Exclusive: Westlife tip Cher for 'X Factor' success

Westlife have tipped Cher Lloyd for X Factor glory, calling the 16-year-old singer/rapper the "best potential artist" in the competition.

The Irish manband - who will perform their new single 'Safe' on the ITV1 talent show on November 14 - also insisted that Lloyd's supposed "attitude" is an advantage in the music industry.

"Cher's the best potential artist. People say she's got attitude, but it's a good thing for a popstar to have a bit of attitude. I really believe that she's got it," band member Mark Feehily told DS.

His bandmate Nicky Byrne added: "Leona had it because she's got an amazing voice, but Cher's the all-round package: she sings, she can throw in a little rap, she's good-looking and she's got that attitude too. I totally get it when Simon says to her, 'You are the future. You are where things are going'."

The pop combo, who have notched up 14 UK number one hits since making their chart debut in 1999, also singled out fellow boyband 1 Direction for praise.

"They need great songs, but they've got a lot of potential to be successful. There are other pop acts who've come out over the last couple of years who don't look as good and don't sing as well, but they've done well because they've had great music," Feehily said.

However, Byrne insisted that the five-piece boyband, who were assembled by Simon Cowell at Boot Camp, will need to gel fully as a group if they want to forge a successful pop career.

"They've got a lot of work to do - just natural band work. It only happens through time," he said. "They've been put together so they've got to learn to get on with each other day to day, learn how to like each other and find their positions within the group, and when all that happens they can really take off."

Westlife release 'Safe' on November 8, followed by the album Gravity on November 15.