Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
SINGER RYAN’S GOT X FACTOR
Coatbridge star wows judges
It’s not easy to impress Simon Cowell.
But Coatbridge singer Ryan Lawrie did just that as he starred in front of a TV audience of nearly seven million viewers on the opening episode of this year’s X Factor.
The 20-year-old musician was seen wowing Cowell and his fellow judges Louis Walsh and Nicole Scherzinger with his performance of The Vamps’ tune Cecilia during his Edinburgh audition.
He picked up three yes votes — with Cowell saying he had potential and Scherzinger calling him “very cute” and a “natural performer” — and made it through to the hit talent show’s boot-camp stage.
Following his television bow on Saturday evening, Ryan was then interviewed live by presenters Rylan Clark and Matt Edmonson on The Xtra Factor the next night.
An excited Ryan told the Advertiser: “Sharon Osbourne couldn’t make the Edinburgh auditions, but the other three judges said I was really good and it was great to get three yes votes from them.
“It was a long day at the auditions, with a lot of waiting around, and it was a little nervy and stressful.
“But it all paid off when I saw Nicole dancing away to my performance and then got such positive comments from the judges.
“Simon wasn’t keen on the song choice but said I had potential and Nicole said I was a natural performer.
“On Sunday night , I was interviewed on The Xtra Factor live and Rylan and Matt were asking me about my audition.
“It was all very surreal and my family were all watching me at home on both nights.
“They are all big fans of The X Factor and really chuffed that I got through to boot camp.
“That stage gets broadcast in a few weeks and I am just waiting for word on when to travel down south for the competition.”
Ryan decided to audition for The X Factor to increase his musical profile — and has hit out at critics claiming he shouldn’t be on the show as he is “already a pop star”.
The ex-Coatbridge High School pupil said: “There were stories in some of the papers saying the show was a fix because I was on it having appeared at the Capital summertime ball at Wembley back in June, and have previously released a single.
“But, as Advertiser readers will know, I won a competition to perform at Wembley via a public vote and the single I released was a charity song in aid of Yorkhill Children’s Hospital.
“I do not have, and have never had, a record deal and I wanted to enter The X Factor to give me a bigger platform to perform, introduce more people to my music and, hopefully, progress my career.
“I hope I can go far in the competition and to get through to the live shows stage would be fantastic.”
Ryan’s family are all “100 per cent behind” him and have called on the Monklands community to back him throughout his X Factor journey.
His sister, Samantha, said: “The family are so happy and over the moon for Ryan to be taking part in The X Factor.
“Ryan has been a fan of the show since the beginning and it was always our family Saturday night in watching it together.
“Ryan’s mum, gran, nieces and I were all with him at the audition and were all so happy to be a part of Ryan’s X Factor experience and totally overwhelmed when he got his three yes votes from the judges.
“We all are 100 per cent behind Ryan and think he has the determination and likeability to go far in this competition.
“We would also like everyone to please support Ryan all the way through his time on The X Factor.”