Matthew "Matt" Sheridan Cardle (born 15 April 1983) is an English pop rock recording artist and songwriter. Cardle was born in Southampton, England and grew up in Halstead, Essex, England. Cardle has been involved in music since his early teens and has been a member of two different bands; Darwyn and Seven Summers, with whom he experienced limited success. Cardle rose to fame after winning the seventh series of The X Factor, and received a £1 million recording contract with Syco Music and later signed a deal with Columbia Records.