SOUND OUT People think of me as a bit of a party animal, but I’m a grafter O
LLY Murs has just been asked: how have you managed to last for so long when so many of your X Factor peers have vanished into thin air?
It’s clearly not an easy one for Olly, who has not a single arrogant bone in his body. Having to pick apart the reasons for his success over others is somewhat tricky.
“I think it’s just luck,” he says, having mulled it over for a short while.
“Listen, I don’t want to sit here and say it’s because of this or because of that. I genuinely think it’s just luck.
“I never thought I’d have the career that I’ve had. I never really focus on anyone but myself. I wasn’t looking at Joe McElderry or Stacey Solomon or anyone else on The X Factor. I was just like, ‘How can I make a dent in this industry? How can I have a number one record?’ Also, it was having the right songs at the right time.
“Sometimes you have that moment in the market where the door opens, and I took that opportunity with both hands.”
Take it with both hands he did, and now, nearly a decade after coming second behind the now lesser-seen McElderry in 2009’s The X Factor, Olly is among the most enduring of all those who ever went through that process, along with the likes of One Direction and Little Mix.
He has so far scored four number one albums, plenty of chart-topping and top 10 singles – and six Brit Award nominations. He has landed a number of other impressive jobs, including presenting X Factor’s spin-off show The Xtra Factor before being bumped up to present the main show, and he is now a coach on The Voice alongside Sir Tom Jones, Jennifer Hudson and Will.i.am.
It’s fair to say things have gone Former X Factor star and pop favourite Olly Murs recently released his sixth album. He talks to about why he feels he has lasted in the industry for so long, how he writes his own music and why he never wants talent show The X Factor to end exceedingly well for that unassuming “Maybe because I don’t sit He said that, after having an Essex lad who won the nation’s behind a piano or play a guitar, or “amazing couple of sessions with a hearts aged 25 with his cheeky maybe because I’ve come from The lovely lady”, he was able to work attitude, quirky fedora and poppy X Factor, people presume you’re a through his issues and has come dance moves. Not only has he done karaoke singer...” he starts. out the other side. He’s back on well for somebody who rose to “I mean, I still get asked now if I track. fame on a reality TV show, but he’s write my own songs. Of course I do! Now fully at ease on The Voice, done well for any artist. I write all my songs, from the first he will appear in his second series
“When you come from a reality album to this one,” he adds, next year. But what does he think of TV show, you don’t realise at first referring to his latest release, sixth the show that actually made him the stigma behind that, especially album You Know I Know, a famous? Sure, he’s a fully paid-up within the music industry,” Olly, combination of his greatest hits member of The Voice club now, now 34, notes. and new music. and The X Factor seems to be
“You definitely face more battles. “Dance With Me Tonight and falling out of favour with viewers, But I’ve come out the other side. Troublemaker are my two biggest the numbers dwindling by the When I came off X Factor, the records and I co-wrote them.” episode. lifespan I was given For all his high moments, It’s impossible not to ask one of wasn’t long. So I said, including working with its biggest success stories if he ‘I’ll prove them Nile Rodgers on his new thinks it’s time for The X Factor to wrong’, and I did.” record, Olly is also bid farewell.
Olly did it by honest about one of his “I would hate The X Factor not to releasing feelgood lowest. be on TV,” he responds. hit after feelgood hit. He was savaged for his “It’s hard for me to be critical of
He also did it by stint hosting The X Factor any show, because X Factor has working harder back in 2015 alongside such a big place in my heart. Deep than most people Caroline Flack. down, if it wasn’t on anymore, we’d perhaps realise. They were picked apart all miss it.
“I think I’m pretty much daily in the “I love the show and, even probably looked upon as a bit of tabloids and by viewers though I’m on a rival show now, a party animal, someone always on Twitter, and things only got we’re on at a different time of year having a good time, but I pick my worse when Olly mistakenly told a and we’ll never be in that X Factor time and my place to be that guy,” contestant she was eliminated slot. Olly explains. before the result was officially “On The Voice, we’re so happy,
“People don’t see the hardworking, announced, and the negativity hit it’s going really well and we just professional person that I am. him very hard later. need to make sure we’re getting the
“They see the cheeky chappie on “It wasn’t necessarily the talent through.” stage dancing, being a bit of a free experience of hosting it at the time, He finishes: “I’ve seen what it’s spirit, but I’m really just a hardworking it didn’t affect me until after. I’d done to my life, and if it can help lad from Essex who’s still kind of moved on, but then the change someone else’s, then that’s grafting every day to earn a living.” doubts and the anxiety all came a amazing.
Does it bother him, at all, that the year later,” he admits. “That’s what it’s all about.” wider population may not even be Olly says it nearly affected him aware of how involved he really is accepting The Voice, because “all of in his music, particularly given his a sudden, the doubt came in and I starting point in the industry? started questioning myself ”.
You Know I Know by Olly Murs is out now. Olly’s UK tour kicks off on May 1, and runs until June 7.