Malachi Cush, also recording as Malachi, (born 23 September 1980), is an Irish singer-songwriter from Donaghmore, a small village in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. Coming from a large musical family, he started singing and playing Irish traditional music at an early age. He appeared on the first series of Fame Academy and has had chart success in the UK and Thailand. His musical influences also included The Pogues, U2 and Van Morrison. Malachi is now married. Fame Academy Malachi was working as a gas fitter when he auditioned and was selected to appear on the first series of Fame Academy in 2002. This was the first time he had ever left Northern Ireland. During the show he recorded several tracks which later appeared on the album Fame Academy Finalists, released in December 2002. Musical career After coming fifth on Fame Academy he took part in a tour of the UK together with other finalists and was given a solo recording contract with Mercury. In March 2003, '"Keep Me A Secret" sung by Ainslie Henderson, a song that he co-wrote on the show with Henderson and Sinéad Quinn, charted at no 5 in the UK. His debut album Malachi, (released on the UMTV label) consisting mainly of covers and songs he had sung on the show, came out in March 2003, and was the first solo album to be released from any of the Fame Academy contestants. It reached 17 in the UK charts and sales topped 100,000, for which he received a silver disc. The first single from this album, the self-penned "Just Say You Love Me", failed to chart significantly in the UK but reached number 1 in Thailand. In November 2003 he visited Bangkok where he performed at several concerts, met fans and took part in radio and TV interviews. On his return he was asked to support the BBC Children in Need Project along with Girls Aloud and Westlife at the live nationwide broadcast from the Odyssey Arena in Belfast. He was also appointed a Patron of the autism charity "Impact Trust" and took part in many of their fund raising activities. Early in 2004 he made a solo tour of Northern Ireland, which included a concert at the Waterfront Hall, Belfast. He was awarded Best Irish Newcomer at the Irish World Awards in London in February 2005. In December 2005 he took part in the Young