News broke yesterday that Tom Bleasby withdrew from the X Factor UK after securing a spot on Nick Grimshaw’s boys team during the 6 Chair Challenge. Now Tom elaborates in an interview with ITV on what “personal” reasons made him decide to leave the compeition. The singer says he didn’t feel “vocally ready” for the challenge.
It was a tough decision; I think I really discovered it at the 6 Chair Challenge. I just don’t know if I felt vocally ready to take on the competition and the pressure. I’m quite a relatively new singer, back in March, I was singing in my bedroom, so I’ve never took to live performing very well. I’m still discovering myself and in the competition, there are some amazing singers and I feel like I need more time to get better myself, as I don’t feel like I’m strong enough.
Moving forward, without being 100% would have been selfish on my part because I would have stopped someone else who was at 100% vocally from going further in the competition. Hopefully given time, I could get there with more time to grow artistically and vocally.
Tom managed to nab a chair, but it was only after being ousted once, and the crowd demanding he be brought back. Another singer was eliminated instead. It’s doubtful he would have made it past judges houses. But I also wonder if the Roman Coliseum-like atmosphere of the 6 chair challenge completely freaked Tom out. The round is pretty brutal, with weaker singers–like Tom–being seated first, only to be ousted from the competition when stronger singers come along near the end of the broadcast. Maybe Tom realized he wasn’t emotionally cut out for the criticism and public scrutiny. He also appears to be self aware enough to realize his vocals need work.
Tom thanks his fans and his mentor, Nick, for the opportunity.
I want to thank everybody who did support me, the entire audience at the 6 Chair Challenge, all the people all over Britain who were watching the 6 Chair Challenge at home and sending me kind messages of support. I want to thank them and I want them to know it’s not the end. Fingers crossed, I’ve got to work on myself and find where I really want to go and and get stronger and stronger and I hope they will follow me.
Good luck to him. At least he got his moment with Jesse J on the Ellen Show recently.
