Johnny Ruffo
JOHNNY Ruffo rises to the top with his pop and rhythm 'n' blues style.
Achieving stardom as a finalist on the X-Factor, this West Australian-born singer has since performed on stage alongside the likes of One Direction, Backstreet Boys, NKOTB, Guy Sebastian and Reece Mastin.
Mr Ruffo said that being on a show like X-Factor offered the ideal platform and opportunity.
"After that you've really got to work your ass off to create more opportunities because it's just the beginning," he said.
"If you go quiet for a couple of months, people will forget about you in a heartbeat.
"You really need to stay on top of it and work and work and work.
"I really don't mind it though; I really want to show people that I'm here for the long haul and that I want to make a significant mark in the music industry."
With a working background as a concreter, 24-year-old Mr Ruffo has successfully switched industries during the past year to cement a solid foundation as one of Australia's newest performers.
He was a contender on Dancing with the Stars in 2012 and was chosen as a Cleo bachelor of the year.
As a self-taught singer and musician, Mr Ruffo's debut single, On Top was a great success.
"I'm a fan of any entertainer who brings a lot to the table," he said.
"Look at Michael Jackson, Justin Timberlake, Usher, and Chris Brown, and they all just bring so much to their music and their stage shows.
"For them it's not just about singing and dancing, it's also about personality and stage presence.
"That's what I want to show too."
Mr Ruffo's debut single is a tongue-in-cheek club/pop romp.
"I co-wrote the track with producers DNA [Guy Sebastian, Stan Walker, Timomatic], who I've been working with on my upcoming album," he said.
"I was actually playing around and singing in the studio when I came up with the line 'I'll be on top of the world, when I'm top of you girl', and the guys just looked at me and said, 'are you sure about that'?
"They weren't really sure about it at first, but like I said to them, it's just catchy and fun.
"For me, I love to push boundaries, and I love to push the envelope. The song is cheeky and fun, but it's not disrespectful in any way — hopefully people see the lighter side of it."
On Top is an impressive introduction to this year's standout home-grown pop sensation.
"I think On Top is a great representation of the direction I'm going in with my music," Mr Ruffo said.
"I really want my music to show off an edge and a specific identity, and I think we've really achieved that with this song."