Finally, we’ve crowned our* X Factor* winner – Louisa Johnson! It’s been, as the contestants say, one hell of a rollercoaster ride.
We spoke to 17-year-old Louisa about her big win.
You were tipped to win the whole time – how did that affect you?
I’ve never really thought about it. Of course, people said to me along the way, “Do you know you’re the favourite?” but as much as that is a compliment, it can also be a poisoned chalice, because people might have thought I was safe and not voted.
Did you feel like you could win?
I don’t think I could have been more determined – I’m just so grateful that everyone has supported me and got me this far.
Do you have any regrets about the competition?
I don’t have any regrets at all. I think that when you’re a performer, you look back and think, “Oh, I could have done that differently,” but that’s standard. It would probably be quite worrying if I was just complacent about it all.
Do you think your mentor, Rita Ora, will be back next year?
I hope Rita comes back, because any category that gets her as their mentor would be so lucky. As time has gone on, she has gone from being a mentor to a proper friend.
What will life after The X Factor be like for you?
Doing The X Factor has been a taster of what life in the industry is like and it’s definitely made me hungry to keep going.
Read runners up, Reggie ‘N’ Bollie’s interview in this week’s BUMPER Christmas issue of heat magazine – OUT NOW!