Touted as the British answer to Canadian pop sensation Justin Bieber, Brighton-born Conor Maynard also rose to prominence through cover versions posted on YouTube. Born in 1992, Maynard had been singing since a young age, but it wasn’t until 2008 that he posted his first video -- a cover of Lee Carr’s “Breathe” -- on the video sharing site. Throughout 2009 and 2010, Maynard continued posting cover versions of artists such as Chris Brown, Taio Cruz, and Rihanna, while amassing a considerable following from users subscribing to his YouTube channel. Maynard’s cover of American R&B artist Ne-Yo’s “Beautiful Monster” caught the attention of the singer/songwriter, prompting Ne-Yo to make contact with the rising star.