The X Factor is a real Marmite TV show – people love it or loathe it but very few people don’t know about it. Whichever way you feel about the show, there’s no denying it’s an industry superpower with the ability to make or break careers.
My journey began in pubs and at festivals, but most people will know me from my stint on the X Factor. In 2012 my first audition was the fourth most watched video in the world and ended up being the most Googled artist of that year.
It’s that time of year again, The X factor final has been and gone, so Clash asked me if I have any advice for contestants on what to do after leaving the show and how to deal with what can be quite a shock to the system.
My advice won’t be for everyone; I don’t know about being One Direction, or Olly Murs, but I do know about touring, record labels, the festival scene, building a loyal fan-base, and a bit about songwriting.
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Take Some Time
For anyone, being catapulted from hard-working obscurity to the dazzling public scrutiny of one of the world’s most-watched shows is daunting, I often wonder about the number of reality TV contestants who have experienced mental health problems after their time in the limelight. From what I’ve read it seems to be a lot, and I was one of them.
Overnight your life is completely changed, and as amazing as that is, it is not normal in any way; it is a manufactured situation that you have no time to learn to deal with. Your perspective of reality is instantly different to what it was when the whole affair started. I think it’s incredibly important to reflect on that. Take some time out to get away, go and visit your family and try to get a bit of normality back. No counseling is offered after the show; no tricks of the trade that give you smart comebacks or witty retorts and, trust me, once you’re out there in the wide world, everyone has an opinion...
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Your perspective of reality is instantly different to what it was when the whole affair started...
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Team Work
I cannot over-emphasize the importance of the people you work with. On my year, we were all appointed management by the show, whether we liked it or not. Not one single contestant from then is still with that management company and to me that says it all.
Your manager, booker, lawyer, accountant etc are the people who work alongside you and represent you: if you aren’t on the same wave-length, it won’t work. If you can find that rare someone that has a genuine interest in your work and wants to add something to the mix, they’re your guy. Being able to work as a team as well as work independently is vital. The music business is very much a collaboration and you - literally - can’t do it on your own.
Live, Live, Live
Getting out there and tour... the festival slots, the uni shows; each one is an opportunity to spread your message and gain more followers. Get involved with tour-routing, speak to your booker and promoters, make sure your manager knows the type of shows you want to play.
Writing
Get in the studio with everyone and anyone, and write about everything.
‘Are you that girl off X Factor?!’
There are some incredible perks of being on the show: the level of exposure; the ability for the viewer to connect with you; the press; the free stuff(!); the buzz and the friendly faces in the street… But there is no denying that there are some negatives too.
The stigma of being involved with The Big X is one of the hardest parts of beginning a career and being taken seriously. Once you have been a contestant you will almost always be known as ‘that one off X factor’ and it can be difficult then to shape your own identity in the industry.
Many people dislike reality TV, some see it as an easy way in. There are plenty of ‘musical purists’ who will refuse to touch anything TV-related with a barge pole. Working the circuit, putting in the hours and making an effort will change that, but it does take time.
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Don’t ever deny that’s part of where you came from: embrace it!
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You’ll meet many a bloke in the pub who insists he hates everything to do with that ‘that show’ and what it is doing to the industry, but can also tell you the name of each contestant and the song they sang in Week Four. The levels of snobbery are astounding and, by the number of ‘secret’ viewers I meet, there must be even more people watching than the statistics say. You’ll also meet a million fabulous people who compliment you on what you do.
Success lies in becoming a new and improved version of ‘that one off X Factor’ but don’t ever deny that’s part of where you came from: embrace it!
Finishing X Factor is just the beginning; everything you do from here onwards shapes the rest of your life and career. Accept that you earned your way to an incredible platform, take it for what it is then LAUNCH yourself into a new, credible, reputation.
Everybody has a different perception of ‘success’, so after the huge leg-up that is The X Factor, behave as you would in any job: set realistic goals; work hard; be nice to people; be independent and hopefully you’ll end up happy. Being happy is, actually, all that really matters.
Oh, and keep on the good side of tax/VAT man, which you can do by using a reputable industry accountant.
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Lucy Spraggan will release new album 'I Hope You Don’t Mind Me Writing…' on January 27th.