CCM/Mainstream artist, Marc Martel, is once again generating online buzz with his Queen Extravaganza audition video of “Somebody To Love.” The powerful video was re-posted over the weekend by a fan on Facebook’s YouFind Music “Share Your Sound,” and already the video has close to 12-million views and is still climbing. The original video was posted on YouTube and received over 11-million views and led to Martel being booked on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. Currently, the total number of views for this incredible recording has reached over 20-million! Check out the video here:
“This has turned out to be a surprising and fun week! It’s making me have flashbacks to 2011 when my Queen Extravaganza audition went viral,” says Martel. “It’s unbelievable that within a few days we’re close to 9-million views and it makes me so grateful for the timeless music of Queen. I also feel so humbled to be a part of this continuing phenomenon and that people find my rendition of “Somebody To Love” worth sharing.”
Martel has become known as “the voice” of Queen Extravaganza with his similar vocals of the deceased lead singer of the band, Freddie Mercury. Martel is gearing up for an 18-city European tour, The Queen Extravaganza – A Night At The Opera UK Tour 2016 that launches October 28th and concludes on November 20th. Tickets went on sale April 29th and can be purchased at www.seetickets.com.
This summer, Martel will release a new digital EP, Live at the High Watt, on June 17th. The songs were recorded live at an earlier concert this spring in Nashville, TN and features tunes from his 2015 project, Impersonator, and the Dolly Parton penned song, “I Will Always Love You.” At the same time, Martel will be in the studio recording a Christmas project that will release in November 2016.
For more information on Martel and his upcoming tour dates please visit online, www.marcmartelmusic.com.
About Marc Martel
Marc Martel was born in Montreal, Canada and his love of music came from his parents. That passion for music followed Martel as he was growing up and came to fruition at Briercrest College and Seminary, where the Christian band Downhere was formed with roommate Jason Germain. Adding two other members, Jeremy Thiessen and Glenn Lavender, the group became based in Nashville, TN and was signed by Word Records and Centricity Music. Downhere released six studio albums, won 24 GMA Canada Covenant Awards, five Juno Awards and one Dove Award. The band disbanded in 2013.
In 2011, Martel’s life took a major turn when he submitted his cover of Queen’s “Somebody to Love” to the Queen Extravaganza competition, and it became a multi-million sensation when posted on YouTube. To this day the video has over 18 million views and the number is still climbing. With his Freddie Mercury looks and vocals, Martel was added to the Queen Extravaganza and the Official Queen Tribute Band which led to major media cover with the Ellen DeGeneres Show, American Idol, USA Today, Huffington Post, Wall Street Journal and Billboard. With the Queen Extravaganza Tour, Martel has toured the U.S., Canada and internationally, while also performing solo for The Phoenix Suns, LA Clippers, San Francisco Giants and the Calgary Stampede. Martel lives in the Nashville area with his wife Crystal.