INTERVIEW - Sam Callahan

For a few months now Sam Callahan has been invading our living rooms (if only) and keeping us entertained week after week. Having received possibly the harshest critiques from the judges this series Sam gained the support of viewers only leaving the competition in a sing-off last weekend. We had a chat with Sam about all things X Factor, what's next for him and played a little game of snog, marry, avoid. Read what he had to say here...

Hi Sam, how’s the past few days been since Sunday’s results show?

Obviously leaving the show as gutting but more than anything its been the most amazing ride of my life, it’s just been the most amazing experience. I’ve made some amazing friends and memories I’m never going to forget. It was gutting but at the same time it was kind of like a massive weight had been lifted of my shoulders that I’m not going to be judges every weekend. I’m going out into the big wide world now with an amazing platform that the X Factor has offered me. So it’s exciting as much as it was disheartening.

Everyone said (including us) that your sing-off performance was your best throughout the whole series, do you think that’s a good way to leave the show?

Yeah of course. I thought that you know what if I’m going to go out, I don’t want the reason that I’m leaving to be that I did a bad performance. So I just gave it absolutely everything. The song was 100% my choice and it’s the sort of music I like to do anyway, so I kind of thought this will suit me and obviously when you’re kind of on your last legs and you’re on thin ice your passion comes out more than any other time.

Which was your favourtie performance from throughout your whole time on the show?

Probably my favourite performance that I did, for how well it went, was that one (Iris), but at the same time obviously there was so much going through my head I felt physically sick whilst I was singing it and it was scary. I think I enjoyed singing ‘I won’t give up’ on week 2, that was fun.

What was your favourtie moment from the whole series, bootcamp, judges houses…?

That’s a hard question, I get that quite a lot, there’s been so many amazing moments that is literally the truth. Judges house was awesome to be there with those guys and go away to another country. Living in the X Factor house was amazing, it was like being at uni without all the written work. It was hard work all the time, non-stop rehearsing and trying to get the best out of ourselves, but at the same time that’s what we all love doing, that’s what I want to wake up every day and do for the rest of my life. Probably the live shows were a stand out, where you’d got further than any other contestant, you’re in the last twelve, it’s amazing.

Do you think the weekly themes hampered what you got to show the audience in terms of your ability in any way?

I don’t think it hampered anything, it’s part of the show, I went into the X Factor knowing that they do that. It’s not that they held me back, as much as the show gives you a massive opportunity to show everybody what you can do it does limit you as far as showing yourself and your own kind of music which you’d probably sing when you’re not on the show. It makes things difficult but that’s what its all about, you take on whatever you’re given and you make the best of it.

If you had chance to sing one more song on the show, what would it be?

That’s a really good question, I think it would all depend on the theme. What would have been cool was if there had been another round before judges houses, where you’re a bit more free I’d have probably done one of my own songs, but I decided not to do one and it got me all the way to live shows so I don’t regret that at all.

What was it like having Louis Walsh as your mentor?

Yeah cool, Louis is a really funny, nice guy and you can always get hold of him. When you need to pick his brains, which you do a lot during the show because it’s something none of us have ever experience before where as he’s been doing it for ten years so its good that we can just give him a buzz every know and then and he’s always there.

Since your first audition was shown how’s life changed for you? What’s it like having all these fans on twitter?

It’s mad! It’s a bit strange to be fair, seeing other artists and being like ‘wow I’m becoming like one of these artists’. Today I was in the services and someone shouted ‘Alright Sam’ and you’re like ‘do I know… oh wait you know me because I’ve been on telly’. You just forget, that I’m a normal kid from Essex growing up like everybody else then all of a sudden you do the show and people know who you are.

What made you audition for X Factor over any of the other talent based shows?

Because I believe that the X Factor is about more than just a voice, it’s about having the X Factor, you know the charisma, your own style, your own niche and knowing yourself. I believe that I have that (so do we). Everyone in the last twelve has the X Factor, there’s so much talent in the show.

Would you recommend auditioning for the X Factor to any budding singers?

Absolutely! But the thing is, it’s not the faint hearted, it’s very very very stressful. It’s not a walk in the park, its very hard work. You’re up very early, you go to bed last at night and in between that you’re working non-stop. The pressure and the change in your life is a real thing some things can hurt you so you’ve got to toughen up very fast and grow-up. But at the same time as I’ve said before, it’s the most amazing thing I’ve ever done, the most exciting time of my life and I wouldn’t change it for the world. I don’t regret anything and I would do it all again if I had the opportunity.

What’s the best thing you’ve learnt, other than how to do your washing, during the series?

That’s a good question, there’s a lot of different things you have to cope with so I’ve learnt to deal with different things like press for example. You get a lot of pressure from press and a lot of bad press that sometime isn’t true, along with people saying things. Someone on the show said to me ‘wear your press, don’t read it’ which basically mean, the more you get, the better. Obviously you don’t want to be in the papers for doing something really terrible but what they’re saying is don’t read it and if people are talking abut you that’s good, so that was something that made me deal with all that side of things a lot easier. With music I learnt to really just be myself and stick to what I know because I do know myself. Out of all the critique I got I think the one thing is that I know full well what I stand for and what I’m about, if you go into it knowing that then stick to that, don’t let anyone push you around.

Are you single?

Yes I’m single. I’m very single.

Snog, marry, avoid. Sharon, Caroline, Nicole?

I’m going to do this one first, I think I’m going to avoid Sharon, I love Sharon, I think she’s a lovely woman but I think she’s more of like a mother figure to me, she nurtures me and she’s lovely. So between the other two, I think I’d marry Caroline because I reckon she’s be a right laugh, she would go for a beer with the lads. Whereas Nicole is absolutely stunning but she’s probably scare me a bit, she’s so perfect it’d probably make me feel a bit inadequate.

If you could sing with anyone, dead or alive, who would it be?

I’d like to sing with Robbie Williams because he’s been my idol since I was about 9 years old and I think he’s the ultimate showman. If we’re talking about collaborations I think it’d be amazing to do something with a girl like an RnB artist.

And finally, what’s next for you Sam?

Before I even went into the show I recorded about three quarters of an album, I’ve been writing since I was 13 years old so I’m continuing that and I want to finish the album and get it out next year. I think I’ve got two days off between now and Christmas so I’m gigging, sometimes three of four gigs in a day so I’m all over the place. Then we’ve got the tour just after Christmas so it’s not like it’s all dying down for me which is good news. That’s always the fear I think, because its been so amazing and for it to all just go flat would be horrible.

To find out what Sam's up to check out his website www.samcallahan.co.uk

Follow Us @ItsBizNews & Sam @samcallahan94 on Twitter.