I just don't know where this could lead to.
Do you know what I'm saying?
Like I'm really excited about being on the X Factor obviously, but you know everybody
is just going through so much emotions, it's hard to explain really.Yeah.
Your hair is all blonde now.
Have you had the makeover yet?
It's black underneath here.
The front bit is blonde, and the back in black.
So I switched it around.
I was like, is this the makeover stage already?
No.
Do I look that good?
Hahaha.
So we watched last night, all about boot camp.
Can you talk us through that a little bit?
Just explain what on earth is going on there.
I think everybody is a bit like shocked about the new stage of boot camp.
Um, obviously, the same process applies in the first stage.
You know, you get put in a group of three, and you have to learn songs, etc.
And then obviously, there's a chair stage.
And then basically you, get to sit on one of six chairs.
And uh, if you're through, you get to sit on the chair and if not, you have to go home.
But just because you're on one of those chairs, it doesn't necessarily mean that you're safe.
So obviously, you know, sitting on one of those chairs.
Me being me, I was sitting there enjoying every single performance because everybody
is so talented, but at the same time, as soon as they stop singing it's like okay reality
check.
I could be going home.
I could get swapped.
So it's a bit like ooooh God.
Is that like a little bit mean?
I think it's a bit mean.
A little bit?
It's awful!
You know, as a viewer, if I was sitting there watching X Factor in my house, just in my
gym jams and stuff, I'd be like yes come on get in there, but obviously I'm a contestant
so it's really nerve wracking.
It's like, you're putting your life in somebody else's hands right now.
And you know, it could all be taken away just like that.
And how is that dynamic?
Because obviously, they put you on purpose in such fierce competition with each other.
How do you still manage to be mates like behind the scenes?
I don't know.
I don't know how we all still manage to like be like bitches, especially the girls category,
as well.
It's really fierce.
Um, everybody is really close behind the scenes.
We're all just like, you know, we're all cool with each other.
I think certain times, we can be like you know examining who is about.
Who is my biggest competition, you know?
But nobody ever says anything.
It's kind of natural, isn't it?
Because you want it so much.
That's your competition, but you still want to be nice.
Yeah, it's so true.
It's true.
And you've got Nicole, haven't you?
I love Nicole Scherzinger.
Yeah, so do I. What were you expecting from her and what has been the reality of hanging
out with her?
She's so...
Nicole is so cute.
She's feisty.
She's ballsy.
She knows when business time is about to happen and when fun time is about to happen.
And she also has a lot of respect for us as individuals, not just as her category.
You know what I'm saying?
So...
Yeah, Nicole is lovely.
She's such a nice woman.
She's funny.
She's stylish.
She's everything.
She's the best mentor that the girls could get.
When I interview her, I find myself fancying her a little bit.
You're not the first person to say that!
Hahaha.
It's like, you're so gorgeous.
Stop it.
Oh my God.
Yeah, she's beautiful.
She is beautiful.
You know what the funniest thing is?
Like, when I used to watch X Factor a few years back, I used to look at her and think
wow she's so tall, but she's actually just a bit taller than me.
And I'm only 5 foot 1, so...
And because you're hanging out with her at boot camp while she's going through personal
stuff like a breakup.
Has she become more like sort of gal pals?
Yeah, I mean like obviously, the whole situation with her and Lewis wasn't talked about.
I just looked at her as our mentor and a friend as well.
But um, yeah obviously you know we feel her.
You know, her heart.
You know, but you know what?
You win some, you lose some, don't you?
That's men for you.
Because she's so expressive and so emotional.
I've heard there's been a lot of tears in the boot camp.
Yeah, there has been so much tears from me, Ana, Jade, everybody.
Jade's a really strong character, and I've seen her get emotional at times, so I know.
That's how I know this competition is really, really tough.
How have you developed through what you've been through so far?
Any techniques to not cry?
I've tried every trick in the book to not cry, but nothing seems to work because at
the last minute, you know it will all come out when you least expect it so there's no
specific technique to not cry.
Not at all.
And how are you feeling going forward?
How confident are you?
Do you feel emotionally strong enough to get through this?
It is an emotional roller coaster, so I won't be able to say if I was strong enough or not,
but you know, if I just be myself and stay positive.
Then that will get me through, hopefully.
And there's a lot of positivity for you on Twitter.
They're talking about songs you could do.
