Blake O'Connor
{{Use Australian English|date=July 2019}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Blake O'Connor
| image =
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| birth_name =
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| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2000|10|05|df=y}}
| birth_place = Windsor, New South Wales, Australia
| origin =
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| genre = Country
| occupation = Singer-songwriter
| instrument = {{flatlist|
- Vocals
- guitar (bass, electric, acoustic)
- harmonica
}}
| years_active = 2017–present
| label =
| associated_acts =
| website = {{URL|https://www.blakeoconnormusic.com}}
}}
Blake O'Connor is an Australian country music singer and songwriter.
He released his debut studio album Everything I Feel in July 2019, which landed at #1 ARIA Australian Country Charts and peaked at number 31 on the all genres international ARIA Albums Chart.
Biography
=2000–2015: Early life and career beginnings=
Blake O'Connor was born in Windsor, New South Wales, before moving with his family to Bathurst and Port Macquarie. His grandparents gifted him an acoustic guitar for his sixth birthday. At 14, Blake had his first gig at a wedding which inspired his first song he wrote especially for the occasion. In 2015, he was a featured artist in the NSW School's Spectacular in Sydney and then made the decision to leave school to focus full-time on music.
=2016–2020: ''Everything I Feel'' =
In January 2017, O'Connor visited Tamworth, New South Wales and won the Mount Franklin talent quest, the Capitol Country Music Association male vocal category, the Coca-Cola country best youngster in Tamworth and performed three times on the Peel Street stage and once on the ABC stage.{{cite web|url=https://www.portnews.com.au/story/4445878/blake-hitting-all-the-right-notes-video/|title=Video: Blake O'Conner's music career continues to skyrocket |publisher=Port News|date=8 February 2017|accessdate=20 July 2019}} Later in 2017, O'Connor entered and won the Coca-Cola Country competition and CCMA Junior talent quest, receiving a scholarship to attend the CMAA Academy.
In June 2018, O'Conner self-released his debut, self-titled extended play.
In January 2019, O'Connor became the 40th winner of the Toyota Star Maker at the Tamworth Country Music Festival.{{cite web|url=https://www.kixcountry.com.au/country-confidential/47533-blake-o-connor-announces-debut-album|title= COUNTRY CONFIDENTIAL BLAKE O'CONNOR ANNOUNCES DEBUT ALBUM|publisher=Kix Country|date=2019 |accessdate=20 July 2019}}
In July 2019, O'Connor released his debut studio album Everything I Feel{{Cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/au/album/everything-i-feel/1463024213|title = Everything I Feel by Blake O'Connor|date = 12 July 2019}} which he said "it's about everything I've been through in the last year with my emotions and experience."{{cite web|url=https://www.northerndailyleader.com.au/story/6153096/star-maker-blake-oconnor-shares-all-that-he-feels-in-mature-album/|title=Star Maker Blake O'Connor releases debut album Everything I Feel at Hats Off to Country|publisher=Northern Daily Leader|date= 11 July 2019 |accessdate=20 July 2019}} The album debuted at number 1 on the ARIA Country Album Chart and 31 on the ARIA All-Genre Charts. In September 2019, O'Connor released "Worth a Little More" as the album's second single, along with its video.
=2021–present: ''Finding Light'' =
In February 2021, O'Connor released "Willin' and Ready",{{Cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/au/album/willin-and-ready-single/1551072895|title = Willin' and Ready - Single by Blake O'Connor|date = 12 February 2021}} followed by "Soul Feeling"{{Cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/au/album/soul-feeling-single/1570383907|title=Soul Feeling - Single by Blake O'Connor|date=2 July 2021}} in July 2021. Both singles are from his forthcoming second studio album, Finding Light. The album was announced in January 2023, with a release date of 10 March 2023.{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/Blakeoconnormusic/posts/pfbid0fedXbk7i8zopXB5r77nYAGjHJ235hp1FCkLQw4TV1t47KMmB41Bm5fbpGUEnhYqMl?__cft__[0]=AZVW9K1neKxyA66r6YrbRSZj48P2c4qFf8lbhZ_AHwHtJS5UEMFRcoTj2yc27OtouLChjVFwcbLUbvgL19XfyOP7EaZEwun5jAJuGZXudOBLxoXw0SgTJjdSMvHy28De7qKirVEfUgqsHXL0lWpdXrDqA6YAln7s03d41cGOzXZ1s0cE6YTVjOhhqUCyDdiCR1VKxJg5ITC8zuoeAtDUgLpr&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R|title= THRILLED to announce my new ALBUM is coming out on MARCH 10!!!🔥 |website=Facebook|date=19 January 2023|access-date=31 January 2023}}
Discography
=Albums=
=Extended plays=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" border="1" |
| scope="col" rowspan="1" style="width:12em;"| Title
! scope="col" rowspan="1" style="width:20em;"| EP details |
|---|
| scope="row"| Blake O'Connor
|
|
=Singles=
=Other appearances=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" border="1"
|+ List of other non-single song appearances ! scope="col"| Title ! scope="col"| Year ! scope="col"| Album |
| scope="row"| "Hole in My Head" (with Sinead Burgess){{cite web|url=https://www.therockpit.net/2023/halfway-down-under-a-tribute-to-jim-lauderdale/|title= Halfway Down Under A Tribute To JIM LAUDERDALE|website=The Rock Pit|date=28 February 2023|access-date=25 May 2023}}
| 2023 | Halfway Down Under: A Tribute to Jim Lauderdale |
|---|
Awards
=Country Music Awards of Australia=
The Country Music Awards of Australia (CMAA) (also known as the Golden Guitar Awards) is an annual awards night held in January during the Tamworth Country Music Festival, celebrating recording excellence in the Australian country music industry. They have been held annually since 1973.{{cite web|url=https://www.country.com.au/awards/past-award-winners|title=Past Award Winners|accessdate=2 November 2020|archive-date=25 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201025171148/https://country.com.au/awards/past-award-winners|url-status=dead}}
{{awards table}}
! {{Abbr|Ref.|Reference}}
|-
|rowspan="2"| 2020 ||Blake O'Connor || Male Artist of the Year || {{nom}}||rowspan="2"| {{cite web|url=https://www.country.com.au/news/and-the-2020-toyota-golden-guitar-awards-finalists-are|title=And the 2020 Toyota Golden Guitar Awards Finalists Are...|website=TCMF|date=November 2019|access-date=2 December 2022}}
|-
| "Worth a Little More" by Blake Connor
| New Talent of the Year
| {{won}}
{{end}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:OConnor, Blake}}
Category:Australian country singer-songwriters
Category:Australian country guitarists
Category:Musicians from New South Wales
Category:21st-century Australian singers
Category:21st-century Australian guitarists
Category:21st-century Australian male singers
Category:Australian male guitarists