The pressure is on already for the winner of the X Factor this year, as judge Louis Walsh has defended the shows record of creating popstars or flopstars. Walsh believes it is up to the contestants dedication and talent to sustain a music career and if they sell records of course.
Speaking at the launch of the show, which starts this Saturday 31st August, Walsh said, 'They're not dropped if they sell records. If they're selling records and doing well, nobody's ever dropped. They're only probably dropped if they’re not selling records'. 'Yes, welcome to the music industry,' added Sharon Osbourne, who is returning to her seat on the judges panel.
While the show has created successful careers for One Direction, Leona Lewis and JLS, there have been several contestants that have swiftly been dropped once they failed to make an impact on the music scene. Shayne Ward, Leon Jackson, Joe McElderry spring to mind and who could forget poor old Steve Brookstein, who was last seen singing on cruise ships. Walsh went onto say, 'At least this show gives them the chance to make the one record that they would never ever have if it wasn’t for X Factor, I think it's the best platform for anybody. Ok?'.
Where as Gary Barlow passes the buck completely saying, it is up to the act themselves to create their own careers once the show as chewed them up and spat them out. Speaking at the launch Barlow said, 'After the competition is over they go off to Sony and we have no control over that. And the point is neither do Sony actually. How the acts go and where they choose to make a career is up to them. I know the show is based around us mentoring and helping, but it is heavily down to the acts when it comes to choosing their own destiny. We see some people get better and better, but we see other people get worse and worse - they make bad choices.'
The X Factor returns this Saturday to ITV.
