SCOTS singer Storm Lee will make his X Factor return for the finale this weekend – and says he has proved he is not a failed rock star by achieving number ones on both sides of the Atlantic.
The X Factor reject topped the charts in the UK at the end of November along with the othe
r finalists, singing on charity single ‘Heroes’.
During the same week the Glee soundtrack he sang backing vocals on also reached the top-spot in the US.
He believes has finally proved judge Simon Cowell wrong, who claimed Storm was “washed-up” and a “failed rock star” who would never make it.
The 37-year-old said: “The two number ones prove I am not a ‘failed rock star’ like Simon said I was – I’m extremely proud of myself and have no regrets.
“I was actually a professional singer in the States before I went on the show – I just played it down so that people wouldn’t think my performances were too polished.
“All through season one of Glee I was a back-up singer for both the show and the soundtrack, and when I told them I was leaving to go and be on the X Factor they were upset but very supportive.
“In fact the first phone call I got when I was kicked off the show was from them, offering me a chance to sing on tracks in the second season.
“They’ve also mentioned there may be a possibility of an on-camera role for me in the future, but nothing has been confirmed so I can’t say too much about it.”
Storm Lee also played down claims he had been asked to take part in X Factor saying: “I was never asked to be on the show.
“I paid for my own flight from the US to London to go through the same audition process as everyone else.
“I think if I’d been invited on the show I would have probably been treated better.”
Storm, who grew up in Edinburgh before jetting off to Los Angeles when he was 17 to try and make it as a singer, was Scotland’s only hope in this year’s X Factor competition after Gamu was kicked out at the judge’s houses stage.
He received the fewest public votes on week two of the live shows, after performing Bruce Springsteen’s hit Born To Run.
The singer says his plan is to work out his contract with Cowell’s company Syco, and then return to Scotland to get back to his roots.
He said: “I’ve been writing loads of songs and I want to get back to Scotland and hopefully in April or May next year I can do some acoustic gigs, and maybe even collaborate with some of my favourite artists – to work with someone like Eddi Reader would be an absolute dream.
“I think on the show I was really misunderstood because my confidence came off as arrogance and my alternative style was too quirky for the X Factor.
“I don’t regret going on the show, I just think it was maybe the wrong one for me.
“I know I’m not everyone’s cup of tea, but there were a lot of people who did vote for me and I can honestly say that they mean the world to me.
“I really hope I’ve not let the people of Scotland down, I want to prove myself to them now, and I’m looking forward to my homecoming next year.”
Storm is gearing up to perform with all the X Factor finalists this weekend as the series draws to a close.
Cher Lloyd, Rebecca Ferguson, One Direction and Matt Cardle will fight it out to be crowned the winner.
