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Feeds
How are you feeling today?
"I'm fine. I've had so many people telling me about the injustice of it all, but in a strange sort of way I'm actually glad to be away from it, because they weren't letting be myself in there at all. I think it's obvious that I didn't get onto the show by singing those kinds of songs. In the auditions I sang my kind of music and I sang soulfully - never anything like 'Build Me Up Buttercup'. What's very strange is last week, when I performed 'Heaven', that rock version wasn't the version that I wanted to do. I wanted to do DJ Sammy's Candlelit remix of the song, which is much more stripped back. Straight away that got stepped on and I was told I had to do the rock version. I was like, 'OK... I'm playing the game'. Then this week Louis and I came up with 'When Doves Cry' by Prince, which we were very happy about. But then after the [rehearsal] show Louis came up to me and said: 'They've changed it. They've changed the song. You've got to do 'Build Me Up Buttercup' instead.' I was like, 'What?!' He kind of shrugged his shoulders and looked at me, and that was it."
So who chose 'Build Me Up Buttercup' for you?
"We don't know. We've no idea. Louis certainly didn't choose it. I don't know who chose it - maybe some of the ones who didn't want me to hang around on the show. You can probably understand why I'm glad to be out of there now. They just weren't allowing me to be me and to do my thing. Even though I did my best, people can see through that."
How did you feel about the dance routine you performed on Saturday?
"I would have preferred to have concentrated on the singing - it's a singing contest, at the end of the day - but you have to jump through hoops on that show. The good news is that some very, very big producers have been following me on the show - they'd pretty much earmarked me from the audition stage. They got in contact with me through my management, and said that they wanted to do an album with me, which is absolutely brilliant news."
So every cloud really does have a silver lining?
"Absolutely. The X Factor really did serve as a showcase for me. The injustice that was done to me, in terms of asking me to sing those songs, has only worked in my favour. It doesn't take an Einstein to work out that were trying to make me into something I wasn't."
After you performance on Saturday, Sharon said that you belonged in a boyband. How did you feel when she said that?
"I take everything that Sharon takes with a pinch of salt, because she doesn't really know much about the music industry, especially soulful music. She managed Ozzy, and since then she's just been doing her thing. After I'd performed Snow Patrol's 'Chasing Cars' at boot camp, she said to me: 'You're a dance teacher. Why don't you dance when you sing?' I was like, 'I just sang 'Chasing Cars'. What the hell? Do you want me to pirouette?' That's why I take everything she says with a pinch of salt."
Do you respect the other members of the judging panel?
"I respect Simon because he tells the truth, but at the same time I don't trust Simon because it's his show. I think he may have had something to do with that song choice. I think he's out there to protect his acts and I know that he's seen me as a threat before. Who knows where that song choice came from? But it's Simon's show - remember that. I'm not saying Simon chose it, because I don't know."
But you have your suspicions?
"I've got my suspicions, yeah."
Do you have respect for Dannii?
"Usually she's quite on the point, but on Saturday she was voting tactically to protect her boys from the future threat that I posed. Competition-wise, I understand why it went that way. I was gutted, but I think it could end up being a blessing in disguise."
Do you feel that you received enough mentoring from Louis?
"I like Louis. He's a really good guy; he's really hands on and he cares a lot, but maybe he was a bit out of touch with me as an artist. In hindsight I should have stood up and said: 'No way. I'm not singing this song,' but it's hard when you're in there. If they say that's what you're singing, that's what your singing or you're not going to sing."
Do you think the judging panel might benefit from some fresh blood?
"Absolutely, but I am keen to defend Louis. He called me last night and sounded absolutely distraught. He said: 'I chose you as the only guy to represent the over 25s and now you're out. You were set up.' He's gutted for me. He's in shock."
Did you learn anything from The X Factor?
"I learned about TV - it's a funny old game."
Did you learn anything as a performer?
"Well, just camerawork and stuff like that. I'd like to give Brian Friedman a special mention because he's one of the best in the game. I know he's been slated recently but it's not his fault. Though his title is 'creative director', he's really at the mercy of the producers of the show. He had my whole 'When Doves Cry' routine choreographed - he'd hired the dancers and I was going to close the show this week, and then suddenly at 12am on Saturday I was given a CD of bloody 'Build Me Up Buttercup'. What can you do?"
Can you draw any other positives from your X Factor experience?
"Well, meeting Celine Dion was amazing too. She came up to me afterwards and said: 'You were the best on the show.' I'd done the vocal training with her earlier in the week, and she'd said then that I should be in a record deal now. Plus I've had exposure. Millions of people saw me, and millions of people saw them trying to turn me into something I'm not. I think good things are going to happen now - I'm going to do a few gigs and I won't be singing 'Build Me Up Buttercup', believe me! Then I'll be starting the recording of my album."
The X Factor continues on Saturday at 6.45pm on ITV1.
