Rebecca Ferguson had her life threatened as she spoke out against the industry (Picture: Rebecca Ferguson)
Fame often comes with a price, one that X Factor star Rebecca Ferguson was not willing to pay as she refused to be silent about her horrifying experiences in the music industry.
Rebecca’s tireless campaigning and breaking of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) even resulted in a private apology from music mogul and X Factor boss, Simon Cowell.
After finishing in second place on the popular ITV show back in 2010, Rebecca had her sights set on making music and making her family proud, especially her children.
She released her first album, Heaven – which her new album Heaven Part II is named after – the following year, but her experience quickly turned sour.
In the decade that followed, the 37-year-old’s life was turned upside down as she attempted to speak out against the mistreatment, abuse, and bullying she claims was faced by herself and her fellow artists.
Amid numerous incidents, one terrifying moment stands out as she told Metro.co.uk about how a ‘powerful man’ in the industry broke into her home and spoke to her child.
She has spent years campaigning against the mistreatment of artists(Picture: Rebecca Ferguson)
‘It comes back to very senior people in the industry. This incident was one of many incidences in my career of living in fear of these very, very, very powerful men,’ Rebecca explained.
Clearly a painful memory, Rebecca distanced herself slightly from the 2017 break-in as she shared: ‘I was a girl that wasn’t in the public eye. Let’s say I was your next-door neighbour, who works in an office.
‘If someone from her office forced their way into her home on a Sunday morning, and sat while she was in the shower, chatting to her child, there would be uproar. There would be absolute uproar.
‘If that same woman was getting calls from the police to say “We believe you’re unsafe, can we please meet you off the train? We want to make sure that you are safe because we’ve received very worrying intelligence.” Everyone would have empathy.’
‘I asked to change my life for my children. I didn’t ask to be living in fear and getting the police calling me saying people are trying to kill me.
‘Sorry, that was not what I signed up for.’
She claims her career, life, and family were all threatened(Picture: Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)
Eventually, the police arrived to remove the man who had refused to leave her home but he continued to harass and call her in the middle of the night, despite her legal team advising him to stay away.
‘The music industry has gotten away with not being regulated, and it’s the most curious thing,’ the I Hope singer added.
While giving evidence to the Misogyny in Music Committee earlier this year, Rebecca recounted the tale and pointed out that the ‘senior industry mogul’ actually advises the Department of Culture (DCMS) under which the committee exists.
Rebecca has on several occasions blasted ITV’s handling of her internal complaints, although the singer did confirm the network told her it has since put safeguards into place.
During her evidence for DCMS, the mum discussed how weight was monitored insidiously while on the show – never overtly but with constant comments about size fluctuations.
She believes show producers regularly interfered with personal relationships, with Rebecca’s relationship on the line and other contestants encouraged to begin approved romances.
‘Unfortunately, it is not uncommon. I get women writing to me all the time, telling me that they’ve been through what I’ve been through and much worse,’ claimed Rebecca.
‘One of the leading figures in the UK messaged just say “this has happened” and nobody ever wants to speak about it. I think some people are still silent, everyone’s scared and no one wants to lose their career.’
She came second to Simon Cowell’s golden group One Direction (Picture: Ken McKay/Talkback Thames/REX/Shutterstock)
The Liverpudlian star also says she had her tour money – an estimated £600,000 – withheld by bosses with no recompense as she was locked into contracts she was not able to seek third-party legal advice over.
These contracts are still a sticking point for Rebecca as the fine print she was ‘forced’ to sign impacts her to this day.
Rebecca continued: ‘I had to go and get therapy. The things I went through were abuse, there’s no other name that you would call it.
‘It was extremely traumatic and it did leave me with PTSD that I will have to live with, possibly for the rest of my life. Hopefully not – hopefully, I heal from it completely.’
In May 2023 she performed on Eurovision after staying out of the spotlight (Picture: Paul Ellis/AFP)
While she is out of the woods and believes the industry is changing, especially since she and more artists began speaking out, the effects can still be felt.
That’s what her final album – Heaven Part II – is about, healing and documenting the hitmaker finding her strength.
‘I felt like when I released the first album, I wasn’t yet tainted by the music industry and so it was coming from a very pure place,’ she explained of the title choice.
‘The other albums that followed were me just battling with the industry. Now that I’m fully independent, I’ve got full control of my career, this is me saying to the fans, “This is the album you should have had.”
This is the last studio album she plans to make, untangling herself from the music industry one last time in favour of releasing her music independently on streaming whenever she feels like it.
Heaven Part II is the album fans ‘should have had’ (Picture: Rebecca Ferguson)
She added: ‘I’ve just got to a place where I’ve got complete creative freedom and complete creative control, which is good. I’ve basically changed my perspective in making this album and I don’t feel as negatively about music anymore.
‘I feel like music is great but the artist needs to be in control and the artist needs to be treated well and respected.’
In response to Rebecca’s claims X Factor Spokesperson told Metro.co.uk: ‘Duty of care is of the utmost importance to us, and we always take contributor welfare extremely seriously. During the 2010 series of The X Factor, there were robust measures in place to ensure everyone involved in the making of the programme was supported throughout their experience and beyond including a dedicated welfare team made up of psychologists, doctors, welfare producers and independent legal and management advisors with no time limit on aftercare once the show had aired.
‘These measures were under constant review, and we have always been proactive in adapting and updating them for future series to reflect the requirements of the show.’
Rebecca’s season was won by Matt Cardle but best known for One Direction (Picture: Ken McKay/REX/Shutterstock)
ITV added: ‘The X Factor was produced by Thames and Syco, who were responsible for duty of care and welfare towards contestants on the show. The recording contracts signed by contestants from the show were with Syco Music and other independent record labels.
‘ITV remains committed to having in place suitable processes to protect the mental health and welfare of programme participants. We have continued to evolve and strengthen our approach, and we expect all producers of commissioned programmes, in this instance Thames and Syco, to have in place appropriate procedures to look after the mental health of programme participants as well as their physical safety.
‘Those processes and procedures will differ from programme to programme, to ensure that the welfare of all participants in ITV programmes is appropriately safeguarded.
‘Whilst the practical detailed processes required to manage participant welfare in each programme must sit with producers themselves, ITV as a broadcaster and commissioner of content provides guidance on what we consider to be best practice: in the selection of participants before filming, in supporting them during filming, and in continued support up to and after the broadcast of the programme.
‘In our correspondence with Rebecca we stressed that the welfare of participants is of the highest priority at ITV as reflected in our Duty of Care Charter and the detailed guidance, introduced in 2019, we now have available for all producers, to ensure that the welfare of participants is adequately safeguarded on all our programmes.
‘ITV responded to Rebecca with information provided to us by the producers, detailing their arrangements regarding welfare, aftercare, legal advice, and management, at the time of her participation.’
Metro.co.uk has reached out to Simon Cowell’s representatives for comment.
Rebecca’s album Heaven Part II is out now to buy or on streaming.
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‘Hopefully I’ll heal one day’
