Jon Maguire has been writing songs for as long as he can remember, but he never imagined his work would one day be behind some of the biggest names in music. At the age of 36, Jon has toured the world, collaborated with household names and penned a five-time platinum hit. Now, he has turned his attention to a cause close to his heart, working alongside Simon Cowell, Calum Scott and Leona Lewis to raise awareness of a charity that helps vulnerable people up and down the country.
Jon's career in music began at the age of 15 when he first started playing in bands. By the time he was 23, he had met another musician, Jon Lilygreen, and the two formed the pop-rock duo Lilygreen & Maguire; with Jon Maguire on guitar and Jon Lilygreen as the lead singer.
Their partnership quickly gained attention, landing them a record deal with Warner Brothers Music Group when they were just 24; a label that boasts clients such as Dua Lipa and Ed Sheeran. They went on to perform on massive UK tours, supporting artists like Olly Murs and Westlife and performed 51 arena shows, including six at the prestigious O2 Arena.
Despite whirlwind success, the duo were dropped by Warner Brothers just one year later, and Jon had to face the harsh realities of the music industry. "It's a tough place," Jon admitted. "The music industry is very cutthroat. When Warner's dropped us though, I knew I didn't want to go back to a regular job. Our time touring opened my eyes to what we could do; growing up in Blackwood, I never even knew that you could be a songwriter! That you could sit in a room with talented musicians and just write music... that never occurred to me before then."
Jon's determination to make a name for himself in the industry, was fuelled with what he had learnt during his year amongst the biggest names in music. "When I was touring with the band, I learnt a lot and met many incredible people from across the industry. For example, Greg Alexander from the New Radicals, who wrote songs like 'Murder on the Dancefloor' and 'Life is a Rollercoaster', was so pivotal in teaching me things, as well as Roy Stride from Scouting for Girls. I was the guitar player for Scouting for Girls for a short period and carried their advice with me."
Jon has since gone on to become an songwriter and producer, working with major names like Kodaline, Rita Ora and You Me at Six. His most significant success came in 2017 when he wrote 'You are the Reason' for Calum Scott, the soulful track that would go on to become a global hit with over a billion streams and more than five million copies sold worldwide.
What many may not know, however, is that 'You are the Reason' was written right here in Wales. "Nobody knows that it was written in Newport," Jon laughed. "It was written in Albany Trading Estate. There are so many songs that have been made in Wales, 'Bohemian Rhapsody' and Oasis' 'What's the Story Morning Glory' being some of the most well known. There are loads that people just don’t know about."
Jon's song writing process is rooted in creativity and collaboration. "It all starts with an idea that you might think would resonate with someone. Then it’s all about coming up with the words and the music that go with it," he explains. His ability to take an initial concept and shape it into a powerful, universally loved track is evident in 'You Are the Reason', which has become more than just a hit—it's a song that's woven into the fabric of people's lives. "People get married to it, I’ve even heard it played at funerals," he said. "For many people, it’s become a part of the soundtrack of their lives."
Looking back, Jon reflected on a funny experience that highlighted just how true this is. "Calum [Scott] was on tour with Ed Sheeran last year and we had been finishing up an album that we’ve been working on, so I was going along to some of the shows across Europe, Asia and a little bit of America
"I went to Budapest and I was watching Ed and Calum duet the song - it was one of those pinch me moments. I just remember being a little bit on the drunk side, there on my own and watching 70,000 people singing the words that I made up in Newport… it was completely mental. In that moment I just thought, I have to share this with someone, so I turned around and saw this guy and girl hugging each other and looking in each other’s eyes, singing the words to each other and completely ruining the moment, in my drunken state, I went over to them and said 'I wrote this song!' I've never done that before in my life and I will never do that again! They were just so confused, I ended up running away!
"The next day, I ended up getting an Instagram message from the guy and he said 'we're getting married in two weeks and that's our song, we're going down the aisle to it. It was crazy." Read the biggest stories in Wales first by signing up to our daily newsletter here
Beyond the music, however, Jon is deeply committed to giving back. "I had an email over the Christmas period from Gordon Brown and Simon Cowell on the Multibank initiative. They were hoping to do something reminiscent of Band Aid. At the time, we were so busy trying to sort out Christmas singles and things like that, that I didn’t think we would have time to get involved but when I read up about the charity - I was immediately hooked onto it and thought, 'I want to be involved with this in some way'."
Set up in 2021 by former Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, the Multibank initiative partners with grassroots family centre charities, where it helps provide support to families and essential services like homeless shelters and elderly care all of whom are experiencing hardship during the cost of living crisis . Working closely with Amazon, the charity redistribute essential items such as clothes, toiletries, and food to the vulnerable.
"There is more than just food poverty going on," Jon said. "Reading the things that people go through on a daily basis is really emotional - I’ve cried hearing some of the stories that people have experienced."
The Multibank Initiative has various banks throughout the country but only one in Wales. Based in Swansea, which is run by Faith in Families, the charity offers a safe space, food, and essential supplies to families struggling with the cost of living. "When I read the stats on child poverty, my jaw dropped. This is happening in our own communities. If I can use music to help, then I absolutely will," he says.
The statistics on child poverty in Wales are staggering—between 2020 and 2022, over 28% of children in Wales were living in relative income poverty. This alarming number includes many children from working households who still struggle to make ends meet. For Jon, the urgency to help is clear.
Following correspondence with Simon and Gordon, Jon worked with Calum Scott and Leona Lewis to produce a charity cover of 'Give a Little Bit' by Supertramp. Cherrie Bija, CEO of Faith in Families, said the support couldn’t come at a more crucial time, saying: "Too many children in Wales are growing up in cold, cramped homes, missing out on school trips, or going without a warm coat this winter. Poverty isn’t just about money, it affects every part of a child’s life."
Jon is now keen to use his platform to raise awareness of the Multibank and Faith in Families, and the incredible work they do, especially since so many people are unaware of its existence. "It’s mental what they do and how many people they help,” Jon says. "I just want to shine a light on them and let people know that if they need help - it's there."
The charity single can be streamed here: https://open.spotify.com/track/5Ot8hzyoaukTnF0uK58OH4
