“You are the Rockstar!” With those words, Canadian rock singer and songwriter J.D. Fortune triumphed as the winner of the CBS reality television series Rockstar: INXS, a competition held by the Australian rockers themselves to find a replacement for their late lead singer, Michael Hutchence. For Fortune, who’d been homeless and living in his car when he was selected as a contestant out of 50,000 hopefuls from 17 countries, this big opportunity came along just in time.

 

Born in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, Fortune began performing locally at a young age and made his first demo at 14. He dropped out of high school after accepting a job in television, but later sought musical success again as the front man of his own band. His big break continued to elude him, however, and after a stint in the Canadian army, Fortune found himself working as a Las Vegas Elvis Presley impersonator just to pay his rent.

 

Following his 2005 win on Rockstar: INXS, Fortune shot to instant fame with the release of the band’s critically-acclaimed eleventh album, Switch. Its first single, “Pretty Vegas,” co-written by Fortune and INXS keyboardist Andrew Farris, hit Number One in Canada, Australia, and New Zealand and rose to Number Four on Billboard in the United States. The subsequent Switched On tour played multiple sold-out dates throughout North America, and Fortune continues to work with the band to this day.

 

In addition to his ongoing efforts with INXS as well as a burgeoning solo career, Fortune also champions animal rights and dedicates his support to numerous charities, including the Salvation Army, Big Brothers Big Sisters, and The Hospital for Sick Children in Halifax. A 2014 benefit concert for Kerry Simon Says Fight MSA (Multiple System Atrophy), in which Fortune appeared alongside revered rock legends Alice Cooper, Sammy Hagar, and Vince Neil, among others, raised nearly one million dollars for MSA research and patient services.