PLYMOUTH GIRL READY FOR X-FACTOR
Plymouth singer Lauren Francis has made it through to the X Factor bootcamp – the first time anyone from Plymouth has got that far on the hit ITV show.
The 18 year old, who made it through to the final of the Babbacombe Theatre Torbay’s Got Talent competition final two years ago, was given the nod from the judges in the national singing show in July — and the country watched it on TV on Saturday 18th Sept.
Lauren said: “Doing Torbay’s Got Talent really helped me. It gave me the chance to sing in front of an audience. Before then, I wouldn’t have applied for something like the X Factor. It gave me the confidence to do so.” Lauren is now preparing for bootcamp — which takes place over the next few weeks — where she will be going for a place in the final, to be televised before Christmas.
She said she applied to the X Factor two years ago when she was in all-girl band Fate but didn;t get very far. In January this year, she re-applied as a solo act and was called up to the Cardiff auditions in July, in front of 3,000 people. She sang Guns ‘n’ Roses’ classic Sweet Child of Mine, but was then asked to do another song by judge Simon Cowell. She then sang Marvin Gaye’s I Heard It Through The Grapevine and got the audience on their feet. Both songs secured the four ‘yes’ votes she needed to go through from judges Simon Cowell, Louis Walsh, Cheryl Cole and Pixie Lott. She said: “Singing in front of 3,000 people wasn’t as nerve-racking as singing in front of the four judges. “But I had a bit of banter with Simon — he kept smirking at me — and now I’m down to the last 67 girls in the bootcamp. It’s a brilliant feeling.
“Simon said that I had picked up some bad habits singing in pubs. I said ‘That’s why I’m here — I want your help’.” Her mum, Tricia, who celebrated backstage with her in Cardiff, said: “I think she has got more than the X Factor. She is a natural talent.”
X-Factor is on Saturday nights on ITV, with endless repeats and behind the scenes footage on ITV2
