X Factor reject Rebecca Ferguson had a right little rant with the Daily Telegraph about how ‘credible’ artists shouldn’t be out partying the night away like socialites with nothing better to do.
Now we never had Rebecca down as the boring type, but she’s starting to sound a bit like Leona ‘Look At Me’ Lewis. She said to the newspaper
Credible artists aren’t out raving on a Saturday night in posh West End clubs, letting everyone else decide their musical direction. They’re normally quite introvert.
“Posh’? Who says ‘posh’ anymore? Anyway, we’re guessing by credible artists she doesn’t mean JLS, The Saturdays or Tulisa, who are always out partying in London’s swankiest nightclubs. There, ‘swankiest’. A much better word.
Rebecca might want to be a bit more careful with her words in future before she offends someone. Or better yet, maybe her wise words will inspire JLS to hang up their party clothes and make some good music!
Music mogul Simon Cowell has said he was 'blown away' by Rebecca Ferguson's performance on the British version of The X Factor.
The former contestant sang her debut single Nothing's Real But Love on last night's results show and Cowell has revealed he's a big fan of hers.
The 52-year-old, who quit the UK judging panel to focus on the US version of the singing competition, wrote on his Twitter page: 'I am absolutely blown away by @RebeccaFMusic, her album, her performance. Congratulations!'
Some new track titles surfaced. I hope they end up as bonus tracks maybe.
They Don't See (Rebecca Ferguson & Steve Brown)
Let Me Be (Rebecca Ferguson & Steve Brown)
We Know It's Over (Rebecca Ferguson & Steve Brown)
Easier Done Than Said (Rebecca Ferguson, Adam Argyle & Martin Brammer)
Some new track titles surfaced. I hope they end up as bonus tracks maybe.
They Don't See (Rebecca Ferguson & Steve Brown)
Let Me Be (Rebecca Ferguson & Steve Brown)
We Know It's Over (Rebecca Ferguson & Steve Brown)
Easier Done Than Said (Rebecca Ferguson, Adam Argyle & Martin Brammer)
Maybe we can expect a re-release next year? Unless we get b-sides.
Rebecca Ferguson has revealed that she doesn't hear from former mentor Cheryl Cole.
It has previously been reported that the 'Fight For This Love' singer has not been in touch with Cher Lloyd, who she also took charge of on last year's X Factor, either.
Speaking to new!, Rebecca said: "I don’t [hear from her]. I feel a little sad about that, but she has a much busier life than me. I have seen how busy it is just at my pace, so I wouldn’t like to think what it is like at hers."
Still, Cheryl's fellow former judge Simon Cowell has been singing the Scouse songstress' praises, saying on his new Twitter account: "I am absolutely blown away by @RebeccaFMusic her album, her performance. Congratulations! (sic)"
Rebecca also quashed rumours that she clashed with 'Swagger Jagger' star Cher during last year's run, saying: "It’s not that we didn’t get on, it was just tense because we were in a competition with each other and sharing a bedroom and a bathroom.
"I do care for Cher a lot, I’ve got no beef with her, but I’m a lot older than her as well."
Rebecca's debut single 'Nothing's Real But Love' is out now, and is currently No. 5 on iTunes.
It is not often you hear someone in a song moaning about that most unglamorous of British life experiences: the queue. The opening lines of Rebecca Ferguson’s debut find her sighing wearily about “Standing in a line wondering why it don’t move” while an acoustic guitar strums. The song unfolds with a simple, stately gospel-soul backing, and you can almost feel the shuffle of the dole queue, the deadening weight of a life of benefits, as the plucky singer tries to lift her troubles by proudly declaring “nothing’s real but love”. It is an interesting notion for someone who comes from so-called reality television.
Ferguson actually sounds as if she belongs in the real world, with real people and real emotions, making music that reaches back to an era before Simon Cowell’s karaoke competitions spewed their overproduced, over-emoting drivel all over the pop charts.
Last year’s X Factor runner up, the timbre of Ferguson’s voice is very distinctive, a husky tone somewhere between a less annoying Macy Gray and less squeaky Minnie Riperton. She has tremblingly intimate low notes, long yearning high notes and little growls of soul power. Not prone to the pyrotechnic displays favoured by modern r?&?b divas, Ferguson sings with an understated restraint so filled with emotion it sounds as if she’s about to burst.
