Mark's Story
Teen idol, international hit songwriter, hit record producer, hit publisher, Australian Idol Judge, author, barrister, Mark Holden turned 70 in 2024.
He made his name as the carnation-carrying pop star on Countdown in the 1970s recording a string of Top 10 hits on E.M.I. Australia, including 'Never Gonna Fall in Love Again', ‘I Wanna Make You My Lady ‘and 'Last Romance.' He played Dr Greg Mason on the international hit soapie ‘The Young Doctors’ and was the first pop star in the world to wear Joseph’s Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat.
In the 1980s, Mark wrote three Top Ten Billboard Black Singles, including two with The Temptations. His song ‘Lady Soul’ is on the 'Motown Greatest Hits: Hitsville USA’ album.’
Hits around the world included a #1 on Billboard’s Dance chart with ‘Take Me Back to Love Again’ by Kathy Sledge, hits with David Hasselhoff in Germany, and over 50 covers, including songs on Belinda Carlisle’s five million-selling smash album Heaven is a Place on Earth, Donny Osmond, Branford Marsalis and Fleetwood Mac.
In 1999, he formed the production, publishing and management company Marjac Productions with Jack Strom and launched Vanessa Amorosi. Four hit singles co-written by Mark followed, including ‘Shine’, which received the APRA Award for the #1 most performed work in Australia for 2001. Vanessa’s album ‘The Power’ was #1 on the ARIA album chart and the #4 ARIA album of the year 2000.
She was the first Australian female artist to achieve this milestone with a debut album and was certified 4x platinum by ARIA. It stayed on the ARIA Top 50 Albums Chart for 62 weeks.
Mark’s song Absolutely Everybody’ was #7 in the UK, #2 in Ireland, Top Five Germany (Gold), Austria (Gold) and Switzerland; and Top Ten in 21 European and Asian countries. Vanessa's album 'The Power' went gold in Germany with 4 hit singles, including the #5 German Single ‘Shine’.
In 2000, Marjac Productions signed with Sony Australia to consult for the Delta Goodrem project, which reached #1 in Australia and the Top 5 in the UK.
From 2003- 2007, Mark was a judge on the ratings juggernaut Australian Idol and produced the double-platinum-selling Australian Idol Cast Album and the #1 ARIA single Rise Up, which he also co-wrote.
In 2005, Mark’s record label and publishing company Dream Dealers had a #1 ARIA single with ‘These Kids’ by Joel Turner and the Modern Day Poets.
In 2008 Mark was fired from Australian Idol which led to the sliding doors experience of him becoming a member of the Victorian Bar in 2009 and practicing as a barrister for the next 14 years before retiring in 2023.
While at the Victorian Bar, Mark found time to pay homage to his family, The Holden Brothers Travelling Circus. He was invited to guest star as Bobo the Clown [of Dancing With The Stars infamy] with the original members of Circus Oz in their show ‘The Classics’ at the Melba Speigeltent in 2014.
In May 2017, he released his first book, My Idol Years.
In 2018 he premiered his one-man show; ‘The Greatest Show On Earth’ at the Adelaide Cabaret Festival to rave reviews “what follows is an hour and a half of magic … his personal triumph, no, make that, a Touchdown. ” Anna Vlach The Adelaide Advertiser.
In 2021 Mark and Dream Dealers co-produced an album of the works of Gunditjmara elder Richard J Frankland with his company Koorreen Enterprises and has released six tracks and videos through 2024-25. Richard’s album ‘Discovering Leerpeen Mara’ will be released in April 2026.
In 2023 Dream Dealers resigned Joel Turner and released his track Mullet featuring Macca the Rapper and in October 2024 is releasing These Kids 20th Anniversary Remix with a retooled groove and remix by Kiwi DJ Jonathan Schnell featuring a new rap by DubLT:
In 2024 Mark was invited to become a special board member of 3KND Melbourne’s first Indigenous owned and managed AM radio station.
Mark has written his second book ‘The Ngeering’ which is a fictionalised version of his family circus history set in colonial Victoria. He is presently working with Elders and stakeholders to acknowledge the cultural ownership of the stories told in his manuscript. ‘The Ngeering’ has been submitted to the Yoorrook Justice Commission pending that process.
This year, Mark is releasing selections of his catalogue to streaming services for the first time, as well as brand new music. Stay tuned!
