John Patrick Ruffo (8 March 1988 – 10 November 2023) was an Australian singer, songwriter, musician, dancer, actor, and television presenter. He rose to prominence after finishing in third place on the third season of The X Factor Australia. 

His debut single "On Top" (2012), peaked at number fourteen on the ARIA Singles Chart and was certified platinum. His second single "Take It Home" (2012), peaked at number thirty in Australia and earned a gold music certification. In total he released seven singles during his career.

Outside of music Ruffo ventured into reality television and won the twelfth season of Dancing with the Stars Australia. In 2013, he made his acting debut in Home and Away, portraying the role of Chris Harrington until 2016. For his role he earned a Logie Nomination for Most Popular New Talent.

Early Life

John Patrick Ruffo was born on 8 March 1988, in Balcatta, a suburb of Perth, Western Australia, to parents Jill and Pascoe Ruffo. Ruffo's parents separated when he was three years old. He spent most of his youth living in a small Homeswest unit with his mother. At age 12, he began pursuing his dream in music, following in the footsteps of his idol, Michael Jackson. He also taught himself how to play the guitar and piano, and wrote his first song at age 14. Ruffo was educated at Balcatta Senior High School. Before entering The X Factor, he worked as a concreter and got into the business thanks to his father who works in the trade. He also performed around Perth with electropop band, Supanova.

Career

2011: The X Factor Australia

Ruffo successfully auditioned for the third season of The X Factor Australia in 2011, singing Jay Sean's "Do You Remember". He eventually reached the live shows and was mentored by Guy Sebastian. On 22 November 2011, it was announced that he was the last contestant eliminated in the competition, while fellow contestant Reece Mastin was announced as the winner.

Ruffo performed the following songs on The X Factor.

Personal life, illness, and death

Ruffo was first diagnosed with brain cancer in 2017 and after treatment it went into remission. In 2020, he announced on his social media pages that his cancer had returned for a second time.

In August 2022, he revealed that his cancer was terminal and in September 2022, he said that he wanted to live until Christmas.

Ruffo died on 10 November 2023, aged 35.

Influences

Ruffo cited Michael Jackson, Usher and Justin Timberlake as his musical influences because they led him to combine his love for singing and dancing.