Marc Martel

Long before his YouTube videos went viral, spawning an appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show and a performance with the surviving members of Queen on American Idol, Marc Martel spent 13 years recording and touring the globe with Canadian band Downhere. The band not only visited 49 U.S. states but also toured throughout Europe and North Africa, collecting worldwide acclaim and four Juno Awards in their native land.

The group was extolled for its sonic diversity, and Martel, a Nashville transplant, was regularly heralded as a world-class vocalist, often earning comparisons to late, great Freddie Mercury, in tandem with building his own fervent fan base. While the idea of paying tribute to one of the world’s most renowned and influential rock institutions never actually occurred to him when pounding the pavement with his own internationally signed act, in hindsight, it only made sense that Martel would someday be the perfect vehicle to propel One Vision of Queen onto the road.

Right around the time when Downhere was winding down, Martel received an email from an industry pal with a link to a contest spearheaded by the actual members of Queen.

At first, he almost passed on the opportunity, but with some prodding from his wife and friends, he casually cut a version of “Somebody to Love” in 2011. Now, 30 million cumulative YouTube and Facebook views later, and bolstered by the aforementioned Ellen appearance, Martel was declared the victor.

Martel was the ideal match for One Vision of Queen, an explosive, attention-commanding tribute where some of the most iconic rock anthems of all time collide with a theatrical performance style and eye-popping production. At its core, the riveting show focused on the extremely diverse body of the band’s greatest hits, from the grandiose “Bohemian Rhapsody” to the adrenaline-pumping “We Will Rock You,” the euphoric “We Are the Champions,” the funky Another “One Bites the Dust,” the stadium-shaking David Bowie collaboration “Under Pressure,” the soulful “Somebody To Love,” and the swinging “Crazy Little Thing Called Love.”

Even with the overwhelming demand for Martel’s Queen-themed projects, he’s cultivated an increasingly visible solo career defined by a relentless creativity, unpredictably, and practically superhuman abilities to simultaneously craft his own identity and flawlessly step into the shoes of others. He’s made waves performing on Radio-Canada TV’s En direct de l’Universe in 2016 at the direct request of Céline Dion (who avidly follows his videos), plus created covers of George Michael and Wham!’s “Last Christmas” and Kenny Loggins’ “Footloose” for the video games Just Dance 2017 and Just Dance 2018, respectively. Add in performances on People.com, ten nights at the Calgary Stampede, plus various performances at San Francisco Giants, Phoenix Suns, Los Angeles Clippers, and Charlotte Hornets games, and there’s truly no limit to Martel’s reach.