It was a great thing for James to do. More than me, he is exactly what the pop world is looking for - a great voice and a fresh, exciting image. But it's hard to read what is in the heads of the judges,

The best thing for me is that it opened doors. In this business so much depends on having the right contacts and I got to know a lot of the right people. In that way I'm incredibly lucky,

I was horrified but Sharon just laughed. She was great, a real mother figure and a real support throughout the competition,

We were the favorites for a reason, and we showed exactly why. We faced much more adversity four years ago, but we were just as determined and just as focused this time. It's really even sweeter when you can come through as the favorite.

You don't love a girl because of beauty. You love her because she sings a song only you can understand.

Where I came from in the country, there was no place to hear pop music like Little Richard and people like that. Later, I heard James Brown, Otis Redding, The Drifters, The Four Aces, The Ink Spots.