Beamed into millions of living rooms after entering the seventh series of the pop competition, the Liverpudlian singer sailed through show after show, thanks to her soulful voice and shy smile, before coming second to Matt Cardle.
"When me and Matt walked on, I thought, Ooh, it would be lovely if I won now," she says, recalling last year's final. "But then it didn't happen. His name got called out. For a split second I was like..." She puts on a serious expression and droops her head. "But then I went over and gave him a hug and thought, It's not the end. I'm gonna be OK."
One year on and the 25-year-old mum of two, now based in Surrey, has made her impressive first album, Heaven, which was released last Monday and looks likely to enter the top five. Perched on a leather sofa at Sony's west London HQ, she exudes confidence. But when she talks about the record on which she's worked for 11 months, you see the vulnerability that comes to the fore when she's on stage. "I was nervous because I know not everybody goes on to do well [after being on The X Factor]," she says.
It could have been so different. After signing to Epic in January, Ferguson didn't get off to the best start. "Initially, my album wasn't being written the way I wanted it to be. Brilliant tracks, but I just didn't connect with them." She ended up co-writing most of the songs, including her debut single, "Nothing's Real But Love".
Heaven is pop with a retro soul vibe, reminiscent of Macy Gray, and elevated by Ferguson's bruised voice. Her children, Lillie May and Karl, aged seven and five respectively, know all the words by now. "Picked them up from school the other day and they were singing away".
When I bring up her forthcoming tour, which starts in February, she brightens up instantly. What is she like live? "I do interact a lot. I'll have a little gab and say really silly jokes."
Anyone who's in Liverpool tonight might get a taste of that if they visit the right pub. When I ask her whether she plans to celebrate Heaven making the charts, her thoughts turn to karaoke. "I absolutely love it. But I don't know if I can do it any more. Some people might be like, 'Get off'."
Tonight is also the final of this year's The X Factor, which Ferguson has been watching. Out of Little Mix and Marcus Collins, who does she think will win? "They're all doing well," she says – but then Liverpudlian loyalty sneaks in: "I think Marcus is doing really well.
Guardian
No comments:
Post a Comment