her stage name Chaka Khan (), is an American singer. Her career has spanned more than five decades, beginning in the 1970s as the lead vocalist of the funk band Rufus. Known as the " Q ...

– "

I Say a Little Prayer "I Say a Little Prayer" is a song written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David for Dionne Warwick, originally peaking at number four on the U.S. ''Billboard'' Hot 100 pop singles chart in December 1967. On the R&B Singles chart it peaked at numbe ...

" (Songs from the Movies) * Week Three:

Kelly Clarkson Kelly Brianne Clarkson (born April 24, 1982) is an American singer, songwriter, author, and television personality. She rose to fame after winning the first season of '' American Idol'' in 2002, which earned her a record deal with RCA. Her de ...

– " Because of You" (Ballad) * Week Four: Blondie – " Call Me" (No. 1 Hits) * Week Five:

Peaches & Herb Peaches & Herb is an American vocal duo. Herb Fame (born October 1, 1941) has remained a constant as "Herb" since the duo was created in 1966; seven different women have filled the role of "Peaches", most notably Francine Edna "Peaches" Hurd B ...

– "

Shake Your Groove Thing "Shake Your Groove Thing" is a song by disco duo Peaches & Herb. The single reached No. 5 on the U.S. ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and No. 4 on the ''Billboard'' R&B Chart. It also reached No. 2 for four weeks on the ''Billboard'' Disco chart in 197 ...

" (Disco) * Week Six:

ABBA ABBA ( , , formerly named Björn & Benny, Agnetha & Anni-Frid or Björn & Benny, Agnetha & Frida) are a Swedish supergroup formed in Stockholm in 1972 by Agnetha Fältskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, and Anni-Frid Lyngstad. The grou ...

– "

SOS is a Morse code distress signal (), used internationally, that was originally established for maritime use. In formal notation is written with an overscore line, to indicate that the Morse code equivalents for the individual letters of "SOS" ...

" (70s & 80s) * Week Seven:

– "

You Are Everything "You Are Everything" is a soul song written by Thom Bell and Linda Creed and originally recorded by the Philadelphia soul group The Stylistics. The Stylistics version An R&B ballad, it was the sixth track from their 1971 debut self-titled albu ...

" (Motown) * Week Eight:

Judy Garland Judy Garland (born Frances Ethel Gumm; June 10, 1922June 22, 1969) was an American actress and singer. While critically acclaimed for many different roles throughout her career, she is widely known for playing the part of Dorothy Gale in '' The ...

– " Get Happy" (Swing) &

Joan Jett Joan Jett (born Joan Marie Larkin, September 22, 1958) is an American singer, guitarist, record producer, and actress. Jett is best known for her work as the frontwoman of her band Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, and for earlier founding and per ...

– "

I Love Rock 'n' Roll "I Love Rock 'n' Roll" is a rock song written by Alan Merrill and Jake Hooker and first recorded by the Arrows, a British rock band, in 1975. A 1981 cover version by Joan Jett & the Blackhearts, released as the first single from her album of ...

" (Rock) * Week Nine: Anthony Callea – " The Prayer" (A song their mentor was famous for) &

Chuck Berry Charles Edward Anderson Berry (October 18, 1926 – March 18, 2017) was an American singer, songwriter and guitarist who pioneered rock and roll. Nicknamed the " Father of Rock and Roll", he refined and developed rhythm and blues into th ...

– " Johnny B. Goode" (Rock & Roll) * Week Ten (Finale): Encore performances of Kelly Clarkson's "Because of You", Judy Garland's "Get Happy", and a new performance of

Irene Cara Irene Cara Escalera (March 18, 1959 – November 25, 2022) was an American singer, songwriter and actress of Black, Puerto Rican and Cuban descent. Cara rose to prominence for her role as Coco Hernandez in the 1980 musical film '' Fame'', and f ...

's " Flashdance... What a Feeling"

''It Takes Two'' season 3

In 2008, Callea again performed as one of the professional voices on the

's weekly musical competition program, '' It Takes Two'', in which celebrities from non-musical fields are teamed with professional singers to perform a duet each week. Callea's partner for season three was ironwoman Candice Falzon. Callea and Falzon were eliminated in week seven, finishing in fifth place.

''Ultimate School Musical: Fame''

Callea joined the cast of Foxtel's ''Ultimate School Musical: Fame'' documentary in 2010 filming the series alongside

Ruby Rose Ruby Rose Langenheim (born 20 March 1986) is an Australian model, actress, disc jockey and television presenter. Rose was a presenter on MTV Australia (2007–2011), followed by several high-profile modelling gigs, including Maybelline New Yor ...

and others in Melbourne. The show features school children attempting to put on a professional musical in just six weeks. Callea is the series' voice coach. After nationwide auditions the students of

Essendon Keilor College Essendon Keilor College was founded in 1992 from the amalgamation of Queens Park Secondary College (formerly Essendon Technical School), Essendon High School, Niddrie High School and Keilor Heights Secondary College. Essendon Keilor College (cur ...

in Melbourne were cast in the 10-part series to premiere exclusively on FOX8 under the guidance of director

Eddie Perfect Eddie Perfect (born 17 December 1977) is an Australian singer-songwriter, pianist, comedian, writer and actor. Widely known for his role as Mick Holland in Channel Ten's TV series ''Offspring'' in which he performs his own music, he has record ...

