Three of the most notable non-winners from The X Factor UK.

 

In this day and age, when we’re talking about discovering and developing new artists, one of the first things that come to mind are reality singing competitions, according to Fuse TV. These talent shows give anyone from ordinary Joes to struggling performers to experienced crooners the platform to showcase what they have in front of a massive audience. It gives us a peak into the lives of real people as they climb up the ladder of success one rung at a time. And one such show that truly represents this progress is Britain’s hit reality TV series The X Factor.

The X Factor series, in more ways, has been responsible for changing the lives of many up-and-coming international music artists – more than any television talent competition. Since the show debuted back in 2003, artists have sold close to 200 million records around the world. It’s enjoying successful franchises in Denmark and Australia, as well as the digital industry with the X Factor play-along app and an online gaming modification entitled The X Factor Games.

Although there’s still no word about the upcoming season 13 opening reports the Huffington Post, we’re at the tail end of summer, which only means we’re just a handful of sleeps away from its 2016 run. But before anything else, there’s no better way to get hyped for the looming premiere than to look back at some of the new stars from The X Factor UK that have made a significant impact on the international music world.

As the show’s history suggests, a contestant/s doesn’t necessarily have to win the whole thing to make it big. Most us already know – or at the very least have heard about – the stories of Olly Murs and, of course, One Direction, but there are also others who have made a name in their own right. Having said that, here are some of the most notable non-winners from The X Factor UK who are now savoring success outside the competition.

Ella Henderson

Back in 2012, during The X Factor UK’s 9th season, a then 16-year-old soul singer-songwriter, Gabriella Michelle Henderson, from Lincolnshire wowed the audition rounds by performing an original piece. Week after week, she gave fantastic, heartwarming acts – the most memorable of which is her rendition of Cher’s ‘Believe’. She was considered as a strong contender for the title, only to finish in sixth place. Her life post-The X Factor UK is considered a huge success, as upon the release of her debut single ‘Ghost’ in 2014, co-written with OneRepublic’s Ryan Tedder, Ella Henderson was Britain’s fastest-selling artist of the year.

Cher Lloyd

Way before her solid collaborations with Becky G, T.I., and Demi Lovato, Cher Lloyd was just a doe-eyed English girl with huge dreams. On paper, she had the looks of a cookie-cutter pop star; the only difference is her uncanny ability to rap. The 16-year-old from Worcestershire dropped jaws during her season 7 audition by singing – and rapping – a Keri Hilson version of Soulja Boy’s ‘Turn My Swag On’. From there, she consistently put on powerful performances en route to finishing a fourth in the competition. Today, Cher Lloyd finds real success outside The X Factor UK following a strong debut album ‘Sorry I’m Late’, as well as hits such as ‘Want U Back’ and ‘With Ur Love’.

JLS

JLS is an English boy band consisting of Aston Merrygold, Oritse Williams, Marvin Humes, and JB Gill took The X Factor UK stage by storm with a mix of powerful RnB and lively pop performances. To a certain degree, they were the One Direction long before One Direction. As a matter of fact, they finished higher than the aforementioned group, having been runners-up to season 5’s eventual winner Alexandra Burke. This was their springboard to continental fame, as the group sold millions of records in the UK, highlighted by a couple of number one chart-toppers ‘Beat Again’ and ‘Everybody in Love’. After four hugely successful albums spanning 2009 and 2012, JLS called it quits in 2013.

This is a guest post from Edward Browne.