'Cher Lloyd & One Direction Are Pop Perfection' Says Matt Cardle

Surprisingly, Matt Cardle is one of few people in the country who would describe Cher Lloyd's 'Swagger Jagger' as "pop perfection".

The X Factor winner had appeared to distance himself from the show since emerging victorious in 2010, but now admits that the first efforts released by Lloyd and boyband One Direction were of a high standard.

In a new chat with Digital Spy, the 'Run For Your Life' singer was asked about the critics' comparisons between his own album sales and those of his fellow talent show alumni.

He said: "It's different kind of music. Cher and One Direction's releases were pure pop and their first tracks were amazing; absolute pop perfection.

"I'm not that, as I'm not a pop kind of person. It's historically always been harder to sell an alternative style of music because you have to appeal to musos who are not as easily convinced."

He continued: "We've all had amazing sales and if you look at any of us away from The X Factor in the current climate, we all did well. I'm absolutely over the moon that Letters is about to go platinum and wish everyone else all the best."

Back in October, he said of his joint record deal between Syco and Columbia: "You've got people like Kings of Leon, John Mayer and Bruce Springsteen on Columbia, as opposed to Syco where you've got your Cher Lloyds and your One Directions. Columbia is a real artist's label."

Rebecca Ferguson, who finished second on Matt's season of the ITV1 hit, was the first contestant from that year to be awarded a Platinum certification for her debut album.

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