, theatre producer John Frost, choreographer Kelley Abbey and singer Callea.

''I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! Series 2''

On 31 January 2016, Callea was revealed as a contestant on season 2 of '' I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! Australia''. Callea placed fourth in the series behind the ultimate winner

Brendan Fevola Brendan Fevola (born 20 January 1981) is a former professional Australian rules footballer. He played with the Carlton and Brisbane Lions football clubs in the Australian Football League (AFL). Fevola is regarded as one of the most effectiv ...

. He also described his time in the jungle as one of the best experiences of his life and hoped that it bought more awareness to his chosen charity

Lifeline (crisis support service) Lifeline is a non-profit organisation that provides free, 24-hour telephone crisis support service in Australia. Volunteer crisis supporters provide suicide prevention services, mental health support and emotional assistance, not only via teleph ...

''The Celebrity Apprentice Australia''

In October 2020, Callea was announced as a competing celebrity contestant on the fifth season of ''

The Celebrity Apprentice Australia ''The Celebrity Apprentice Australia'' is an Australian reality television series which aired on the Nine Network. Based on NBC's ''The Apprentice'', it first aired on 24 October 2011 and originally featured Mark Bouris, the founder and chair ...

'' in 2021. Callea went on the show supporting the Children's Cancer Foundation, and raised $20k for them before he was "fired" in task 4.

Theatre/Musicals

In September 2007, in his first musical production, Callea played a supporting role in '' Dead Man Walking'', the true story of Sister Helen Prejean, an unconventional nun, who accompanies murderer Joe de Rocher to his death by execution. It explores the opposing desires for vengeance and forgiveness in this extreme situation, and the commitment required to love or to hate a fellow human being. In November 2007, Callea played the lead role Mark Cohen, a filmmaker and video artist, and Roger's roommate, in the Perth production of American Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning rock musical ''

Rent Rent may refer to: Economics *Renting, an agreement where a payment is made for the temporary use of a good, service or property *Economic rent, any payment in excess of the cost of production *Rent-seeking, attempting to increase one's share of e ...

''. This was Callea's second musical production. He starred alongside his now-partner, Tim Campbell. Callea took the role of

Boq Boq is a minor character in '' The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'' by L. Frank Baum. Jack Snow, ''Who's Who in Oz'', Chicago, Reilly & Lee, 1954; New York, Peter Bedrick Books, 1988; p. 23. He becomes a more prominent character in Gregory Maguire's 19 ...

in the Australian premiere of the

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

musical '' Wicked'', in

2008–2009 and in 2013 he was cast as Rydell High's rock star student Johnny Casino in the Australian production of

Grease (musical) ''Grease'' is a musical with music, lyrics, and a book by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey. Named after the 1950s United States working-class youth subculture known as greasers, the musical is set in 1959 at fictional Rydell High School (based on ...

alongside Rob Mills as Danny, and Gretel Scarlett as Sandy. Bert Newton, Todd McKenney, Lucy Maunder and Stephen Mahy also starred.

Personal life

On 27 March 2007, after speculation and tabloid rumours dating back to his ''Idol'' appearances, Callea publicly acknowledged that he is gay by issuing a statement confirming his sexuality and thanking his fans and his then-partner, Paul Riggio, who worked as a talent coordinator on ''Australian Idol'' during Anthony's run on the show.

"Yes, I am gay," Callea said. "I have no issue with my sexuality now, but it's taken time to become confident with who I am and happy with who I am. I'm comfortable enough to come clean now. It's a weight off my shoulders".

On 30 March 2007, Michael Kirby, then a judge of the

High Court of Australia The High Court of Australia is Australia's apex court. It exercises original and appellate jurisdiction on matters specified within Australia's Constitution. The High Court was established following passage of the '' Judiciary Act 1903''. ...

, described Callea as an "admirable Australian" for coming out. Justice Kirby added, "In terms of influencing popular culture and understanding of the reality of human

sexual diversity Gender and sexual diversity (GSD), or simply sexual diversity, refers to all the diversities of sex characteristics, sexual orientations and gender identities, without the need to specify each of the identities, behaviors, or characteristics that ...

, I would trade ten judges for one popular singer." Callea has also admitted to suffering from depression in his teenage years, saying, "I went through

major depression Major depressive disorder (MDD), also known as clinical depression, is a mental disorder characterized by at least two weeks of pervasive low mood, low self-esteem, and loss of interest or pleasure in normally enjoyable activities. Introdu ...

. I hated myself. I had to see a psychologist. I wasn't talking to anybody. My parents didn't know what was wrong with me." Callea has since supported

beyondblue Beyond Blue is an Australian mental health and wellbeing support organisation. They provide support programs to address issues related to depression, suicide, anxiety disorders and other related mental illnesses. The organisation works in p ...

