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By ALISON BOSHOFF
The star and the wannabe: Cheryl Cole on stage this summer and her 'mini-me', X Factor contestant Cher LloydSo this is the way that the X Factor bookies’ favourite progresses to the finals – trembling, her heavily made-up face contorted in misery.
She was barely able to open her eyes for tears. And as for her ‘performance’, Cher Lloyd’s nerves were so bad, and her sore throat apparently so painful, that she hadn’t actually been able to sing a note.
Viewers were left wondering why judge Cheryl Cole put someone who is so clearly unable to cope with the pressure through to the next round.
Now, inevitably, there is talk of a ‘fix’. Perhaps it is because of the developing bond between Cole and her mini-me.
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No-one can have failed to notice how strongly Cole identified with Cher, describing her as ‘right up my street’.
Cher has confirmed that she models herself completely on Cole, even sporting the same musical note tattoo on her hand. ‘I’m not even old enough to have a tattoo, but I have three,’ she said.
Her grandfather, John Lloyd, confirms that Cher ‘idolises’ Cheryl and the way she rose to fame.
Being mentored by her idol, then, must be a dream come true – but, as was evident from her shaky demeanour, it is also adding enormous pressure
Rumour has it that X Factor bosses are determined that Cher, 17, should win, and waved her through to the next round. They think she has a great chance of making everybody involved lots of money.
Rising to fame: Cher leaves a recording studio in London yesterdayAnd they aren’t alone. Rapper Tinie Tempah – who is this week at No 1 – says he would like to work with her.
Before her collapse this week, Cher seemed confident: ‘I’d love to become a world-famous rapper.’
But will she be able to handle the considerable pressures of the next few weeks – involving live performances and the public vote? Watching her shiver with nerves is already an uncomfortable experience.
There are already reports that Cher has been given a round-the-clock counsellor.
An X Factor spokesman confirms that she will have access to help from a trained psychologist – as will all the finalists.
It’s clear, though, that she is the contestant who is in the greatest need of help.
Cher has come through all of the standard psychological tests and everyone is determined to take good care of her,’ says a source.
‘She really wants to do the show and she would not be allowed to take part unless the producers are satisfied that she can cope.’
It is worth noting though that this is the same system which offered Susan Boyle support during Britain’s Got Talent, and then recommended that she be placed in the Priory clinic for treatment after she failed to win.
Worryingly it’s said that Cher isn’t eating properly because of the stress. Her size six frame is already alarmingly slender.
One visitor to the X Factor house reports that her favourite food is soup, and that she is so highly strung that she doesn’t like to socialise with the others.
At lunchtimes she has been seen sitting quietly with the psychologist.
And then there is the as-yet untold story of her journey up to this point.
Her desire to win the X Factor is a long-held, desperate mission.
Like Cheryl, she comes from a rough background, with various family members clocking up criminal convictions.
Her father seems to be a self-described alcoholic who was banned from driving in 2003. At the roadside, Darren Lloyd gave police his name as Harry Potter and his address as The Philosopher’s Stone.
Developing bond: Cheryl embraces contestant Cher Lloyd after she breaks down during her performanceIn 2001 one relative was jailed for six years for grievous bodily harm with intent and another admitted actual bodily harm after beating up a woman in the same incident.
Miss Cole’s older brother, Andrew Tweedy, is an alcoholic who is also addicted to sniffing glue. He has clocked up more than 50 court appearances and spent a third of his life in prison.
In 1996, he was locked up for six years for stabbing two students.
Cheryl’s sister, Gillian, has also been in trouble with the law. She was bound over after becoming involved in a fist fight along with Andrew.
It happened in 2002 after they had been out to celebrate Cheryl’s success in reaching the finals of Popstars: The Rivals
She was suspended from The Chase School in Malvern after a playground fight with another girl. There is also talk of a happy slapping attack, with victim Cher being filmed on her assailant’s phone.
She’s had it rough, then, and was more determined than most to make an impression. This appears to have led to her fostering a couple of untruths about her credentials.
Two peas in a pod: Cher has confirmed that she models herself on ColeHer audition performance of Soulja Boy’s Turn My Swag On was lauded as hugely original.
However, it has since been pointed out that it was identical to singer Keri Hilson’s cover version of the song. She even wore the same ripped jeans as Hilson.
Just inexperience and enthusiasm? Maybe. But what about the rap she sang over Coldplay’s Viva La Vida?
Cher claimed to have made it up herself –including the refrain ‘Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, I’m tryin’ get that Oprah,’ – but it turns out to be identical in parts to a song released in 2008 by the American rapper Swizz Beatz.
Cher said: ‘I wrote my own lyrics to the beginning of the song.’
But while some of the words were Cher’s own, she can’t seriously have expected everyone to believe that it was entirely original.
You can’t doubt that she wants to succeed. She has twice before entered the X Factor, both times singing ballads, and failed. This time around she has remodelled her image and music to be as close to her heroine Miss Cole as possible.
Cher – who studied performing arts at Dyson Perrins college last year – lives with her father Darren, mum Dina, brother Josh, 15, and sisters Sophie, 14, and Rosie, 12.
Home is an ordinary red-brick terrace in the less picturesque part of Malvern. Neighbours describe the family as ‘rough’.
Cher told a newspaper: ‘My family isn’t perfect but neither am I, and while I can’t condone their outrageous behaviour, I’m finding it difficult to love them any less.
‘I have made mistakes in the past too but I believe everyone deserves a second chance.’
Cher says that she has always longed to sing, but was bullied at school because she stood out.
She said: ‘It’s other girls at college. They’ll laugh at things like how I’ve done my hair or what I’m wearing.
‘I don’t want revenge. But I want my singing to speak for itself. Every time I do a song they will see my response.’
She has, like many of the contestants, been in talent shows in the past. In 2008 she was named best solo female at Worcestershire’s Pop Idol competition.
And now she has the chance to aim for a considerably greater prize.
But what consolation can there be if Cheryl Cole – who Cher thinks ‘really understands what I’m all about’ – ever cuts her doppelganger loose?
And who, you wonder, will pick up the pieces if this very fragile teenager doesn’t quite make it?
source: dailymail
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