‘It’s not just TV, it’s people’s dreams’

From sharing the panel with Sheryl Cole and taking on reality TV’s dreaded panelist Simon Cowell, Rita Ora talks about her stint on the popular American show.

Q The next few months are going to be very busy. How have you planned your time?
This was planned way before. I wouldn’t have done this job if I couldn’t commit to it one hundred per cent. I don’t do stuff half-heartedly. This is not a joke. This isn’t just TV, these are people’s dreams and ambitions and I think people sometimes forget that because it’s on TV. All my concentration is definitely on this.

Q What do you enjoy more — performing or judging?
I don’t know why I have to pick.I think it’s so cool that I am doing all this stuff at once. About 30 years ago, artists weren’t doing more than one thing. Of course you’ve got the incredibles like Sam Smith and Adele who are just focussing on music. But then you have artists like myself who do TV shows, go in and out of the movies, design their own collection and clothes and put out an album, and tours! I feel like it’s ok to do more than one thing. I don’t think you need to choose if you are doing it well.

Q We’ve seen you’ve got quite emotional at some points in the competition — how are you dealing with that?
It’s good. I mean, there is definitely no filter! I have realised that. TV has no boundaries. What you see is what you get. But it is so nice that I am with the girls. I think I connected with them as soon as they walked on that stage. I said: “I need the girls, Simon.”

Q Some people have been critical of the panel…
When something is as big as The X Factor, there’s not going to be 150 million people that are going to be loving it. And because it has been on for so long, people are being pickier. And they have more to compare it to. And for me in my mind it was the first show as a singing competition and now it’s like it is The X Factor. It’s been going on for so long. The winners, all the successful artists, sell records.