[Red Moon]

X Factor Laura's revenge

USTED X Factor star Laura White is already wreaking revenge on the judges who booted her off the ITV show - by getting an internet chart number one without them.

Returning to Manchester for the first time since her shock exit from the primetime talent search, the 21-year-old singer from Atherton revealed how material she recorded before appearing on the show has become an online sensation.

Two of her self-composed tracks, Sunshine and For The Love Of It All have hit the number one and two spots on download site Memusic.

With over more than 43,000 people having signed a petition protesting about her eviction, the X Factor judges who were criticising her last week could be singing a different tune on tonight.

"Of course I was distraught to be voted off the show - but I guess I've got a number one now anyway," she said.

"I recorded an album of my own music before I went on the show and put it on a site for unsigned artists - and two of my tracks are in the top spots now.

"It would be fun to release that album, in February maybe, when I am away from the X Factor contract. But I've already been working on a second album as well, because my music has changed quite a lot.

"Now I just want to get signed up to a record deal. Lots of offers have come in, but they are all a bit hush-hush."

The M.E.N. was the first to reveal Laura's original material, giving readers the chance to listen to some of her early songs on our website several weeks ago, while she was still competing on the show.

Since then, her exit from last week's X Factor has provoked one of the biggest public reactions of any reality TV show, with thousands complaining about her departure - including Culture Secretary Andy Burnham, who raised the issue in the House of Commons.

Laura is determined to look on the bright side. "My life has completely changed through X Factor, it's given me opportunities I never had before," she said. "I think Cheryl (Cole) definitely thought I was voted off for tactical reasons. It was a shock to me too, because I had always had such amazing comments from Simon and Louis before.

"But I just have to keep going onwards and upwards. When I was back home, I was playing really small gigs, it was difficult to get my own music out there - I've gone from there to playing in front of 12 million people, so it's been amazing."
Spotlight

With more gigs to come this week, Laura is looking forward to spending a bit of time at home with her parents - Adrian and Sharon - and says she is already feeling the heat of living under a celebrity spotlight. Press reports about her fledgling relationship with boyfriend Mathew Firsht - who helps find audiences for TV shows - have proved particularly hurtful.

"I don't think you can ever be prepared for the amount of paparazzi who follow you around when you've been on X Factor, it's the biggest show on TV," she said.

"But I never spoke about my love life because I hadn't been with him long and I'm a very private person.

"Cheryl told me the night before the stories came out about us and I was gutted. I didn't want my love life to be out there.

"Now I'm just glad to be home to have a bit of time to sit and reflect on everything that's gone on."

Related Audio Clips:

Sunshine
For the Love of it All

Source:Manchester Evening News