MW_Digital_Edition_29.08.14

12 Music Week 29.08.14 www.musicweek.com
THE BIG INTERVIEW ELLA HENDERSON
‘I’M DOING THIS MY WAY’
Since finishing sixth in the 2012 series of the X Factor, Ella Henderson has signed to Syco and
been given the rare gift of two years to develop behind the scenes. Ahead of releasing her
debut album, Chapter One, the young singer tells Music Week how she’s progressed
TALENT
n BY RHIAN JONES
The X Factor can’t exactly be regarded as
a fool-proof production line for longterm
artists. It’s been four years since
One Direction emerged in third place on the
programme, before achieving global domination,
while the best part of a decade has flown by since
Leona Lewis began her chart-topping career by
being crowned queen of the ITV show.
Others have flittered into the UK charts but
failed to sustain their popularity. The likes of
Jahméne Douglas and Nicholas McDonald are
recent graduates who have followed the typical
post-X Factor pattern: having their music quickly
thrust out to capitalise on their TV following,
before experiencing a descent back to ‘what’s their
name again?’ status.
Ella Henderson is looking increasingly likely to
buck this trend. After finishing sixth in X Factor’s
ninth series in 2012 and signing with Syco, the
18-year-old has been largely kept away from the
spotlight. A clear talent, Henderson has been
allowed the rare chance to develop slowly and,
together with top songwriters, pen her debut album,
Chapter One.
Released on September 22, it’s been preceded by
lead single Ghost. The track reached No.1 on the UK
Singles Chart in June, becoming the fastest-selling
“In the music industry a lot of us can
feel like we’re not in control of
ourselves, but I don’t want people
making big decisions for me. Whether it
comes down to the music, how I look, or
how my video looks - it all has to come
from me” ELLA HENDERSON
debut single for a British artist this year. Described as
a “near perfect pop album,” by The Sun, collaborators
on Chapter One include Ryan Tedder, Steve Mac,
Salaam Remi, Al Shux, TMS and Babyface. A
worldwide campaign is already underway - earlier this
month Henderson made her performing debut on US
TV, singing Ghost on Good Morning America, and
is currently in Australia.
Born just outside Grimsby, Henderson
won a scholarship to Tring Park School for the
Performing Arts and spent her teenage years
writing and singing. Aged 16 she discovered
the new X Factor rule that allowed applicants to
audition with their own song and an instrument.
“I thought if I can go and audition to some
producers behind the scenes of the show and just
let them hear what I do - sing one of my songs, get
a bit of feedback and experience, get a foot in the
door and my name about a bit…” she tells Music
Week. “All of a sudden they put me through and I
ended up on a live audition, then I was in front of
the whole nation every Saturday and Sunday night
singing songs.”
Henderson’s early exit from the competition was
hailed as one of the biggest shocks ever seen on the
X Factor results show. But having barely exited the
studio, she received four offers from major labels;
Syco, RCA, Columbia and Epic Label Group.
She chose Syco thanks to an already established
relationship with A&R exec Anya Jones and the fact
that it “didn’t have anyone similar on their books.”
“I felt like I could have the attention but
ultimately it came down the people I was going to
work with,” she says.
Do you think your debut album would have
sounded any different if you hadn’t have taken the
X Factor route into the industry?
I’d say no because when I came off the show and
was being pitched to by record labels, I sat down
and said; ‘The one thing I want to do is take my
time. There has to be no time frame, no pressure. I
want to grow with my music.’ I was 16 so I wanted
to understand the industry more and be able to
steer the direction of the big decisions I have to
make. I don’t want people making these decisions
for me. You hear so many stories of people feeling
trapped and feeling like they don’t have the right to
make any decisions but with my whole campaign -
whether it comes down to the music, how I look, or
how my video looks - it has to come from me.