, an Australian initiative against depression, by contributing his version of a

song, "Home", to a compilation album, '' Home: Songs of Hope & Journey'' by various Australian artists to raise funds and bring attention to the organisation and its cause. In February 2008 he and actor/singer Tim Campbell confirmed that they were in a relationship after they broke up with their respective partners to be together. On 18 August 2014 Campbell and Callea announced their engagement. They were married in New Zealand in November 2014. Callea was part of the Tsunami Relief Telethon and was invited to perform at the

Red Cross The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is a Humanitarianism, humanitarian movement with approximately 97 million Volunteering, volunteers, members and staff worldwide. It was founded to protect human life and health, to ensure re ...

Ball in the presence of Prince Frederik and Princess Mary of Denmark. He has worked with The Starlight Foundation, the Royal Melbourne Children's Hospital, The Mirabel Foundation and

The Salvation Army The Salvation Army (TSA) is a Protestant church and an international charitable organisation headquartered in London, England. The organisation reports a worldwide membership of over 1.7million, comprising soldiers, officers and adherents col ...

. Callea was the ambassador for the 2007 Perth Telethon for the Royal Children's Hospital and in 2007 was appointed official ambassador for Vision Australia. For the second time he was official ambassador for 2009's Vision Australia's Carols By Candlelight. 2016 marks the thirteenth year in a row Callea has performed at this event.

Discography

* ''

Anthony Callea Anthony Cosmo Callea (born 13 December 1982) is an Australian singer-songwriter and stage actor who rose to prominence as the runner-up in the 2004 season of ''Australian Idol''. Callea's debut single, a cover of Celine Dion and Andrea Bocell ...

'' (2005) * '' A New Chapter'' (2006) * ''

'' (2013) * '' This Is Christmas'' (2013) * ''

'' (2016) * '' ARIA Number 1 Hits in Symphony'' (2017) * '' Forty Love'' (2022)

Awards and nominations

ARIA Music Awards

The

ARIA Music Awards The Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards (commonly known informally as ARIA Music Awards, ARIA Awards, or simply the ARIAs) is an annual series of awards nights celebrating the Australian music industry, put on by the Austr ...

is an annual awards ceremony that recognises excellence, innovation, and achievement across all genres of

Australian music The music of Australia has an extensive history made of music societies. Indigenous Australian music forms a significant part of the unique heritage of a 40,000- to 60,000-year history which produced the iconic didgeridoo. Contemporary fusions ...

. It commenced in 1987. , - , rowspan="3", ARIA Awards 2005 , ''Anthony Callea'' ,

ARIA Award for Highest Selling Album The ARIA Music Award The Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards (commonly known informally as ARIA Music Awards, ARIA Awards, or simply the ARIAs) is an annual series of awards nights celebrating the Australian music industr ...

, , - , "The Prayer" , rowspan="2",

ARIA Award for Highest Selling Single The ARIA Music Award for Highest Selling Single was an award presented at the annual ARIA Music Awards. It was presented from 1987 through to 2011. Kylie Minogue Kylie Ann Minogue (; born 28 May 1968) is an Australian singer, songwriter ...

, , - , "Rain" / "Bridge Over Troubled Water" , , -

Channel V Oz Artist of the Year

The

Channel V Oz Artist of the Year The Channel V Oz Artist of the Year was an annual award presented by Channel V Australia and is voted by the Australian public, and is awarded to the artist on the same day as the annual ARIA Music Awards presentation events. Since its inauguration ...

was an annual award presented by

Channel V Australia Channel Australia was an Australian subscription television music channel that was available on Foxtel, Optus TV and Austar satellite and cable services. It was also previously available in New Zealand on TelstraSaturn's cable TV service in ...

and is voted by the Australian public. It ran from 1997 to 2015. , - , 2005 , Anthony Callea , Channel V Oz Artist of the Year , , -

Mo Awards

The Australian Entertainment Mo Awards (commonly known informally as the

Mo Awards The Australian Entertainment Mo Awards (commonly known informally as the Mo Awards) were an annual Australian entertainment industry award, that where established in 1975, to recognise achievements in live entertainment in Australia. They were l ...

), were annual Australian entertainment industry awards. They recognise achievements in live entertainment in Australia from 1975 to 2016. (wins only) , - , 2004 , Anthony Callea , Contemporary Rock Performer of the Year , , -

References

External links

*
Representation

Anthony Callea's official YouTube channel
*
Harbour Agency

Sony Bandit.fm Breathe profile

Daily News
{{DEFAULTSORT:Callea, Anthony 1982 births ARIA Award winners Australian Idol participants Australian male singer-songwriters Place of birth missing (living people) Australian pop singers LGBT singers from Australia LGBT songwriters Singers from Melbourne Sony BMG artists Gay musicians Living people 21st-century Australian singers 21st-century Australian male singers I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! (Australian TV series) participants The Apprentice Australia candidates 20th-century LGBT people 21st-century LGBT people