Elliot John Gleave, better known by his stage name Example, is an English musician, singer, songwriter and record producer.

[11] Example's third studio album, Playing in the Shadows, was released in September 2011 and topped the charts with two number one singles, "Changed the Way You Kiss Me" and "Stay Awake".

I was amazing with numbers, I had a photographic memory, and I hated reading fiction, preferring books on nature and history.

Example has claimed in interviews that the main reason he started rapping was due to his introduction to hip-hop through albums by Wu-Tang Clan and Snoop Dogg – the latter's album purchased primarily for "the cool cover art", and to the fact that he was not particularly good at any sports, so started rapping to fit in socially.

[citation needed] He got his stage name Example from a school friend, after his initials E. G.[15] Gleave went on to study BA Media Arts at Royal Holloway, University of London, graduating in 2004.

[16] It was during this period that he met Joseph Gardner, AKA Rusher, the producer whom he would go on to work with during his time releasing tracks independently through his All The Chats imprint, and later on Mike Skinner's label The Beats.

[18] After releasing three singles through his own label "All The Chats", including the original 7" version of "I Don't Want To" in January 2006, Example received attention from Pete Tong, Zane Lowe and others at Radio 1.

After signing a deal in April 2006 with The Beats, Example put out a response to Lily Allen's number one hit "Smile" entitled "Vile" and received Radio 1 airplay from Zane Lowe, Jo Whiley and Chris Moyles.

"I Don't Want To" was followed by the single "So Many Roads" (famously sampling The Carpenters' "We've Only Just Begun") which eventually turned out to be the opening track on Example's full-length studio debut.

After the demise of The Beats label at the end of 2007 Example self-released his next single "Me + Mandy" on 10 March 2008 through his original imprint All The Chats.

A week later he appeared on the bill under Richard Herring, Phill Jupitus and Harry Hill at the Lyric Hammersmith – Example had performed in the same venue ten years earlier whilst a student at ADT College.

Example made his first chart appearance in September 2009, when he released "Watch the Sun Come Up" as the lead single from his second album Won't Go Quietly through Data Records.

[20] The announcement was then made in April 2010 that the second album Won't Go Quietly would be released on 21 June 2010 and would be preceded by the single "Kickstarts".

[19] On 12 September, Example released "Last Ones Standing" as the fourth cut from the album, where it reached a peak of number 27 in the United Kingdom and 37 in Ireland.

[21] The video gained 5.6 million views on YouTube and as a result of this Ed Sheeran got a Nando's black card.

The second song of the album "Stay Awake", which was produced by Nero, was debuted on 1 July 2011 on BBC Radio 1 by Annie Mac.

[19] His second single from the album entitled "Close Enemies" was released in November 2012 and peaked to number 37 in the UK charts.

The lead single from the album, titled "All the Wrong Places", was debuted at his Auckland concert in New Zealand on 24 April.

[27] Example collaborated with Pet Shop Boys on their song "Thursday" from their 2013 studio album Electric, released on 15 July 2013.

Example was also asked to feature on Dizzee Rascal's song "Goin' Crazy", but declined the offer and Robbie Williams took the part instead.

Example announced via Twitter that tracks from his upcoming album "All the Wrong Places" and "Only Human" were played at all festival gigs in the summer.

During the "One More Day" premiere with Danny Howard, he confirmed new collaborations with Klaxons, Wretch 32, Angel Haze and Sigma are in the works.

Prior to his 2014 tour, Example had confirmed to a fan on Twitter that work on his sixth album had begun, although he stated that it wouldn't likely be finished before the end of 2015.

[citation needed] He also released a brief early demo snippet on Instagram, displaying part of a rap verse.

In October 2015, Professor Green revealed that Example has collaborated with Takura, P Money and Big Narstie on a track called "Access Denied".

The same month, Example confirmed that the second single from his untitled sixth album would be "Later" and would be a return to "classic Example", citing "Changed the Way You Kissed Me" as a reference in an interview with Russell Kane on Virgin Radio.

On 7 December 2017 Example appeared on Shape's & Milli Major's MC edit of "Pogo Stick" alongside Grim Sickers and Majestic released on Four40 Records.

[35] Example announced the independent release of his 9-track mixtape Bangers & Ballads on 17 August 2018, which has been retroactively referred to as his sixth studio album.

[36] The second single "Show Me How to Love" was premiered a week before the project's release date, on 10 August 2018 aong its music video directed by Risky Roadz.

His short film acting debut came in February 2016 in the form of Instagram-exclusive Shield 5, directed by Anthony Wilcox and starring alongside Christian Cooke.