# William Singe
**William Singe** (born Liam Anthony Singe) is an Australian singer, songwriter, and self-taught producer who first gained attention in 2012 as a member of the boy band The Collective on *[The X Factor Australia](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-x-factor-australian-tv-series)* and later built an international following through R&B-infused cover songs posted online.[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/william-singe-mn0003443284) • [2](https://www.nzonscreen.com/music-artists/william-singe/) Born in 1992 in Forestville, New South Wales, a suburb outside Sydney, he is of Māori descent through his New Zealand-born father, a guitarist, bassist, and singer-songwriter.[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/william-singe-mn0003443284)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full name and origin | Liam Anthony Singe, born 1992 in Forestville, New South Wales, Australia[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/william-singe-mn0003443284) |
| First break | Member of The Collective, formed on season four of *The X Factor Australia* in 2012; the band finished third[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/william-singe-mn0003443284) |
| Solo launch | Left the band in 2015 and recorded cover songs in his bedroom, gaining fans through YouTube and Spotify[2](https://www.nzonscreen.com/music-artists/william-singe/) |
| Best-known covers | Fetty Wap's '679' and Drake's 'Hotline Bling', which drew millions of YouTube views[3](https://themusicnetwork.com/features/william-singe-on-his-second-shot-at-major-label-success) |
| Major-label deal | Five-year recording contract worth more than $2 million with RCA Records, signed in 2016[3](https://themusicnetwork.com/features/william-singe-on-his-second-shot-at-major-label-success) |
| Biggest chart hit | 'Mama' with UK producer Jonas Blue, peaking at number 4 on the UK Official Singles Chart and spending 31 weeks on the chart[4](https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/48480/william-singe/) |
| Recent work | 'Whānau' (2023), written in te reo Māori for Waiata Anthems[2](https://www.nzonscreen.com/music-artists/william-singe/) |
## The Collective and *The X Factor Australia*
Singe auditioned for the fourth season of *The X Factor Australia* in 2012, performing [Justin Bieber](https://www.edgepedia.org/justin-bieber)'s "One Less Lonely Girl" with rap lyrics he had written himself. He advanced to the super bootcamp stage but did not reach the live finals as a solo contestant; the judges instead placed him in the five-member boy band The Collective, alongside Jayden Sierra, Zach Russell, Julian De Vizio, and Trent Bell.[5](https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/william-singe-32898.php) The band finished third in the competition and signed a recording deal with Sony Music Australia.[5](https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/william-singe-32898.php) The Collective released a self-titled mini-album in December 2012, which opened at number 11 on the ARIA Albums Chart and earned gold certification, and the group toured into 2014 before disbanding.[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/william-singe-mn0003443284) • [5](https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/william-singe-32898.php)
## Solo career and viral covers
Singe announced his departure from The Collective on Facebook in February 2015 and began recording acoustic R&B covers of songs by Justin Bieber, Fetty Wap, Alessia Cara, TLC, Adele, and Drake from his bedroom.[5](https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/william-singe-32898.php) • [1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/william-singe-mn0003443284) His approach was to rework each song's genre rather than reproduce it; he described asking himself how a song would sound if he had written and produced it himself, an approach he applied to slowing Drake's "Hotline Bling" down into a slow jam.[6](https://danamic.org/2024/05/12/william-singe-from-youtube-covers-to-creatorweek-insights/) His versions of [Fetty Wap](https://www.edgepedia.org/fetty-wap)'s '679' and Drake's 'Hotline Bling' drew millions of YouTube views.[3](https://themusicnetwork.com/features/william-singe-on-his-second-shot-at-major-label-success)
