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Ellen DeGeneres unveiled Tom Andrews, a 16-year-old singer from the U.K., as the latest signing to her eleveneleven record label on Thursday (Sept. 16).
DeGeneres introduced Andrews to her talk show audience in an episode airing this afternoon, during which the teen spoke with DeGeneres briefly and then performed James Brown's "It's a Man's Man's Man's World."
During the interview, DeGeneres recalled tracking down Andrews by phone. "I just called you of the blue at home and I said, 'Hi, I'm Ellen and come here [to the show]'," she said. "So, here you are."
Andrews said he started singing three years ago after auditioning for a competition. "My mom saw an ad in a newspaper. It was just for a singing contest and she said, 'Why don't you enter? It will be fun.' So I did," Andrews said. "I sung 'Let it Be' and the guy said, 'Where are your parents? You are amazing.'"
According to an interview Andrews conducted with BBC radio in October 2009, the young singer was selected to open for U.K. pop trio the Noisettes last fall, after the band launched a MySpace contest allowing unsigned artists to submit their music for consideration.
DeGeneres' first signing to eleveneleven is 12-year-old Greyson Chance, who became a YouTube sensation in a matter of days after covering Lady Gaga's "Paparazzi" at a school talent show. Chance's debut album is slated for release this fall.
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