Irish Contestant Damian McGinty Will Bring His Celtic Thunder to ‘The Glee Project’

If there's one thing that sets Damian McGinty apart from the other eleven contestants on Oxygen's new show, 'The Glee Project,' it's that he hails from Derry City, North Ireland and is already a successful, traveling musician.

He's only 19-years-old, but Damian has been a member of the worldwife-known male soloist group Celtic Thunder for years. "Back in Ireland, I entered a competition when I was 13 years old, and the winner got to record his own solo album," the young 'Glee' hopeful spills in his character spot. "I won the competition, recorded my album and sold like a thousand copies around my hometown and then it got into the right hands. When I was 14 I joined Celtic Thunder -- it's a musical show that tours the US and Canada -- and it's just been incredible, we've played a lot of places from the White House and Radio City."

Damian McGinty is a born winner -- well, almost. He won his first singing competition at 5 years old, though he's never had (or needed!) a singing lesson. The success of his Irish singing group has taught him to seek limitless possibilities. "It made me want to continue and it made me want to do this for life. Now I'm standing here and I'm very excited about what the future holds," he says.

While Damian is certainly garnering life experience on 'The Glee Project,' at home he still shares a room with his brother, and he's never eaten a banana! As a competitor of the new Oxygen show, the Irishman will go head-to-head with his fellow dreamers for a chance to gain a seven-episode role on 'Glee' Season 3, and he reveals that he's ready to let himself shine. "I live my life by having an absolute burning ambition to share my passion of music with the whole world."

'The Glee Project' starts June 12 on Oxygen.

See Damian McGinty Perform 'Hold On'