The online following translated into commercial traction. By mid-2016 he had accumulated over 200 million combined views on Facebook and YouTube, sold over 100,000 singles on iTunes, and completed a 45-date international headlining tour.[7](https://www.forbes.com/sites/ogdenpayne/2016/07/30/viral-singersongwriter-william-singe-signs-a-record-deal-with-rca/) In July 2016 he signed with [RCA Records](https://www.edgepedia.org/rca-records), joining a roster that included [Chris Brown](https://www.edgepedia.org/chris-brown), Alicia Keys, and [Justin Timberlake](https://www.edgepedia.org/justin-timberlake).[7](https://www.forbes.com/sites/ogdenpayne/2016/07/30/viral-singersongwriter-william-singe-signs-a-record-deal-with-rca/) The deal was a five-year recording contract worth more than $2 million, described as one of the largest signed by a US label for a new Australian artist, and reunited him with Sony Music Entertainment Australia.[3](https://themusicnetwork.com/features/william-singe-on-his-second-shot-at-major-label-success)
## 'Mama' and original releases
His debut single for RCA, 'Rush', followed in February 2017.[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/william-singe-mn0003443284) The same year he provided vocals on 'Mama' by the British producer [Jonas Blue](https://www.edgepedia.org/jonas-blue), a collaboration he credits with launching his career to a new level of fame.[6](https://danamic.org/2024/05/12/william-singe-from-youtube-covers-to-creatorweek-insights/) The song entered the UK Official Singles Chart in May 2017, peaked at number 4, and spent 31 weeks on the chart.[4](https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/48480/william-singe/) Singe later noted that despite being his biggest song, it was not his own, and that radio mentions of the track did not always name him.[3](https://themusicnetwork.com/features/william-singe-on-his-second-shot-at-major-label-success)
In 2017 he relocated to Los Angeles, touring the US, Europe, and Asia before returning to Sydney to work on original music.[8](https://www.willsinge.com/page/2/) By late 2018 he had released only two original songs in the preceding 18 months, 'Rush' and 'Please' (released November 1, 2018), and described the period as a reset of his career toward establishing himself as an original artist rather than a cover performer.[3](https://themusicnetwork.com/features/william-singe-on-his-second-shot-at-major-label-success) 'Please' was released through RCA Records.[9](https://music.apple.com/us/album/please-single/1440065149)
## Later work
In 2023 Singe wrote 'Whānau', a song inspired by his taha Māori (Māori identity) and his [Ngāti Porou](https://www.edgepedia.org/ngati-porou) whakapapa. He wrote it about his best friends and recorded it in te reo Māori for the Waiata Anthems project.[2](https://www.nzonscreen.com/music-artists/william-singe/) His official site describes streaming numbers well into the billions and lists recent original releases including 'Catch My Breath', 'Grace's [Interlude](https://www.edgepedia.org/interlude)', and 'I Can't Help You'.[8](https://www.willsinge.com/page/2/)
## References
1. [William Singe Biography by Neil Z. Yeung, AllMusic](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/william-singe-mn0003443284)
2. [William Singe, NZ On Screen](https://www.nzonscreen.com/music-artists/william-singe/)
3. [William Singe on his second shot at major label success, The Music Network (November 26, 2018)](https://themusicnetwork.com/features/william-singe-on-his-second-shot-at-major-label-success)
4. [William Singe songs and albums, full Official Chart history, Official Charts Company](https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/48480/william-singe/)
5. [William Singe Biography, The Famous People](https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/william-singe-32898.php)
6. [William Singe: From YouTube covers to CreatorWeek insights, Danamic (May 12, 2024)](https://danamic.org/2024/05/12/william-singe-from-youtube-covers-to-creatorweek-insights/)
7. [Facebook Famous Singer/Songwriter William Singe Signs A Record Deal With RCA, Forbes (July 30, 2016)](https://www.forbes.com/sites/ogdenpayne/2016/07/30/viral-singersongwriter-william-singe-signs-a-record-deal-with-rca/)
8. [About Will, official website](https://www.willsinge.com/page/2/)
9. [Please - Single, Apple Music](https://music.apple.com/us/album/please-single/1440065149)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Music › Musicians and ensembles › Individual musical biographies › Pop and R&B singer-songwriters › R&B singers, 2010s to present › Surnames P to Z*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 19, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 19, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license