But then the songs themselves clearly carry a weight of meaning for her, whether it’s the punchy r?&?b wisdom of Glitter & Gold, the fragile optimism driving the disco groove of Fairytale or the swirling melodic confusion of Shoulder to Shoulder’s gripping portrait of dysfunctional love. Ferguson is credited on every song, most of which are co-written with Eg White, a collaborator who helped bring out the best in Adele and Duffy. Ferguson is in the same Brit-soul terrain, a retro sound made commercially viable by Amy Winehouse, but doesn’t really sound like any of them. She sounds like herself.
It is not reinventing the pop wheel but everything is done with an appealing combination of taste and passion. Backing vocals offer subtle support with lovely, surprising touches. Horns and strings swirl and mix together as if summoned from some scratchy old jazz 78. When Ferguson sings disco it has an organic Motown and Stax groove and the soulful longing of Candi Staton. The piano ballad Teach Me How to Be Loved is lyrically poetic and ripe with authentic emotion.
There is nothing about this record I don’t like. After 12 years, reality TV has finally turned out someone who not only has the hallmarks of a real star, but is also an artist in her own right.
It is not often you hear someone in a song moaning about that most unglamorous of British life experiences: the queue. The opening lines of Rebecca Ferguson’s debut find her sighing wearily about “Standing in a line wondering why it don’t move” while an acoustic guitar strums. The song unfolds with a simple, stately gospel-soul backing, and you can almost feel the shuffle of the dole queue, the deadening weight of a life of benefits, as the plucky singer tries to lift her troubles by proudly declaring “nothing’s real but love”. It is an interesting notion for someone who comes from so-called reality television.
Ferguson actually sounds as if she belongs in the real world, with real people and real emotions, making music that reaches back to an era before Simon Cowell’s karaoke competitions spewed their overproduced, over-emoting drivel all over the pop charts.
Last year’s X Factor runner up, the timbre of Ferguson’s voice is very distinctive, a husky tone somewhere between a less annoying Macy Gray and less squeaky Minnie Riperton. She has tremblingly intimate low notes, long yearning high notes and little growls of soul power. Not prone to the pyrotechnic displays favoured by modern r & b divas, Ferguson sings with an understated restraint so filled with emotion it sounds as if she’s about to burst.
But then the songs themselves clearly carry a weight of meaning for her, whether it’s the punchy r & b wisdom of Glitter & Gold, the fragile optimism driving the disco groove of Fairytale or the swirling melodic confusion of Shoulder to Shoulder’s gripping portrait of dysfunctional love. Ferguson is credited on every song, most of which are co-written with Eg White, a collaborator who helped bring out the best in Adele and Duffy. Ferguson is in the same Brit-soul terrain, a retro sound made commercially viable by Amy Winehouse, but doesn’t really sound like any of them. She sounds like herself.
It is not reinventing the pop wheel but everything is done with an appealing combination of taste and passion. Backing vocals offer subtle support with lovely, surprising touches. Horns and strings swirl and mix together as if summoned from some scratchy old jazz 78. When Ferguson sings disco it has an organic Motown and Stax groove and the soulful longing of Candi Staton. The piano ballad Teach Me How to Be Loved is lyrically poetic and ripe with authentic emotion.
There is nothing about this record I don’t like. After 12 years, reality TV has finally turned out someone who not only has the hallmarks of a real star, but is also an artist in her own right.
Rebecca Ferguson may have finished second behind Matt Cardle in last year's X Factor but that doesn't mean she'll forever be standing in his shadow.
Rebecca said that she's loved writing and recording her debut album. Well Rebecca, you'll be pleased to hear that we've enjoyed listening to it.
Expect to hear disco grooves, deep soul and smooth R&B. Rebecca's credited on every song, most of which are co-written with Eg White who's worked with the likes of Adele and Duffy.
When's it out?
5th December.
The hits
There are certainly more hits than misses, starting with the debut single Nothing's Real But Love the album seems to just grow and grow.
Fairytale is upbeat and its disco groove will have you dancing in your bedroom until you have to go to bed.
You'll be smiling all the way through Mr Bright Eyes and Shoulder to Shoulder will have you crying into your breakfast cereal.
The misses
Teach Me How To Be Loved is a slow one and you'll have to be in the right mood to appreciate it.
A couple of the tracks do sound quite similar with Run Free and Diamond To Stone sounding like one long song.
Chart-topper or bargain bin?
She may not be known as the most outgoing popstar on the planet but it seems reality TV has discovered a genuine artist when it comes to Rebecca Ferguson. She can certainly sing and it makes you realise why she came so close to winning the X Factor.
Newsround rating: 4 out of 5
Especially the last two sentences.