Cher Lloyd

Cher Lloyd (born 28 July 1993) is an English singer.

She was the thirteenth contestant eliminated on the seventh series of the television talent show The X Factor in 2010.

Following the show, Lloyd was signed to Syco Music in the United Kingdom and Epic Records in the United States.

She released her debut studio album, Sticks and Stones, in 2011, which had two releases: its standard edition and a US version.

The album peaked at number four on the UK Albums Chart, while the latter version debuted at number nine in the US Billboard 200.

It included the successful singles "Swagger Jagger", which entered at number one on the UK Singles Chart, "With Ur Love", and "Want U Back".

Lloyd and nine other contestants from the series participated in the X Factor Live Tour from February 2011 to April 2011.

The tour saw Lloyd performing for 500,000 people throughout the UK.

After the finale of the seventh series of The X Factor, it was announced that Lloyd had been signed to Syco Music.

Shortly after, recording began for her debut studio album with songwriter Autumn Rowe, and producers RedOne, Johnny Powers and The Runners.

On 28 July 2011, Lloyd previewed five tracks from the album during a UStream session, including singles featuring Busta Rhymes, Mike Posner, Ghetts, Mic Righteous and Dot Rotten.

Lloyd's debut single, "Swagger Jagger", was released in July 2011 and entered at number one on the UK Singles Chart, with sales exceeding 303,000 copies in Britain.

In the Republic of Ireland, the single charted at number two on the Irish Singles Chart.

Lloyd released her second studio album, Sorry I'm Late, in 2014, preceded by the lead single, "I Wish".

The album failed to match the success of its predecessor, peaking at number 21 on the UK Albums Chart and number 12 on the Billboard 200.

After a collaboration with singer Demi Lovato on the single "Really Don't Care", Lloyd had a two-year absence from the music industry.

In July 2016, Lloyd released the single "Activated", which was described as a "memo of Cher to her fans to say she is back and she is stronger than ever".

She released the singles "None of My Business" and "M.I.A." in 2018 and 2019, respectively.

Cher Lloyd was raised in Malvern, Worcestershire, with her parents Darren and Diane and her three younger siblings, Sophie, Josh, and Rosie.

Her family is of Romani origin, and Lloyd spent the first year of her life travelling around Wales with her young parents in a caravan.

Speaking to former Now magazine, her uncle said she was teased and bullied by classmates due to her origins.

Lloyd attended The Chase School, Malvern, and later Dyson Perrins High School, where she studied performing arts.

She also attended the theater arts school Stagecoach.

She had previously performed at holiday camps and said she received a mixed reaction to her music, but was a big hit with X Factor judges at the time.

She auditioned singing the Keri Hilson version of "Turn My Swag On" by Soulja Boy.

At bootcamp she sang a rap version of "Viva La Vida".

At the judges' houses, she performed "Cooler Than Me" but suffered from tonsillitis and was unable to complete the song.

Lloyd sang a rendition of "Just Be Good to Me" in the first of the live shows.

In the second live show, she performed "Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)."

In the third live show, she sang a mashup of "No Diggity" and "Shout", and in the fourth live show, she sang "Stay."

This was the first time Lloyd did not rap in her performance, and Cowell even called it "the performance of the series."

In week five, Lloyd sang "Empire State of Mind", but the judges stated that after the previous week they were disappointed.

However, they agreed that she redeemed herself with her rendition of "Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word" mixed with "Mockingbird", by Elton John and Eminem, respectively, in week 6.

In the seventh week, Lloyd was in the bottom two for the first time after her rendition of "Imagine", but Cowell, Cole and Walsh all saved her in the final showdown.

In the following week, Lloyd performed "Girlfriend", followed by "Walk This Way".

Both performances were credited by the judges, and she was saved by the public vote the following night, securing her position in the semifinal.

In the semifinal, Lloyd performed "Nothin' on You" and "Love the Way You Lie" and was in the bottom two with Mary Byrne.

She was saved by the judges again and put through to the final.

In the final, she performed a mashup of "The Clapping Song" and "Get Ur Freak On", followed by a duet with will.i.am, which was a mashup of "Where Is the Love?" and "I Gotta Feeling."

Lloyd was then eliminated in fourth place, having received the fewest public votes.