Saturday August 18 will see The X Factor return to TV screens and panel judge Tulisa has promised more “home grown talent” than ever.
The ninth series of Simon Cowell’s talent show will air its first episode on ITV1 from 8pm - 9.15pm this Saturday and the NDubz star will take her seat for the second year on the judging panel.
Speaking at the press launch on Thursday August 16 Tulisa promised the new series to be full of “drama, tears and laughs” but that ultimately it’s always going to be “about the music”.
This year the show has opened up the audition process to artists who already have managers which, according to Richard Holloway - managing director of Thames – has made the show more inclusive than ever: “You open the door wider to opportunities to take part in the show - but everybody that comes along and applies for the show, they all go through the same process, it’s just broadening the net opening it up for more opportunities.”
And Tulisa reckons the change has upped the calibre of musicians who applied: “There has been a change in the rawness of the musicians - people bringing out guitars and writing their own songs.
"Just because somebody's had a manager or had experience in the music business doesn’t mean that they are any less deserving to be on the show than a normal person who hasn’t had any experience.
“I had a manager for 7 years of my career before I got anywhere at all so I think its just about kind of being fair and the competitions opened the door to that and we’ve got some home grown talent more than ever.”
Tulisa will be joined on the panel by Louis Walsh, Gary Barlow and Nicole Scherzinger as well as a guest appearance from Mel B for the Manchester auditions.
Previous acts on the show include last years winners Little Mix and Olly Murs, Alexandra Burke and JLS.
Advertisement