What's like your dream song, your dream performance that you'd love to do going forward?
Um...
At the moment, I've been thinking of doing Jimmy Cliff, Many Rivers To Cross.
I really love that tune, and you know, if you go to Birmingham, you see so many people
like on a night out.
It sounds really bad.
With a beer in their hand, I don't care singing Jimmy Cliff Many Rivers, and that's...
I thought hm, I might sing that for... you know, if I get through, I might sing that.
So, yeah that's in mind at the moment.
That would be a song I'd love to sing.
How much control do they let you have, do you reckon?
Like will Nicole be like sing this?
No, not at all.
I'd say it's a 50/50 thing, like most of the time we give them a selection of songs to
choose from, so if we see something we like on there, then it's thumbs up from there.
So yeah.
And you have you got to hang out with the other judges?
Because I think Sharon is the best fun.
I love Sharon and Louie.
I've got this thing called, uh glam and glam dad.
And that's my name for Sharon and Louie because like, I just formed a bond with them from
day one.
I just love them, man.
I love them.
They're fun, aren't they?
They have like a filthy sense of humour.
No, you've got to love Shars and Louie, man.
You just got to, like obviously they're a bit older but they're wiser.
A lot of their comments that they give me, I take it on board, you know, when people
say respect your elders, it's very true.
So I always, you know, take everything they say on board.
So far, from all of the judges, what is perhaps the best piece of advice you've been given?
The best piece of advice...
Um, probably from Nicole.
Nicole said to um, just to not let the nerves get the best of me.
Sometimes because sometimes I get really excited...
I'm doing well while singing, I can get a bit excited sometimes, but said don't let
that turn into nerves.
Do you know what I mean?
You have to start going like this.
So actually keep a lid on your own excitement.
Just down a notch.
Just down a notch, you know.
Can you tell us one thing about the whole X Factor experience that's surprised you?
The chair situation because we only got told about it like a day before, so nobody expected
it so when we got told, we were like oh my God is this really happening tomorrow?
Yeah, that's the biggest surprise, definitely.
And what's one thing about you that your fans that you've gathered so far might not know
about you?
I have a fear of black toilets.
I told Caroline Flack.
She was laughing.
She was in hysterics, but um yeah I don't like black toilets.
Obviously, I'm a housekeeper so that's really weird, but...
I don't like them.
You know, when I was six years old, um, my nan took me to one of our friend's house and
uh the toilet juice was very high.
And my little bum nearly fall all the way in there, and I thought like what the hell
man, this is not supposed to happen.
But yeah.
That's that's I don't like that.
That's was a whirlwind story.
Good God!
Poor little child.
I know.
My legs were up here.
And that was really disappointing.
Apparently, at one point you auditioned for Amy Winehouse.
Um, yeah it was a really good experience being like 17, 18, you know having that exposure
as well.
It was brilliant.
I didn't get to speak to Amy personally, but there was a point in the competition where
we got to sit down and ask her anything that we wanted, so I ask her, what inspires you
when you write songs and she said, just you k now, everything and anything can inspire
you as an artist so yeah, that's something that's lived with me.
You know?
God rest her.
And speaking of other artists, is there anyone that you would absolutely love to work with,
like your dream collaboration.
Definitely Nicole at this point because she knows who I am.
Um, Mary J because she's one of my idols.
She is one of my idols.
Lauren Hill.
A lot of UK artists like Labrynth and Tinie Tempah.
You know, loads of urban artists.
James Arthur too.
Oh my gosh, I heard his song yesterday.
I was like yeah.
Pipes!
His pipes!
And finally.
Obviously now, they're about to throw you on the showbiz scene.
Trust me, there will be all sorts of parties.
Is there any famous person that you'd love to catch up with and have a gossip with or
anyone you think is pretty fit?
I'd love to go out for a drink with Dermot because, simply because, after cameras he
is a legend.
He always makes, like, everyone feel so welcome.
Do you know what I mean?
If you met him, you would know.
He's just such a nice guy.
And in fact, I've got to ask.
Are there any other contestants that you think are quite fit?
I think Code 4 are kind of hot still.
I actually went to college with one of the guys, yeah.
Yeah, I went to college with one of the guys from Code 4.
Yeah, he's lovely though.
They're all lovely, but I think yeah as a group they're really hot.
Is going to college a euphemism or did you just go to college with him?
No, I just went to college with him.