X Factor: Shy Rebecca Ferguson wouldn't sing to boyfriend for TWO YEARS By Jon Kaila 16/10/2010

SHY Rebecca Ferguson had so little confidence in her voice that she refused to sing for her boyfriend until TWO YEARS after they met.

And even then the star, who has dazzled the judges with her soulful performances, insisted Karl Dures stood with his face to the wall to spare her embarrassment.

Now, thanks to the show, nervous Rebecca, 24, is finally starting to believe in herself and Karl – who split from her last year after they “drifted apart” – insists viewers still haven’t seen anything like her full potential.

He told the Sunday Mirror: “Becky has not shown half of what she can do. She won’t just win The X Factor – she’ll be its biggest star.”

Bricklayer Karl, 25, who met Rebecca on holiday in Tenerife in 2003, when she was 17 and he was 18, said: “From day one she told me she was a singer.

“She would go to auditions and try to get her name out there but nothing ever happened. She auditioned for The X Factor in 2004 but didn’t get past the first round.”

That year the couple had daughter Lillie-May together. But it was not until a year later that Rebecca – who sang Feeling Good last night – felt she could sing in front of her man. Karl said: “One day at home, totally out of the blue, she said she had a song for me. But she wouldn’t sing it until I turned around and faced the wall.

“It was a Beverley Craven song, Promise Me, and from the first line the hairs on the back of my neck were standing up.

“It was incredible. I was dumbstruck. I thought, ‘Whoa, this girl is good’.

“Yet even though I was her partner she couldn’t sing in front of me unless I faced the wall.

“She hasn’t had singing lessons – she is self-taught but is a natural talent. She sings at karaoke and has the crowd on its feet, blowing everyone away.”

That year, when their son Karl Jnr was born, she applied to be on the show again but was overcome by nerves at having to sing in front of thousands of people at Manchester United’s Old Trafford.

Rebecca has wanted to be famous since she was very young, said Karl, who is now based in Melbourne, Australia, but phones his ex almost every day.

Karl reckons her painful shyness – now seen by The X Factor’s 16 million viewers – is because of her difficult childhood in Anfield, Liverpool.

He said: “Becky has had a hard life.

“At school she was surrounded by middle-class children who would have new bags and clothes and things, and she had none of that and got bullied for it. She doesn’t want our children to have the life she did.” Rebecca also encountered racism growing up – which inspired her choice of a Sam Cooke civil rights anthem at the X Factor auditions.

Karl said: “That song she sang for the audition, A Change is Gonna Come, was all about racism in America. She feels strongly about that and that’s why the song meant so much to her. It’s why she was almost crying at the end. I think her parents played it a lot.”

Devout Christian Becky usually goes to church every weekend, taking her children with her, and recently finished a course to be a legal secretary.

Karl said: “Becky has been to college, so if this does fail, she has something to fall back on.

“The kids come first and singing could send them to good schools and give them a good house.

“But although Becky has the ability to be in the big time she feels she is getting old. She thinks this is her last chance at a singing career – it’s now or never.”

But Karl reckons that having her voice praised by the X Factor judges has given Rebecca the confidence she needs.

He added: “When I’ve been speaking to her it’s been as though she felt she had already won, because amazing people like Simon Cowell and Cheryl Cole were recognising her as a singer for the first time. Now she has that confidence, just watch her fly.”

Echo.co.uk

Liverpool singer Rebecca Ferguson eases through first week of X Factor

Oct 11 2010 Tina Miles

LIVERPOOL singer Rebecca Ferguson sailed through to next week’s X Factor.

Rebecca impressed judges with her rendition of Teardrops during the first live programme on Saturday night.

Fans watched as the 24-year-old fought through her nerves to sing for millions of viewers.

Tearful Rebecca screamed and hugged judge and mentor Cheryl Cole as host Dermot O’Leary announced she was voted through by the public tonight.

The young mum, who said she was madly missing her daughter Lillie May, five, and son Karl, four, since moving to the X Factor mansion in London, was boosted by a visit from her family this weekend.

