Honey G insists she’s a heavyweight producer and not a novelty act

Honey G, 35
How has The X Factor changed your life?

It’s been completely insane. The other day I got mobbed by 30 schoolgirls down my high street. That was really strange as I have never been mobbed before. I have literally been recognised everywhere I go.

Some people are convinced that you are a joke act… 
There have been a few comments that I shouldn’t have gone through because the others have such good voices. I want to address that and let the haters know I am not a joke. I have been a musician my whole life. I’m a heavyweight producer, I’m not a bedroom producer. I’m the finished article and I’m no different to the likes of Pharrell or Jay-Z. I find it quite insulting that people would think I am a novelty act, but maybe people have a problem with a white woman rapping.

Do you think you can win the show?
I would love to but I feel like the underdog. The competition is so fierce and there are some amazing voices, so I worry that people are going to choose the people with the best voice over me. I want to get a publishing deal, and I love caps and sunglasses so I would love to do my own range.

In the real world, you run your own IT recruitment company but have admitted you’re in debt. How bad is it?
It’s not great. I have a lot of tax that I pay and I owe some money to a few businesses and advertising companies. I sometimes struggle to put food on the table and I don’t have many savings either. There is a chance that I will possibly go bust in the next couple of months, so this X Factor opportunity means everything to me.

You’re also looking for love. What kind of man would it take to handle Honey G?
I am really romantic, so I would be looking for someone similar, very caring and obviously attractive. Maybe someone who is in the music industry or the movie business? I also like someone who is funny and likes to keep the fire alive. Some couples are together and then after a couple of years it fizzles out. I love the idea of keeping the spark alive. I want to have kids as soon as possible too – I feel my biological clock is ticking, but I don’t want to have children on my own.

Have you had any marriage proposals yet on Twitter?

Bradley from Bratavio has tweeted me and asked me to marry him, but that was a joke, obviously. I have had a few people asking me out on Twitter, but I am very careful about where I tread with my fans. I need to be professional – but it is flattering. I don’t want to get a reputation for sh***ing my fans. You do hear these stories about rock stars marrying their fans, but I don’t think I am going to jump into bed with anyone at the moment.

Relley C, 26
You’ve auditioned for The X Factor three times before, making it to Judges’ Houses in 2013. What made you come back for a fourth time, three years on?
I have been working as a housekeeper for about four years so I thought: ‘What have I got to lose?’ Anything is better than cleaning toilets! After Nicole Scherzinger didn’t put me through to the live shows in 2013, I was pretty gutted and I did feel like giving up on singing. I started to think: ‘Maybe I am not as good as everyone thinks I am?’ But then I had a heart to heart with my dad and he told me that if I kept working on myself and believing in myself, something would happen. And here I am again. I believe I am stronger this time and I know who I am.

There has been an outcry online because, out of all of the Top 12, your audition was the only one not shown on TV…
I was pretty gutted they didn’t show it. My audition was at about 1am, I was one of the last ones to audition and I had got there at nine that morning. When I got into my audition, I was very emotional and I sang a hip-hop version of [Queen song] Bohemian Rhapsody. I got really good feedback, so when they didn’t show it, I was like: “What?” Everyone keeps asking me: “How come everyone else’s has been shown and yours hasn’t?’ I know about as much as everyone else and it makes me feel I now have to work even harder to be remembered by the public.

What were you like growing up?
When I hit 13, I was a bit of a naughty girl. I ran away from home for four days and my mum was crying. I ran away up the road to one of my friend’s houses – I only had two pounds and a bus pass on me so I couldn’t go far. It was just typical teenager stuff, I was angry all the time.

Is there a significant other in your life?
Oh, bless him. He is my best friend. We started out being best friends before we got together, but we have been on and off for years. And when I say on and off, I mean on and off. We saw other people during those six years and I always say: “It’s complicated.” He knows I am on the show and he says to me: “If you do meet anybody on it and fall in love, I will be happy for you,” so we’ll see what happens.

Who is your celebrity crush?
Idris Elba. His voice is just so sexy. I also love the boxer Anthony Joshua. He is very sexy! I think they are both taken, though. Hey ho.

When was your last diva moment?
I haven’t had it yet but I feel it coming. I haven’t seen any peanut butter in the fridge at the house and I love peanut butter, so that might just push me over the edge!

 
Saara Aalto, 29

You came second in The Voice Of Finland in 2012 and have entered the national finals for Eurovision twice. Does that give you an unfair advantage?
Well, you have to remember that there are only 5 million people in Finland, which is half the population of London, so being second on The Voice Of Finland doesn’t mean anything here. I tried to get to Eurovision because I have always wanted to have an international career and I still hope to compete in Eurovision one day. It’s my dream.

How does doing The X Factor differ from The Voice Of Finland?
 It’s so different. In Finland, you can’t be confident because Finnish people don’t like confident people. Here, everyone just lets you be yourself. I was bullied growing up because I was different so, as an adult, I am insecure meeting new people. I always think they won’t like me so I have my guard up, but in the X Factor house, people are always asking how you are and giving you a hug, which people don’t do in Finland. I can be myself here.

Congratulations on getting engaged to your girlfriend, Meri!
Thanks! The wedding plans are on hold until after The X Factor, but she is over here at the moment to support me. She works as my manager in Finland. Well, assistant, manager, driver, stylist, promoter – she does everything for me, she is amazing. We met when I was on The Voice Of Finland and she was watching the show. She felt some kind of connection, so sent me a message through Facebook. We were friends at first but have been a couple for two years. It’s funny because my girlfriend has a really big crush on Nicole Scherzinger and had her picture on her mobile phone when we met, but now I have a crush on Nicole too!

Was it a big deal for you to come out?
My family were very supportive but it was a very big thing for me to come out publicly because I was already known in Finland and I used to have a boyfriend, who was my producer. Nobody knew that I would be with a girl, but I don’t put labels on my sexuality. On my 28th birthday, I couldn’t keep it a secret any more, so I posted a picture of us together. We actually don’t have any female couples in the spotlight in Finland, so the whole country just went crazy!

The X Factor is on Sat urday and Sunday on ITV at 8pm