Fleur East Quotes

I hated my big hair. I always wore it straight.

Everyone assumes it is just ‘Wendy who works at Tesco’ who goes to audition for ‘X Factor,’ and then their lives are changed, wham, like that. Me, I am someone who has tried for years in the music industry.

I uplift people and see the good in a bad situation. The worst is I’m very critical of myself. If I do a performance, I watch it 100 times afterwards and pick it apart.

I’ve been hyper-conscious about staying away from rubbish. I don’t eat white bread, white rice or cereal unless it’s porridge.

I normally hit the gym five times a week. I tend to do half an hour of cardio – on the treadmill or a spin class – then head for the weights. I do a lot of core work, obviously!

Even writing verses from my first album, there were songs that I didn’t use because I just felt that they weren’t really for me. But I think that happens naturally when you write songs. You’re in a different mood in every session. There’s so many songs out there that could potentially be used by other artists.

My album is very uplifting and positive and fun. That was my mission – to get people up on their feet and escape the seriousness of life.

I’d done an EP, and nothing came from that, and I didn’t know where to go from there.

I feel like I’m quite versatile. I want to do lots of different styles.

I’d love to write with some people from the U.K., like Ed Sheeran, Emeli Sande… there’s a very long list.

I’m a believer in things happening for a reason.

I put pressure on myself all the time. I felt it so much with ‘Sax,’ but I had to just let go and enjoy it.

I used to hate performing in front of anybody, but I was forced to sing in front of family, at family gatherings. Then it slowly developed, and I started to love it.

Before going on ‘X Factor’ again, I felt like I’d tried everything else.

Everyone’s path is really different, and you just have to be in the right place at the right time. ‘The X Factor’ gave me that chance I needed, that platform.

‘The X Factor’ was the final push I needed to have the presence and confidence on stage, which I didn’t have before. It’s a crash course in the music industry. If you can survive the show, you’re ready for the industry.

I would never totally deny myself any specific type of food.

Just before I auditioned for ‘The X Factor,’ there was nothing in my diary at all. I had no shows; nothing was happening. It was make-or-break time for me, and I had to consider doing another career altogether.

I didn’t grow up in a wealthy family at all. Being at home all day and watching movies, that was a luxury.

I do loads of squats with weights. It’s great for your bum and legs.

My mum is from Ghana, and she used to play highlife music in the house, and my dad used to listen to music.

I’ve worked in a call centre and as a nightclub waitress. I served champagne to Rihanna.

The attitude among the people I knew was, ‘Fleur wants to be a singer’ but it was never, ‘Go for it. You can do it.’ Everyone was cynical because we’d never seen anyone where we came from do it.

I’d perform in the mirror; I’d pretend to do interviews. I’d practice my autograph for hours.

I do body conditioning, spinning and yoga. On the treadmill, I’ll do intervals of running flat and then on incline. I’ll do that for an hour.

I remember, one day, I just printed out about a hundred CVs, and I was running around London. I was going to modeling agencies, temping agencies, anything. I was so desperate.

Traditionally with debut albums, labels insist on a face, so people know who you are.

After my first video, I went out and had chicken noodle soup with my sister and manager. We were like, ‘How rock n’ roll are we? Celebrating the first video with chicken soup.’

There’s so much pressure, but I think if you really love it, if you truly love it, and it’s your passion to sing, then that’s what will get through. I think if you don’t have that, you’ll realise quickly.

My mum is black, my dad is white, and when I was a teenager, people would say, ‘So what are you? Are you black? Or white? What are you more of?’