X Factor hopeful Ryan Lawrie outed as a rising artist who has already released a single and performed to 80,000 at Capital FM’s Summertime Ball
The Glaswegian released a song in 2013 that charted ABOVE Adele
THE X Factor is facing claims of being a fix today after it emerged that contestant Ryan Lawrie is a rising artist who performed at this year’s Summertime Ball and released a single that charted higher than an offering from Adele.
The 20-year-old from Glasgow pipped Adele to a chart position in iTunes with his debut single in 2013.
He wrote the song, called ‘You’re Free’ for a terminally ill girl who asked him to pen one for her but she sadly died before he wrote it.
He raised around £1600 in proceeds from sales of the single and donated it to Yorkhill Children's Foundation and it got to 39 in the charts.
At the time, he said: "I just looked at the chart and thought, 'How can my name be sitting between Justin Bieber and David Guetta?’”
Ryan went on to join boy band Exposure, who he toured the UK twice with.
Viewers saw Ryan perform on last night’s episode as he auditioned for judges Simon Cowell, Nicole Scherzinger, Sharon Osbourne and Louis Walsh.
He sang Cecilia by The Vamps and made it through to the boot camp stage with three “yesses” as Louis praised his “good audition” and “strong voice”.
Nicole thought he was “super cute”, but Simon wasn’t keen on the performance and told him it wasn’t the best song choice.
He said: “I think you have a good energy, I think you have potential. That was not a great song choice though. But you are good”.
A spokesperson for The X Factor told The Sun Online: "Ryan won a competition to sing at the Capital Summertime Ball at Wembley Stadium but he is not a signed artist and has never had a record deal.
"Anyone can apply for The X Factor whether they are professional or amateur, irrespective of their past experience and all contestants are auditioned on merit."