X Factor star says it's 'easy to forget yourself' after linking show to Liam Payne's death
Rebecca Ferguson has been honoured with an MBE at Windsor Castle and opened up about the challenges of staying true to herself in the glitzy world of showbiz. The Liverpool-born songstress, who shot to fame as the runner-up on The X Factor in 2010, has since become a vocal advocate for artists' welfare within the music industry.
Following Liam Payne's tragic death on October 16, Rebecca suggested that he "might still be alive" if he'd never auditioned for the show. Taking to social media, she said: "We both met at Euston station and shared the taxi together to X Factor. I can't help but think of that boy who was hopeful and looking forward to his bright future ahead. If he hadn't jumped on that train and jumped in that taxi I believe he would be alive today."
On Tuesday, November 12, Rebecca was recognised by the Prince of Wales for her services to music and her activism, which includes pushing for a new regulatory body to protect artists and meeting with then-culture secretary Oliver Dowden to address discrimination in the industry. Last year, she even urged Ofcom to investigate reality TV shows.
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Reflecting on her advocacy work, Rebecca shared with PA news agency: "I think I’m proud that I didn’t lose my Scouse spirit. I’m proud because my Nan was always like, ‘you know when something’s wrong, Rebecca, you have that inner alarm bell and you listen to it’.
"So I’m glad I didn’t forget that because I think in showbiz it’s so easy to forget yourself and just get caught up with the fame and the money, and so I’m glad that I actually stuck to me morals."
Drawing parallels between her own journey and a classic literary figure, Rebecca likened her post-X Factor experience to Pip from Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations, navigating the complexities of newfound fame and the music industry.
"I feel like I relate to him so much in the sense of (a) working-class girl come from nothing, all of a sudden thrown into this total new world, surrounded by these really sinister characters, and I had to navigate it."
She's been busy establishing a new watchdog for the showbiz industry - the Creative Industries Independent Standards Authority (CIISA), endorsed by big names like Carey Mulligan and Keira Knightley. With heavyweight backing from the likes of the BBC, Sky, and Netflix, the CIISA aims to enhance the entertainment sphere with better standards and expects to be up and running in the next 18 months.
Discussing her move from singing to advocating, she explained: "I just felt like it was an industry making billions of pounds, and human beings are the source of profit (with) absolutely no regulation. I just felt like someone needed to just go out there and just speak up, and thankfully it worked and people listened."
Since her time on X Factor where she wowed viewers, Rebecca has launched several albums, such as her acclaimed debut Heaven in 2011 which soared to number three on the UK charts, and appeared as a panellist on ITV’s Loose Women. Asked about potential new music, she said she was planning a "year of calm".
She added, "I’m kind of evaluating where I sit now, and I keep getting asked to go into politics. I think for now, I’m gonna just have maybe a year of calm. I’ll still perform, I’ll still do gigs, but not as actively pursuing music. I feel like life’s naturally took me on a different turn, and I just need to be open to that and see what happens."
