Amelia Lily Defends Teenage 'X Factor' Hopefuls: 'It All Depends On The Person... I Felt Like I Was Ready To Audition At 16' (EXCLUSIVE) | HuffPost

Amelia Lily Defends Younger 'X Factor' Hopefuls

Daniel Welsh— The Huffington Post UK

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Amelia Lily has defended teenage ‘X Factor’ contestants, insisting that as long as younger people are sure that their heart is set on performing then they should be allowed to appear on the show.

Amelia was just 16 years old when she auditioned for the TV talent show in 2011, eventually finishing in third place behind Little Mix and Marcus Collins.

Amelia Lily

Speaking to HuffPost UK, she said: “I think it depends on how you are as a person and how you deal with situations. I was extremely young when I auditioned, but I always knew that this was what I wanted to do.

“I felt like I was ready to audition at 16. I wasn’t as strong then, of course - I’d just left school, and I’d just had my GCSEs. It was quite an emotional period, but I knew that all I ever wanted to do was perform. I never wanted to go to college, or sit in a classroom… this was what I always wanted.”

However, she did have a word of warning for younger auditionees, advising that ‘The X Factor’ wasn’t as glamorous as it might look on TV, and that there is a lot more to the show than just showing up.

She added: “Prepare yourself for the rollercoaster you’re about to go on. It’s not as easy it looks, there’s a lot of hard work involved, but if you want it you have to work for it. You have to put the effort in.”

Simon Cowell was met with a mixed reception earlier this year, when it was announced that - for the first time since 2008 - contestants as young as 14 would be allowed to audition for the judges.

Meanwhile, Amelia’s fellow ‘X Factor’ contestant Cher Lloyd, who was also just 16 when she first auditioned, recently said that she felt like she was too young to deal with the pressure of being on the show, and said she would advise young people against auditioning.

Amelia is currently gearing up for the release of her new single 'California' on 7 September - watch the video below:

'X Factor': Where Are They Now?

Stacey Solomon(01 of20)

Queen of the Jungle, Iceland Mum and all-round National Treasure, Stacey Solomon has become a celebrity in her own right. She won 'I'm A Celebrity...' and appeared on 'The Jump' earlier this year. (credit:PA)

Rylan Clark(02 of20)

Hated by Gary Barlow, loved by the public; Rylan went on to win 'Celebrity Big Brother' and now presents 'Big Brother's Bit On The Side'. However, he's probably best known for his blindingly white teeth and incredible crying face. (credit:PA)

Diana Vickers(03 of20)

The softly-spoken Vickers, who got to the semi-finals in 2008, has expanded away from music, starring in West End shows, releasing a fashion line and apparently working on a Clint Eastwood film. She also had a number one hit with her album 'Songs From The Tainted Cherry Tree'. (credit:PA)

Aiden Grimshaw(04 of20)

Best known for looking intense and moody, Aiden Grimshaw released his debut album, 'Misty Eye' in 2012, with Digital Spy's Matthew Horton calling it 'unexpectedly brilliant'. A self-titled EP followed in 2013. (credit:PA)

Little Mix(05 of20)

From four solo artists, to two separate girl groups, to Rhythmix, to Little Mix, the band didn't have the simplest start on 'The X Factor'. However, as the first group to win the competition, Little Mix have become achieved huge success, releasing two hit albums and nabbing the record for highest debut US chart position for a British girl group's debut. (credit:PA)

Eoghan Quigg(06 of20)

Yes, him! Creator of what was reviewed as "the worst album in the history of recorded sound" by the Guardian's Peter Robinson, which tells you all you need to know about Quigg's career. Last seen with his top off, flexing his new muscles in celeb mags everywhere. (credit:PA)

Ella Henderson(07 of20)

Despite being pipped to the top spot by James Arthur in 2012, Ella validated her title of 'the most talented performer in the show's history' (courtesy of Dermot O'Leary) with her debut single, Ghost, going straight to number 1 in June 2014. (credit:PA)

JLS(08 of20)

JLS had a long career after coming second to Alexandra Burke in the 2008 series, however, they decided to call it quits in 2014. During their time as a band, JLS released five Number 1 singles, five albums, perfumes and a 3D movie. Oh and a condom range. (credit:PA)

Andy Abraham(09 of20)

Offered forth to Europe as our representative for Great British music in 2008 in the Eurovision Song Contest, the former bin man came, er, last. At least he got points. He's also released four albums, so he's ticking along nicely. (credit:WikiMedia:)

Matt Cardle(10 of20)

Matt Cardle won X Factor in 2011, apparently. You wouldn't know it. After his first successful single, Cardle's second peaked at a lofty 185 in the singles chart and he subsequently released two albums that you've probably never heard of. He's now turned himself into a West End star, and is currently appearing in 'Memphis'. (credit:PA)

Ray Quinn(11 of20)

Quinn somehow came second behind Leona Lewis, and has taken part in a string of musicals and, of course, pantomimes since appearing on the show in 2006 and won the All-Star series of 'Dancing On Ice' in 2014. (credit:PA)

Katie Waissel(12 of20)

Katie, Katie, Katie. The girl who possibly set the record for most personal reinventions in the course of three months is now in a band, while working on a debut album. (credit:Getty Images)

Rhydian Roberts(13 of20)

This is the least scary picture of Rhydian we could find and he stills looks like he's piercing someone's soul with his eyes. Anyhow, Rhydian was probably the most successful gimmick act in X Factor history, and has gone on to appear in musicals, while recording four successful albums. (credit:PA)

Cher Lloyd(14 of20)

Famed for on The X Factor for her strut, snarl and, erm, swag, Cher's debut single, Swagger Jagger, reached number 1 in the charts, despite receiving mostly negative reviews. She's also achieved success in the US and got married along the way. (credit:Getty Images)

Steve Brookstein(15 of20)

Cast your mind back to the first series of 'The X Factor', and see if you can remember Steve. He failed spectacularly to make an impact on music and has since claimed Simon Cowell is "killing music". Sour grapes, anyone? (credit:PA)

James Arthur(16 of20)

After starting his post-X Factor career with a chart-topping single and successful album, things started to go downhill for James in 2013.After writing lyrics which referenced homophobia and terrorism, Twitter spats with comedian Frankie Boyle and a number of Twitter rants, James was (unsurprisingly) dropped from Simon Cowell's label in June 2014. (credit:PA)

Leon Jackson(17 of20)

Less said, the better. (credit:PA)

Rebecca Ferguson(18 of20)

Leona Mark II, Rebecca's had a steady, slow-burning career so far, releasing two critically-acclaimed albums: Heaven in 2011 and Freedom in 2013. She released a covers album 'Lady Sings The Blues' earlier this year. (credit:PA)

Chico(19 of20)

After 'It's Chico Time' and 'It's England Time' (for the 2010 World Cup), surely Chico was destined for worldwide fame and fortune? Where can we find him if we need some more hits? Hosting webcam gaming sessions for Bingocams UK, apparently... (credit:PA)

One Direction(20 of20)

Never heard of 'em. (credit:PA)

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