Derry native Damian McGinty is thrilled with the performance of his new EP on iTunes’ American charts - speaking with the Derry Journal, McGinty’s only reaction was “HOLY SH**.”

McGinty, former member of the Irish group Celtic Thunder, gained American notoreity with his guest appearance on FOX’s ‘Glee’ as Irish-exchange student Rory Flanagan. Though his guest role was dropped at the end of the season, McGinty evidently captured the hearts of American fans.

McGinty’s newest EP went on sale for pre-order on iTunes on Tuesday, and already topped out at an impressive 14th place on the charts. With that position, he was outselling heavy hitters like Justin Bieber and Ke$ha on the charts.

Reaching out to his fans via Facebook and Twitter, McGinty said the success so far of the 5-track EP was “beyond his wildest expectations.”

Speaking to the Derry Journal, McGinty said, “I’m over the moon with how it turned out.”

“I have always been pigeon-holed into a certain style my whole life, because I have always been tied down to projects that I really didn’t have a say in the music I did.”

“Now that I have gained a big enough reputation to do things by myself, to a certain degree, I thought it was time I experimented.”

“And although it’s early days, I am very excited in the direction we have taken. A track on the E.P, ‘Yellow’ is a track a lot of people would never have seen me doing, and that excites me.”

“I have never been a man to play it safe, leaving Celtic Thunder to chance my arm on a reality show with 40,000 people is an example, and that paid off so I don’t plan on starting now. No-one gets anywhere if they are comfortable. You have to go for it, if you really want to realize your dream.”

Damian McGinty’s EP will officially be released worldwide on December 12th.