Austin - exit interview
02 Nov 08
We caught up with Austin on the morning after his departure...
Hey Austin! How do you feel this morning?
I'm still gutted, to be honest. I am disappointed. But I'm also relieved. There was an awful lot of stress involved, and I didn't always find it easy. I couldn't always eat and I lost a bit of weight - it'll be good to get back to real life.
Don't be too disappointed - your single Hero is likely to be No. 1 tonight!
Yeah, I know. I think it will take a little time to sink in though. My head is full of so many emotions.
What did you do after the show ended?
I went and gave Dan a big hug!
A lot of people were surprised you were voted out...
I wasn't surprised really. I was kind of numb when Dermot was reading it out. I felt at the beginning of the week that I might be going home.
Is there anything you would’ve done differently?
I knew the song wasn't right for me and I mentioned that. They did offer to change it, but I decided to trust in my mentor. I should have gone with my gut instinct.
Did you speak to Simon afterwards?
No, he didn't have time. He had to shoot off. Haven't spoken to him. I'm not worried about it.
Why is your survival song, Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow, special to you?
I've just always loved that song; I think I originally heard it in Dirty Dancing. I love the song and my Nan loves the song, so I went with that.
Rachel, who was in the bottom two with you, was also very emotional.
Yeah emotions were running high that night. I'm pleased for her, that she is able to stay in. I wish her a lot of luck.
Would you rather Louis had sent the decision to deadlock?
He could have done that, and I may have gone home, and I may not. We'll never know, and that's fine. You shouldn't look back and think 'What if,' you should always look forward.
Overall, which of your performances was your favourite?
I don't really think I had a best song during the competition, I didn't feel I had the chance to show what I can do at my best. I could have performed other songs a lot better. But you've got to take it on the chin and accept that that's how it goes.
What won’t you miss?
That everything happens so quickly and you don’t have much time at all to find your feet. That's hard. I'm not thinking of negatives though. I want to take a lot of good out of it.
You also take a rather snazzy haircut and image change...
I think I'm going to leave the Duran Duran-type haircut behind now and go back to being me. People seemed to like me better when I was more myself up there!
The house will be really quiet now!
I know! I don't think they will miss my guitar playing. I've already stopped with the harmonica - but I think I'll go back to it when I go home!
Will you keep in touch with the other competitors?
The best thing about the show was the friends that I made. It doesn't matter what you do with your music, your friends are there for life. They are the ones who pick you up when you're down. Especially, I'll miss Dan - he was a great mate. A really good lad.
Where do you with your music now?
Oh, I don't know. Before I do any music, I have to get home and have a cup of tea. I just want to see my mum and dad and play with my dog Louis. Named after Louis Armstrong - not Louis Walsh!
Who would you like to win now?
I think Laura is a lovely girl, and a great singer. If they don't dress her up and try to overcook her, she could win it. She's got a lot of natural talent, but she has to be able to be true to herself.
Do you think Austin should have been ousted? Have your say below!