She also revealed she made a secret trip back to Anfield for a cuddle earlier this week after X Factor bosses paid for her to return home.

The qualified legal secretary said: “I wanted to get up on stage and sing again. I really enjoyed it.

“I am starting to believe in myself a lot more. I auditioned for the X Factor before and I went to that many auditions but I am hoping this is my time.

“I am so glad it is happening now.

“My friend said I restored her faith and she is now going back to college. I am glad to inspire other people.”

She added: “I hope people keep me in the competition. The support I have had from people in Liverpool is fantastic.Rebecca said she would just keep trying her best.

“I have got this far and I would love to get further.

“Leona Lewis is such an amazing artist so I would not want to compare myself with her, she is really special, but I would like to be a success one day.”

Rebecca, who was the favourite girl to win the show, is already a hit with the other X Factor judges Simon Cowell, Louis Walsh and Dannii Minogue.

Dannii told her after her performance: “I love your voice but I also love you. I want to see you grow more and more every week and tonight you are the style queen.”

Nicolo Festa and group FYD became the first acts to be booted off this year’s TV talent contest in a double elimination.

Four other acts had their hopes revived on Saturday when they were revealed as wildcards in a surprise twist.

Original Article Posted by: www.liverpoolecho.co.uk

Susan Lee meets the woman dressing X Factor finalist Rebecca Ferguson

Oct 6 2010 by Susan Lee, Liverpool Echo

SHE won our hearts as the shy mum of two from Anfield who wowed the X Factor judges with her stunning voice.

But while the rest of the nation watched as Rebecca Ferguson sang her heart out for Cheryl Cole to win through to the live shows one person had a special reason to be glued to her television set.

Patricia Kelly is the woman behind Rebecca’s stunning dress sense and array of gorgeous clothes.

As Begin Couture she has made the majority of the outfits in which Rebecca has appeared – including the stunning midnight blue gown she wore when she was told the news she was in the final three of the girl’s category.

“I’m a big X Factor fan anyway but the fact that you know someone in there makes it all the more exciting,” says Pat, who is 36 and who bases her business in Victoria Street.

“It’s fabulous to see my clothes up there on the screen and to know millions of others are seeing them at the same time too.

“But it’s even better to see Rebecca progressing so far in the competition. She’s a lovely, lovely person and so deserves it.”

Pat, who began her career at Liverpool Community College studying a BTEC in clothing technology before progressing onto an HND, was initially approached by Rebecca some weeks ago.

“She already knew about my designs and thought they’d suit her style so asked if I was interested in helping her because she was appearing on the X Factor,” says Pat.

She was happy to oblige and initially Rebecca chose from Pat’s off the rail Couture collection.

“But as she went on through the weeks I made a couple of things especially for her as a bespoke service.”

She says she has seen Rebecca blossom as the competition has gone on.

“She was very shy when we first met but the confidence is starting to show. She is beautiful with a fabulous figure.

“I know one of her style icons is Audrey Hepburn.”

The Begin Couture outfits she has worn included the baby-doll style nude short dress in which Rebecca sang for Cheryl and Black Eyed Peas frontman Will.I.Am and the ‘70’s outfit of flowy, high waisted pants teamed with a floppy hat.

She also made the backless blue dress which Rebecca teamed with an eyecatching oversized horse ring.

“It’s a great feeling seeing my designs and ideas there and she looked so lovely in them. I’m thrilled.”  Pat says she has always been interested in clothes and fashion and began making her own designs when she first began going out to clubs.

“People would say, ‘where’s that from?’ and it would be something I’d made.”

Nevertheless she began work in an office before realising the nine-to-five wasn’t for her and returning to college to study fashion.

After learning her trade she then worked for two years at a small design company where she made her first collection of clothes.

She then branched out on her own and opened her own store in The Palace, quickly gaining a dedicated following.

She now has a studio and showroom in the city centre, open Tuesday to Friday between 1pm and 5pm and at other times by appointment.

She also has a stall at Great Homer Street Market on a Saturday.

“I have a paparazzi line which is aimed at a 16 to 40 age group looking for something to go out on the town.

“I also have Couture line for the 25s and over,” she explains.

