Tulisa Contostavlos and Richard Rawson (also known as Fazer) of the British hip-hop group N-Dubz have been dating each other since 2010. Although it wasn’t exactly a secret, “The X Factor” U.K. judge Contostavlos refused until now to talk to the media about the romantic relationship with her N-Dubz band mate.
In an exclusive interview with the Sunday Mirror, Contostavlos opens up about her relationship with Fazer:
Tulisa has been dating Fazer – real name Richard Rawson – since May last year but the pair have a pact never to confirm their relationship in public.
They’ve known each other since forming N-Dubz 12 years ago, with her cousin Dappy, Fazer’s best pal. “What I will say is I’m really happy and have the best boyfriend – he’s very supportive in what I’m doing with the show.
“He’s my rock – he’s been there for me throughout the past few months. I couldn’t be doing what I’m doing without him.”
However, Fazer has expressed mixed feelings about “The X Factor,” since he told the Daily Mirror in an August 2011 interview:
“My problem with ‘X Factor’ is you come in as a nobody and then the next day you sell over a million records and you haven’t necessarily done any of the work to go with it. It’s weird.
“We worked 12 years to get to where we are. Heartbreaks, broken promises, ups and downs – tears and smiles. You name it, it has happened. It has made us the people we are and any credibility that comes with it.
“It [‘The X Factor’] gives people the chance to get on stage in front of a live audience and important industry people and get people to hear their sound. There wouldn’t be people like JLS, and there wouldn’t be no Leona [Lewis] either.”
And after trashing “The X Factor” in interviews and on Twitter, fellow N-Dubz band mate Dappy changed his mind, by tweeting after the U.K. show’s 2011 premiere: “After seeing the new ‘X Factor’ and hearing the new single from One Direction I must say I’m now a fan.”
Dappy then tweeted to his cousin Tulisa: “You’re the best. ‘X Factor’ all the way this time.”
Tulisa also has the support of Cheryl Cole, the person she replaced as a judge on “The X Factor” U.K. panel. Tulisa has said in multiple interviews that Cole reached out to her after Tulisa joined the show in May 2011, and the two have become friendly with each other. As previously reported, Tulisa was one of the guests at Cole’s 28th birthday party in July 2011. Tulisa tells the Sunday Mirror:
“Cheryl saw the show on Saturday [August 20, 2011] and sent a text saying: ‘Congratulations for your first show. You’ve got a great response from everyone and you did great.’ She’s been so supportive and that’s helped me a lot.”
In the Sunday Mirror interview, Tulisa also comments on her “X Factor” boss Simon Cowell, who is no longer a judge on “The X Factor” U.K. but who remains an executive producer of the show.
“If the viewers didn’t gel with me, Simon would have got rid of me. That thought scared the s*** out of me. But he sent me a text after the first show and said he was completely happy and there were no notes for improvements. So I guess I passed.
“But I’m not scared of Simon. I’m a cheeky character. He’s like this big boss strutting around but he forgets I’m ‘The Female Boss’. I call him Si and constantly wind him up.”
Tulisa tells the Sunday Mirror about why she had a makeover since joining “The X Factor” and what she thinks of her fellow “X Factor” U.K. judges Gary Barlow and Kelly Rowland, who both also joined the show in May 2011. Barlow replaced Cowell as the head judge on the panel, and Rowland replaced Dannii Minogue.
“Being on the show is scary because of the level of attention that comes with it. I’m having to make miles more effort to look good now.
“There’s no competing with Kelly, but I don’t want people saying I look like a train wreck. Kelly carries a bag of carrots and celery around and keeps offering me them. She’s constantly eating as she works out so much …Gary’s Mr Nasty – but only because he’s passionate. I can be quite nasty too. I’m ruthless and truthful.”
