Oisín Shannon (Pronounced: Osheen) is an Irish actor, dancer, singer and songwriter who rose to prominence during his time at Nickelodeon, starring in and making guest appearances in numerous hit TV shows throughout his time there. Born on 14th May 1993 to the actor Phillip Shannon and his wife Colleen, Oisín was raised in County Donegal, Ireland and grew up in a performing family. His father was a relatively well known actor throughout Ireland and the UK, starring in popular soap opera 'Coronation Street' from the mid-90's to early 00's and for appearing in several Irish indie films. Oisín's mother was also a music teacher, specialising in both the acoustic and electric guitar. The main hobbies and interests of his parents seemed to have rubbed off on a rather young Oisín as he persisted that his parents buy him his very own guitar at the age of 7. Moreover, he also attended a local drama club and aspired to go onto stage school just like his father.

Throughout his time at the drama club, it became very apparent that Oisín was naturally gifted when it came to acting and had boat loads of confidence when it came to performing. He would always be picked for lead roles in the small productions that the club put on and did not shy away when it came to singing and dancing as well as the acting. It was pretty clear from a very young age that he was set to become an entertainer. Due to his father already being in the acting business, it wasn't hard to find an agent for the youngster and all the connections his father had proved rather profitable for Oisín. At the age of 9, he first appeared in a commercial for 'Frosties' cereal which aired throughout the UK and Ireland in 2002. His first acting role followed later that same year when he appeared in three episodes of popular Irish-language soap opera, 'Ros na Rún'. The following year saw him portray minor roles in shows which aired throughout Britain rather than just Ireland itself. Many of his roles included bit parts in soap opera 'Eastenders' and police drama 'The Bill'. Although these small roles did not make him a huge star, it was still a foot in the door for Oisín and he was already building up quite an impressive record of work for someone whose age was barely in double figures at the time.

It wasn't until his parents moved to the United States in early 2006 when Oisín finally received his big break. While living in Florida, his father hired a new and far more experienced agent to work with himself and Oisín, resulting in far more interesting work than the youngster had been doing back in the UK. Just shy of his 13th birthday, Oisín managed to earn an audition for the relatively new Nickelodeon show, 'Zoey 101'. He successfully auditioned and earned the small role. Shannon only appeared briefly in one episode but his performance caught the attention of multiple casting directors and was persuaded to come back a few months later to try out for another role in an upcoming Nick show. At the age of 13, he auditioned for 'Twisted', a brand new teen show for the channel which was set around a group of students in a school for the supernatural. Initially only auditioning for a minor role, Oisín was surprised when he was also asked to try out for the character of Ryder Harris - one of the main roles. He bagged the role and before he knew it, Oisín was slowly becoming a household name in America. The show was a ratings success and was nominated for 'Breakout Series' at the 8th annual Teen Choice Awards. Oisín was a clear fan favourite from the start due to his baby-faced good looks, thick blonde hair and Irish charm. When the show ended in early 2008 after two series, hundreds of offers from Nickelodeon came pouring in, in a desperate bid to keep him with the network. 2008 was the year that everything turned upside down for Oisín. Not long after 'Twisted' ceased production, he was added to the cast of yet another new show; 'Darryl & Daisy'. The lighthearted comedy about a pair of siblings who turn investigators exceeded all expectations and was the highest rated show on the network from 2008 - 2010. During this time, Oisín had become a pin-up for millions of teenage girls across the globe and had received numerous awards for his role in the show.

Acting isn't the area that he has dabbled in. Oisín also had a highly successful music career during his time on 'Darryl & Daisy'. In fact, it was his music that helped really put him on the map back in his homeland, Ireland and in the UK. Although the Nickelodeon shows were still successful in those countries, they weren't as heavily promoted as the were in the US. In 2008, after signing a deal with Republic Records, he released his self-titled debut album; 'Oisín Shannon' at just 15 years of age. The album was a success around the globe and managed to spawn three top ten singles; 'Get Gone', 'Only You' and 'Kind Of Bliss' - the first two becoming chart toppers in some territories. The record showcased his stunning and powerful vocals which silenced the critics who believed he was just another attractive teen who couldn't sing. After the success of his debut album, he immediately returned to the studio to record his sophomore record. Between making an album and filming a TV series, he was the busiest guy on the planet. On his 17th birthday, he released his second album; 'Daydreaming'. The album was preceded by global chart topping single 'Runnin'' and it is currently his biggest selling single to date. His sophomore effort sold more than his debut but following singles; 'Time To Breathe' and 'Hearts Don't Lie' failed to perform as well as any of his previous releases. After the end of 'Darryl & Daisy' in 2010, Shannon took a small break before returning to the studio to record his third studio album. For this new record, he wanted to break away from the teen pop/R&B crossover sound that he explored on his first two albums and instead, wanted to take a more rock inspired approach. Unhappy with this decision, his label delayed the album as they felt it would not work. During his battle with Republic Records, Oisín stayed out of the public eye for almost three whole years as his music was his main priority - turning down multiple acting roles. After holding off the project for too long, Oisín left the label in early 2013 and is currently looking for a new one which will help him to finally release his long awaited third studio album.




ALBUMS


Title: Oisín Shannon
Released: August 15th 2008
Charts: US #3, UK #4, IRE #1
Worldwide Sales:: 1,700,000+



Title: Daydreaming
Released: May 14th 2010
Charts: US #1, UK #1, IRE #1
Worldwide Sales:: 2,800,000+



SINGLES








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