In the Arms of an Angel

On 15 December 2013, McDonald finished as the runner-up on the tenth series of The X Factor. On 8 January 2014, he tweeted "BIG NEWS COMING UP .....",{{cite tweet |author= Nicholas McDonald |user= nickymcdonald1|number= 421046455047311360 |date= 8 January 2014 |title= BIG NEWS COMING UP ..... |access-date= 3 February 2014 }} and then announced the following that he had signed a record deal with RCA Records and would be releasing his debut album in March 2014.{{cite tweet |author= Nicholas McDonald |user= nickymcdonald1|number= 421337665196531712 |date= 9 January 2014 |title= I am so happy to tell you all that I'm now signed to @RCARecords & my album be out in 8 weeks time!! Who is all going to buy it? RT RT RT. |access-date= 3 February 2014 }}{{cite web|url=http://shows.stv.tv/talk-tv/260540-x-factor-star-nicholas-mcdonald-reveals-special-album-release-date/|title=X Factor star Nicholas McDonald reveals special album release date|date=16 January 2014|publisher=STV|accessdate=3 February 2014}} He said, "When I found out that I was signing to RCA I was over the moon as I knew that they worked with some of the biggest artists in the world. It feels absolutely amazing to be recording my own album and I can't wait to get it out there and give something back to all the fans who have supported me from the very start." On 22 January, it was confirmed that McDonald's debut album would be called Arms of an Angel, though it was later changed to In the Arms of an Angel.{{cite news|url=http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/entertainment/celebrity/x-factor-star-nicholas-mcdonald-3096134|title=X Factor star Nicholas McDonald on track for success with plans to release two albums|last=Fulton|first=Rick|date=31 January 2014|work=Daily Record|publisher=Trinity Mirror|accessdate=3 February 2014}}

McDonald went into the recording studio the day after making his announcement and finished making his debut album in just one week. He explained that he was meant to be recording for two weeks, but finished a week early because he had already perfected several of the album's songs, having already performed them on The X Factor. He said, "I was really surprised but it meant I got to come home early. I got everything done. It wasn't too quick. I made sure before I left that everything sounded right and it sounded good. I didn't rush it. They said it could take someone a week, a month or a year. It just depends. But the album sounds the way I want it to sound."

It was also confirmed that the album would consist mostly of covers of songs such as Bruno Mars' "Just the Way You Are", Adele's "Someone like You" and Westlife's "Flying Without Wings" (all of which McDonald performed on The X Factor), but would contain three original tracks which McDonald had been working on since the show.{{cite web|url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/music/s103/the-x-factor/news/a545838/x-factors-nicholas-mcdonald-announces-debut-album-arms-of-an-angel.html|title=X Factor's Nicholas McDonald announces debut album Arms of an Angel|last=Corner|first=Lewis|date=23 January 2014|work=Digital Spy|accessdate=3 February 2014}} One of these original tracks was the album's lead single, "Answerphone". The others are "Smile" and "Solid Gold".{{cite web|url=http://www.maximumpop.co.uk/nicholas-mcdonald-answerphone/#|title=X Factor's Nicholas McDonald to release album on March 17. Listen to debut single 'Answerphone' now. Pop Bits.|author=Sam M|date=3 February 2014|work=Maximum Pop!|accessdate=6 February 2014}}

On 3 February 2014, the song "Answerphone" was posted to YouTube.{{cite web|url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/music/s103/the-x-factor/news/a548438/x-factors-nicholas-mcdonald-debuts-new-single-answerphone-listen.html|title=X Factor's Nicholas McDonald debuts new single 'Answerphone' - listen|last=Corner|first=Lewis|date=3 February 2014|work=Digital Spy|publisher=Hearst Magazines UK|accessdate=3 February 2014}} It was released as McDonald's debut single on 16 March 2014, the day before the album's release.{{cite news|url=http://www.unrealitytv.co.uk/x-factor/look-x-factors-nicholas-mcdonald-shoots-video-single-answerphone/|title=LOOK! X Factor's Nicholas McDonald shoots video for single 'Answerphone'|last=McGarry|first=Lisa|date=5 February 2014|publisher=Unreality TV|accessdate=6 February 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140205140540/http://www.unrealitytv.co.uk/x-factor/look-x-factors-nicholas-mcdonald-shoots-video-single-answerphone/|archive-date=5 February 2014|url-status=dead}} The single managed to spend one week within The UK Top 75, peaking at #73.

{{Track listing

| extra_column = Producer(s)

| total_length =

| title1 = Superman

| writer1 = John Ondrasik

| extra1 = {{hlist|Richard "Biff" Stannard|Ash Howes}}

| length1 = 3:30

| title2 = Answerphone

| writer2 = Roy Stride, Josh Wilkinson, Red Triangle

| extra2 = {{hlist|Brian Rawling|Paul Meehan|Craig Hardy}}

| length2 = 3:13

| title3 = When the Stars Go Blue

| writer3 = Ryan Adams

| extra3 = {{hlist|Rawling|Meehan}}

| length3 = 3:55

| title4 = Angel

| writer4 = Sarah McLachlan

| extra4 = {{hlist|Rawling|Meehan}}

| length4 = 3:44

| title5 = A Thousand Years

| writer5 = {{hlist|Christina Perri|David Hodges}}

| extra5 = {{hlist|Rawling|Meehan}}

| length5 = 4:11

| title6 = Smile

| writer6 = {{hlist|Paul Barry|Paul Meehan|Zak London}}

| extra6 = {{hlist|Rawling|Meehan}}

| length6 = 3:49

| title7 = Someone like You

| writer7 = {{hlist|Adele Adkins|Dan Wilson}}

| extra7 = {{hlist|Rawling|Meehan}}

| length7 = 4:43

| title8 = Flying Without Wings

| writer8 = {{hlist|Wayne Hector|Steve Mac}}

| extra8 = {{hlist|Rawling|Meehan}}

| length8 = 3:42

| title9 = Just the Way You Are

| writer9 = {{hlist|Bruno Mars|Philip Lawrence|Ari Levine|Khalil Walton|Khari Cain}}

| extra9 = {{hlist|Rawling|Meehan}}

| length9 = 3:55

| title10 = If You're Not the One

| writer10 = Daniel Bedingfield

| extra10 = {{hlist|Rawling|Meehan}}

| length10 = 3:54

| title11 = Solid Gold

| writer11 = {{hlist|Nicholas McDonald|Patrick Mascall|Hardy|Barry}}

| extra11 = Hardy

| length11 = 2:57

}}

On 20 March 2014, the album entered the Irish Albums Chart at number 21. On 23 March, it debuted at number six on the UK Albums Chart and number one on the Scottish Albums Chart.

{{Reflist}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:In the Arms of an Angel}}

Category:2014 debut albums

Category:RCA Records albums