Aiden Grimshaw on 98FM – Transcript of Interview

98FM, it’s the Showbiz Show, Aiden Grimshaw was on The X Factor in 2010, the same year that Matt Cardle won.  He’s now got a record deal, his debut album is called Misty Eye, out in August, and his new single is called Is This Love. I gave X Factor star Aiden Grimshaw a shout, even if he wanted to sleep it in.

I tell you what, you’re already becoming a bit of a diva, keeping me waiting! (laughs)

I’m so sorry, I’m just so terrible at getting up on time.

Sleep it in, did you?

I’d like to blame a taxi, or the traffic in London, but really I’m just a terrible teenage boy.

(Both laughing) You’re just a diva; you can say I’m a pop star now, I can do what I want. We all know you, of course, from The X Factor, there’s no avoiding it, but I was just reading your blog here, and it sounds a little bit to me like the show wasn’t exactly for you. Can you explain what you mean?

I didn’t feel, I suppose, that when I auditioned that I would get through. I felt it was more a little bit like a carrot in a cucumber competition.

Did you really? Why would you have gone for it then, if you really think that you didn’t have what it took?

It’s just – I wanted to, I wanted to think that I did.  At the time I was taking a spontaneous gap year, because I was a lazy teenage boy and just forgot to fill in any of my applications for university.  So I was taking a gap year and my mum sent in an application, all of a sudden I had an audition and I was like, “Alright, let’s go!”

You’ve came so far, and now the whole solo career is about to kick off, it’s mad isn’t it?

Yeah, it’s really… pretty crazy.

Do you feel a little bit as if “Oh my God, my life is about to completely change in the coming months”?

Kind of. I’m kind of prepared for, you know, the whole “being back in the limelight” thing, because of The X Factor. But when that finished I was a bit ” I can’t deal with this, this is a bit much”, changed the hairstyle and stuff and don’t really get recognized that much now.

Was it tough then, you know, when the whole show ended and that and you know, what to do next? Plan B?

I suppose so, but there was always that in your head, like “let’s go and write music”

But that doesn’t seem to pay the rent in the meantime though, so did you go back to work? What did you do, did you stay with mum?

No, no, I moved to London. Truthfully, Simon Cowell paid the rent for the first year…

That’s brilliant, isn’t it?

Yeah. I really just sat on the sofa, writing songs, and now I’m a bit skint actually (laughs)

Yeah. Poor Simon Cowell now, he didn’t have the money to be paying your rent, God love him.

No, no

He’s so rich, it’s unbelievable.

Just remind us as well, when you were on the show, who was it that was your mentor, was it Dannii?

It was indeed, it was Dannii Minogue.

Did you notice any chemistry between Dannii and Simon?

Not at the time. Her boyfriend was there and he was massive

You wouldn’t mess with him. I also remember at the time, you were really really pally with Matt Cardle, weren’t you?

Yep, still am, man.

Are you? Because we had him on 98FM there very recently, he came over to Dublin and he did a brilliant session actually in his hotel room, we had all listeners in his hotel room, so it was pretty intimate. He wrote the Ballad of Matt and Aiden, that must have really touched your heart.

Yeah, well, I put it on, burst into tears, got the covers, I was on the duvet, you know scream, crying (both laugh)

Audio Clip of Matt singing The Ballad of Maiden

People were logging on just to watch that, it’s so funny isn’t it?

It’s got loads of views, didn’t it… He did a great job!

Did you have control over this album? Were you involved in all the writing, were you, or did you have help or what happened?

No, I had full control. Me and the producer, Jarrad, spent about three weeks in the studio together, just writing and vibing. I’d go to the studio, I’d be like, “Jarrad, I’ve got this idea” and Jarrad’s Australian and he’d be like , (Australian accent)”Yeah, cool man, I’ve got this idea”.

The single is completely different to something I thought you would have released. It’s quite dancey almost…

Yeah

…Is that the type of music that you are interested in, or – because I haven’t heard the whole album yet.

There are a few things that are similar. This first single is the second track on the album. It starts off a little angry. There’s a narrative. I think it’s an album where you have your big moments, your angry moments and then also you have your small softer moments then at the end you see some epic, lovey, euphoric moments. Quite a journey – oh journey’s a horrible word…

I think this is the right time of year as well to release music. Everybody’s getting in the mood… they’re getting their collection ready for summertime, so it’s a good time.  I know it sounds mad saying it’s a good time. Obviously you’re going to release music all year round…

Oh, definitely, I know what you mean. When we finished the album the first thing that I did was whack it on in the car, down the motorway when we had that sunny two week period. I just wasn’t out the car, I was testing it…

Yeah!

…is this good driving music?

It definitely is! Misty Eye is going to be out in August, which is the whole album, but how did this record deal come about then? After everything that happened on The X Factor, how did you get signed?

Well, I think it was due to the whole tour thing, The X Factor tour. People on twitter, and lucky enough to be able to be involved in the tour. Coming to the end of the tour I got signed, yeah.

I can imagine you were a little bit excited that day when that happened.

Yeah, a little bit, a little bit excited. I was like a little kid, (kid’s voice) “Right, let’s go, let’s make music wheee” (laughs)

You’ve done a few weddings in the past, you know, a long long time ago. Did you hate that? That’s how Michael Buble started

Is it?

Mmm

I didn’t mind the weddings. My worst ones would be like, the hotels on a Wednesday. There would be three oldish ladies; lovely old ladies, they were clapping me, but the rest of the room was empty and I’d be (sings) “Let’s Fly With Me…” oh, it was just horrible! (laughs)

Thank God you don’t have to do that any more!

No. Oh it was pretty terrible. I’d be going to my mates, “Yeah man, I’m doing a gig tonight…”

A gig!

Yeah, “I’ve got a gig, man” (laughs)

End