Kiera Weathers on her X Factor exit: "Everybody’s fans were just piling up against me"
Rita Ora’s contestant admits she had an “inkling” she would go, but she’s excited about what’s coming next
Kiera Weathers was voted out of The X Factor last night after receiving the lowest number of public votes – and she admits she was half expecting it.
“I kind of had an inkling that I would be leaving,” Kiera, 18, told RadioTimes.com. “I just felt like I’d accepted the thought of it."
Kiera, who sang Mark Morrison’s Return of the Mack as part of Rita Ora’s Girls category, had been in the sing-off the week before, but was saved by the judges, with girl group Alien Uncovered being sent home instead.
“Yesterday I was thinking, what have I done to make people dislike me? I think it all just weighed up really. With Monica going home at the reveal [Kiera earned a place at live shows, while now wildcard Monica Michael was initially sent home], I sang Katy B’s Crying For No Reason, which Chloe Paige sang, then Alien Uncovered were sent home, so I think everybody’s fans were just piling up against me,” Kiera confessed. “But my fans have been incredible. I can’t thank them enough.”
Kiera said she’s gutted to be leaving the show – “I can’t explain how much of a ball I’ve had, I still pinch myself!” – but says she’s looking forward to what’s next.
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“I don’t have a manager, I don’t have a plan. I don’t have a ‘right, I’m going to go home and do this’. I’m going to take everything as it comes, like I have done throughout this competition.
“I don’t feel sad. I’m excited to see what the future holds,” she added.
Although her time in the competition has ended, Kiera added that she's chuffed to have got to work with mentor Rita Ora. “She’s such a kind person. The industry has not changed her. She’s so humble. Rita’s a fine example of hard work and persistence.”
Speaking of whether she’d every come back to the show and try out again, Kiera said “never say never”.
“I would not say no. In my head now I’m not thinking about coming back. But I wouldn’t rule it out.”
Although it seems fellow contestant Lauren Murray has other plans for Kiera.
“Me and Lauren are going to emigrate together. We’re going to go to Dubai we’ve said. We were sat there the other night and she was like, let’s go to Dubai. I said 'OK, let’s do it'.
“She’ll probably hold me to that now…”
The X Factor continues Saturday and Sunday at 8:00pm on ITV
