Newbury teenager out to prove Simon Cowell wrong

Ottavio Columbro, who was knocked out of the X Factor last year, is back to audition for this year's competition

A NEWBURY teenager who was knocked out of ITV's hit show the X-Factor by Simon Cowell last year said he wants prove the judge wrong by successfully auditioning for this year's competition.

Ottavio Columbro of Kings Road, Newbury, made it through to the judges in last year's show but was promptly told by Simon Cowell that he couldn't sing.

But the 19-year-old, who works at Tesco in London Road, Newbury, was undeterred and has now made it through the first audition of the 2011 competition with his performance of Duran Duran's A View to a Kill in front of the show's producers at the London O2 Arena on March 7.

The former performing arts student at Newbury College feels he has a point to prove to Simon Cowell, who is rumoured to be replaced as a judge on this year's X Factor to focus on the American franchise of the show.

Mr Columbro said: “You have to go into an audition booth and if you are deemed good enough you get a gold star which means they've put you through to the next round.

“It was a really tough process because so many incredible vocalists were turned down. I think the producers saw about 100,000 people over the two days.

“It takes guts for me to come back after being rejected last year. I thought to myself, ‘I can't let Simon Cowell win. I want to go back and prove him wrong'.”

Mr Columbro, who was once a finalist of Newbury's Got Talent, a talent contest organised by Newbury College in 2008, has been invited back for a second audition at the London ExCel Arena on April 4, where he will have to perform Duran Duran's A View to a Kill plus another song of his choice.

“I want to show off my fun side in the next round,” he said. “I want to blow them away.

“I'm very confident I can make it through to the judges again.”

If successful, he would go into the 16–24 males category.

Mr Columbro added: “It's not about the fame for me. I just want to get recognition, perform and let people see my talent. Obviously it would be great to get the opportunity to see the world.”