“I have a very, very loyal customer base. They know they can come to me for something unique that they won’t see anywhere else.”

She adds that many of her clothes are one-off pieces and she makes her own patterns to suit any size or for any occasion. Prices for the couture range start at around £85.

So did she know how far Rebecca had gone in the competition before anyone else?

“Yes, I did but I was sworn to secrecy,” she laughs.

“Now I can’t wait to see how far she can go.

“It would be brilliant if she could wear one of my designs on one of the live shows but how possible that is now I don’t know.

“We’ll just have to wait and see – and keep watching!”

Original Article Posted by: www.liverpoolecho.co.uk

"JMU-Journalism.Uk"

Rebecca Ferguson’s dream of a singing career started to turn into a reality for the Liverpool student, as her soulful voice earned her a place in the X Factor live shows.

The single mum of two from Anfield was the first girl to get picked by Cheryl Cole to go through to the live performances stage of the competiton, making the final 12 from 200,000 applicants.

Rebecca was the only girl at the judges' houses stage who had not yet met her mentor Cheryl, as the Girls Aloud singer had missed her Manchester audition as she was ill with malaria.

Before Rebecca perfomed Cheryl said: “So me and you haven’t met. I’ve watched your tapes and I feel really happy to have you here.”

The Scouse beauty then sang Owl City’s 'Fireflies' and blew both

Cheryl and Will.i.am away. The Black Eyed Peas singer was

assisting Cheryl to pick the finalists at a mansion in Ascot.

Will.i.am said: “She has a superstar voice. She’s timid and she

keeps looking down when she sings, but she’s great.”

The shy singer admits that she struggles with nerves and that her

confidence was knocked when she fell pregnant with her two

children, Lily May, 5 and Karl, 4.

When Cheryl sat Rebecca down to tell her the amazing news that she was through to the live finals, she said: “It feels like there’s no confidence there, there’s no eye contact, no belief and it’s a major issue, But I think I can bring your confidence out in you... I’m going to take you through to the final three.”

The 24-year-old, who was studying to be a legal secretary at Bootle's Hugh Baird College, burst into tears and promised that she would “try” with her confidence.

Rebecca will enter the first of the X Factor live shows for the final 12 next Saturday on ITV1, along with Cheryl’s other two selections for the girls category, 17-year-old Cher Lloyd, and 24-year-old Katie Waissel.

Simon Cowell will mentor the groups, Louis Walsh is the over-28s' champion, while Dannii Minogue is hoping for an X Factor victory from her boys' category.

Original Article Posted by: JMU Journalism.Uk

"Liverpool Echo.Co.UK"

X FACTOR mum Rebecca Ferguson said she was “overwhelmed” after making it through to the finals of the TV talent show. The 24-year-old, from Anfield, has battled with self-esteem issues all the way through the competition – but last night viewers saw judge Cheryl Cole tell her: “I believe you’ve got something.”

The mum-of-two nodded and sobbed as the singer said: “It feels like there’s no confidence there, there’s no eye contact, no belief. It’s a major issue.”

But in an emotional exchange, the Girls Aloud star, who is mentoring the girls category this year, said she thought she could bring out the best in Rebecca.

Her potential was spotted at her first audition by groups mentor Simon Cowell, who said: “That is a recording voice.”

Rebecca, who is mum to Lillie May, five, and Karl, four, said: “I remember every year I’d watch the X Factor and you see the whingey ones and the funny ones come on. You take it lightly but it’s life-changing stuff.

“I’ve always watched and wondered why people were so emotional but now I’m here and seeing how big an opportunity you’re being given, how can you not get emotional?”

Rebecca, who studied to be a legal secretary at Bootle’s Hugh Baird college, put her dreams of being a pop star aside when her children were born.

She said she wanted to make them proud and appearing on the X Factor was helped her overcome her lifelong lack of confidence.

She said: “I’m going to find it a little bit hard to be away from the kids but I’m just focusing on the competition as I know that it’s for them. I’m not going to let it get me down as I know I’m going to see them.”

Original Article Posted by: Liverpool Echo Co.UK