Cheryl Cole Q&A

What kind of judge are you?

I think I’m at a slight advantage to the other judges
as I’ve been in the process before so maybe I can
be more considerate at times. I understand how
the contestants are feeling, especially when they’re
singing in front of us and this year in front of an
audience of 2,000!

What do you look for in an audition?

I know it sounds cheesy but I look for the full
package – someone with The X Factor. I look
for someone with a bit of sparkle about them,
someone with the whole package as opposed to
someone with just a good voice and nothing else
about them.

What do you enjoy most about the audition
stages?

I really enjoyed the auditions but this year the
whole process has been different. I wasn’t sure
how I felt about the changes at first. The new look
auditions benefit not only the acts but also us, as
the audience let us know if they think differently
to us about an act and sometimes we change our
mind.
It’s great for us as judges because we get to see
how an act can handle performing on stage to a
crowd earlier in the competition process and they
get this fantastic opportunity to perform on stage.
It’s so much more exciting, people really have the
chance to shine and show us earlier what they’re
made of.

Are you happy with the new look auditions?

I’d just found my feet with the show as last year
was my first year and then they go and change the
format! I felt the rug was pulled from under my feet
with the changes but thankfully I’ve really enjoyed
the new process, it works so well.
We, as judges are also judged now on what we say
and think, if we don’t like an act but the audience do
– they certainly let us know about it!

What are the most memorable auditions this
year?

We had a male rocker who was AMAZING! He
totally blew everyone away on stage, the audience
buzz during and after his performance was
electric. We also had a guy who came on and sang
a ballad and he created the same kind of audience
buzz.

Do you feel that the fact you were once a contestant
on a similar show helps you to judge auditions
with a clearer understanding of how they’re
feeling?

I feel this year I’m more experienced as a judge and
in saying no. I struggled at first last year in saying
no to people, i think i may have been giving false
hope. This year, I’ve learned more, I’m more able to
say no to people that don’t have what we’re looking
for and I don’t feel as bad.

Who on the Judging panel do you find you mostly
agree with?

I hate to say this but I tend to agree with Simon but
at the same time, I’m more than happy to disagree
with him!
We all try to keep our own opinions and most of
the time they’ll all be different, we are all very
individual judges. When I’m on the Judging panel
I enjoy listening to the contestants talk before and
after their performance. It’s always interesting to
hear what they have to say and it’s during this time
that their personality can really come across.

Which category would you like to mentor this year
and why?

Looking back at the auditions, I can honestly
say I don’t mind which category I get this year. I
obviously love the girls, the whole process of being
‘girlie’, the clothes, the styling etc. I will try my best
with whatever category I get this year and i always
give it my very best.

In your view what is The X Factor?

It’s something you can’t describe, Alex had it for
me – that sparkle, the performance, the vocal, the
personality, she had it all.

Will the rest of Girls Aloud be helping you out again
behind the scenes?

I don’t have any choice in the matter, the girls
absolutely love the show and all have their own
opinions on everything and always let me know
what they’re thinking!

What’s Alexandra been up to since last year?

She’s been in the US working on her new album,
she absolutely loves everything that has happened
to her since she won the show last year. She has
this amazing enthusiasm for everything, she’s like
an excited bunny rabbit, it’s so nice to see, I think
her new album will be massive.

Taken from the X Factor press release released 18th August 2009, available here.

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