Singer reveals brutal reality of an early X Factor departure
abbie.wightwick@walesonline.co.uk
IT IS five years since Welsh X Factor contestant Helen Fulthorpe made it to the final Judge’s House stage of the ITV talent show only to have her hopes dashed when she didn’t get through to the next round.
Since appearing on the show in 2014, she has had days when she didn’t want to get out of bed, she’s been trolled on social media, had to move house to get away from people knocking on her door and worked as a cleaner and receptionist.
The 39-year-old mother of two has also recorded singles and an album, has more coming out, and sung live around the country.
But the big voice from Ely says it was a brutal eviction from the ITV talent show.
One moment she was part of the group and the next on her own.
“Once you are gone you are gone. There was no after care and I didn’t know where to turn. I felt really depressed.
“I felt really embarrassed. A lot of people on there already had managers and agents, I didn’t, so I had no bookings when I came out. It was isolating coming out and not being able to tell anybody. I was dreading people laughing at me.”
Back home in Wales, she was dealt a second blow when her contract with The X Factor prevented her recording a song with Charlotte Church.
“We weren’t allowed to record until April 2015 to give the winner a chance.”
It took Helen around a year to fully regain her confidence.
“I am glad I did X Factor because I learned a hell of a lot about the music industry. I was introduced to a lot of people who have helped my career since, but that was because of me not X Factor.
“Things got better after about a year. I met Kerry-Lucy, the wife of Lee Latchford-Evans from Steps. She said she had a song and come to the studio to record it. That song Ashes to Ashes did really well in the US, it got to number 38 in the iTunes country pop charts.”
This year is shaping up to be the best yet, though. After uploading a cover of Dorothy Moore’s Misty Blue In January, Helen had offers to sing at festivals including Soultown Festival in Croydon.
She’s recording a new single, a rhythm and blues-style album will be out in December and the same month Helen is singing on the main stage at Indigo at The O2 in London with other headline acts, Boney M, Ray Lewis and Black Box.
Looking back on her time on The X Factor and in Simon Cowell’s luxury house in LA, where she stayed in the Judge’s House round, Helen says she wished she’d known then what she knows now about the industry.
Watching the fallout from deaths of former contestants from the now canned Jeremy Kyle Show and dating show Love Island, she hopes that has raised awareness of the psychological effects of taking part in talent shows, but thinks more should be done to support entrants.
“I think there has been depression from people on X Factor, I wouldn’t name names because it isn’t fair, but it does happen. After I came out, I had days in bed when I didn’t want to get up. I didn’t want to sing in pubs and clubs because I thought people would laugh at me.
“I was trolled online and social media about how I looked. It wasn’t nice. I even stopped going out to pubs and clubs because people were saying “you’re that girl off X Factor” and wanting to make me feel bad about it. I stopped going out. I wanted to be a singer but I didn’t want that. I had to move out of my house in Ely. I felt bad there because people were knocking on the door and wanting pictures. Me and the kids didn’t feel comfortable and safe.”
Perhaps surprisingly she has nothing but praise for judge Simon Cowell.
“He’s a lovely, funny, witty guy. He’s a businessman and he knows what he wants and what he doesn’t want.
“It was a great experiece being on The X Factor, but if I did it again I would get an agent and a manager beforehand.”
Moving into her own new house back in Ely again Helen is looking forward to the next stage in her career and says her children Joseph, 18, an apprentice carpenter and Bethan, 16, a student, are a huge support.
Her single Saved By The Bell will be out to download soon, Helen is also opening an after-school talent club at Ely Hwb after half-term and is in talks with an agent to sing in Dubai and New York.
“It’s been five years since X Factor. I have kept going but there have been times I wanted to give up. But now I’ve got an album and a single coming out and I’m playing on the main stage at Indigo at The O2.”
And her advice to anyone thinking of going on a talent show? “Get an agent and a manager first.”