Olly Murs the moments that made me who I am

Olly Murs shares the 10 things that made him the man he is today.

Lesson learned

I used to sing a lot in the classroom at school and when I finished all the girls used to message me saying I’d be a singer one day.

But I didn’t really know it myself until I was about 23 and doing a bit of karaoke in pubs. That’s when it dawned on me that it was what I wanted to do and I started getting excited about it.

Sing when you’re winning

When I played the pubs they weren’t the nicest crowds. It was lads all beered-up and heckling me. But those are the best experiences, the ones that really make you who you are.

The fact that they weren’t enjoying it made me hungry to prove I was good. I’d be singing while people weren’t watching and I’d try to win them over.

When the audience start to sing and dance, that’s when you get the most excitement. Even now on this tour, I’m coming back and I want to make sure the fans are really happy.

I thrive on being on stage, that’s where I feel best. My album’s just out in the US and everything’s going well there too but being successful in the UK is always the most important.

True calling

When I was working in the call centre I loved music but I obviously never expected to be where I am now. I believed in myself but I still loved being a salesman.

I was a good one. I sold some nice kitchens and gave sound advice. I was a good person to speak to on the phone. But even though it was a fun time for me I still felt I had a talent for music.

Home is where the heart is

I stayed at home with my mum and dad until I was 27 because I didn’t feel ready to move out, and that includes financially. I didn’t want to end up bankrupt.

I wasn’t sure where my career was going to be heading or what I was going to be doing in the following couple of years. A lot of people like to rush I’m not a rusher.

Now I’ve got a four-bedroom house in Essex and I’m really happy with it. There’s a nice bit of country air and it makes me feel really at home.

Family sadness

(Olly is estranged from twin brother Ben following a fallout which resulted in Olly missing Ben’s wedding while he was doing The X Factor.)

I’m fine about it because my conscience is clear. My brother’s the one who decided he didn’t want to be a part of my life, so there’s nothing I can do about it.

He made that decision and he has to live with it. He doesn’t want to be a part of my life or my mum and dad’s. My family tried everything to stay in contact with him and he wasn’t interested.

It’s unfortunate that I now live my life without my brother with me. But hopefully time will be a healer and it will be sorted out in the future.

The price of fame

Suddenly, being famous is such a big change in your life. I never expected it and it’s hard when people start recognising you.

It was tough at the start. But I embraced it although there are times when you’re having a pie and there’s sauce round you’re mouth and you think: “Please don’t spot me now!”

There was a story about me drinking too much early on but that was off the mark and it sounded worse than it was. It was basically all down to my work schedule.

I had so much on I wasn’t coping and I felt depressed. But we all have tough times, times when we’re stressed and have a lot of pressure. That was just my bad month. I went on holiday and was fine when I came back.

Celebrity hang-out

I still find it a bit weird when my mates call and I say, “Sorry lads, I can’t come out tonight, I’m having dinner with Gary Barlow or doing a sound-check with Robbie Williams.”

But when you’re in the same job you just accept they’re the same as you. They may have had so much success but I’ve found they’re just normal down to earth guys.

I haven’t found sitting talking to celebrities any different to talking to one of my mates.

Sound of silence

I was working on this album and pushed myself so hard trying to make it the best I could and I lost my voice really badly. I had a haemorrhage, although that probably sounds a bit worse than it was.

The doctors said if I rested it’d be fine but with the voice you never know. It’s not something you can see, like an injury to your arm.

So you just have to not talk, which isn’t easy for me! So I had a break where I didn’t speak and thankfully it came back fine.

Loving company

My girlfriend Francesca is 100% part of my family support. You need people in your life you can trust.

She’s taken a while to understand things but then it took me a couple of years to understand this job and how it all works. But we’re great and I really can’t complain.

Early X-it

I could have gone home from The X Factor much earlier. If the judges’ votes had gone to deadlock one week I was just behind in the viewers’ votes and I’d have been out.

That would have been it. If I had finished sixth I’d probably never have been signed, never got my record deal and everything would have been very different. But if I had gone home I’d still have continued to work hard and sing.

I’m not a bitter guy, so I wouldn’t have been going on about whether I should have won or stayed. As long as I’m having a good time I’m happy and that’s all that matters.

Olly Murs starts his UK tour at the end of the month with dates at Glasgow’s SECC Hydro from April 14 and then Newcastle’s Metro Radio Arena from April 18.