Marli Interview � Fame Academy �The Book�
|
Part One
I feel totally fine about it. I was definitely ready. And it�s quite a relief being out, although it was a shock at first.
Do you wish you could have seen it through to the end?
I was hoping I would get down to the last four, but I think I would have got a lot wilder if I�d stayed in, so it�s probably a good thing that I went. David and I were planning to streak round the whole Academy naked.
What do you consider your wildest moment in the Academy?
The stripping and the mud wrestling. I just thought, why not do it? One way of letting out my frustration in there was to be a bit naughty. Something was building up inside me and the mud wrestling seemed like the best thing to do. The mud looked like chocolate and I wanted to roll in it, so I did!
Were you conscious of the fact that people were watching you all the time?
No, otherwise I wouldn�t have done half the things I did because I would have been thinking about my family. But they�ve actually been really good about it. My mum�s like: �If you�ve got it flaunt it!�
Fame Academy seemed to be a bit of an emotional rollercoaster for you�
I had a lot of personal things going on that I couldn�t deal with. That�s what was really getting me down. I couldn�t pick up the phone and sort things out, so they were weighing on my mind the whole time. The pressure of having to do performances and everything with the baggage hanging over me started to get me down.
Did you expect to be expelled?
I knew the minute I got put on probation that I�d be out. That�s why I cried, because I knew it was my last week. And when I got voted off I cried tears of relief because I knew it was going to happen.
Do you think you deserved to go, based on your performance?
Actually yes, I didn�t think I did that great on the Friday. Maybe that�s because mentally I knew I would probably be going. But based on previous performances and how much more I had to give, I don�t think I should have gone.
Were you disappointed with any of the students who didn�t vote for you?
Yes, Katie. Well not disappointed, but surprised. She was devastated and said that she wanted to rub what she wrote off and start again. She felt really bad, bless her, and I don�t wand her to. I said before I went on the show that Friday that the worst thing that could happen would be not to get one vote � and it did happen! But I told everyone not to worry. I could see their faces and Ainslie knew that what he was doing was so wrong. He was keeping Malachi purely because he makes him laugh, but it doesn�t matter at all.
What was the first thing you did when you left the stage?
I hugged my mum and dad and I had a pint of Guinness. They had one waiting for me and it was bliss. I really wanted to down it but I was worried about what they might think!
Did you miss your parents when you were in the Academy?
No, because I knew I would see them when I got out. But I did miss TV, and not being able to pick up the phone and deal with issues and call my friends for a moan. I couldn�t deal with my baggage because I couldn�t speak 2 anyone. I think that if I hadn�t had the baggage, things would have been very difficult.
Part two!!
That�s what really brought me down, to be honest. When I kissed Chris it made me feel so guilty and I hated myself afterwards. I�d been seeing a guy for a month and I kept thinking about him and didn�t want to do certain things because of him. That�s the whole reason I left the six year relationship I was in before and I didn�t want to have to go through it all again. I needed to be focused on myself and not have to think about anyone else. All of that was horrible because I wasn�t able to sit down and talk to him about it. It all happened in a three minute phone call.
Have you seen him since you�ve been out?
No, but I will do. He�s very understanding. He knows how hard I�ve worked to get here. I�ve been in the music industry for seven years and I�ve worked too hard to let it all slip for a relationship
Did you fancy Chris or was the snog just a laugh?
It was just a bit of a game. He�s really cute, but afterwards I felt really bad about what people would think.
Did any of the guys take your fancy?
Ainslie, he�s lovely. I love Ainslie, I thought he was a star. I knew he�d get all the girls going. But I think he needs to get out now because he�s showing sides of himself that he doesn�t want to show. I think he�s got to be careful.
What�s your take on the Sinead and Malachi snog situation?
I was shocked because Sinead keeps herself to herself and was saying to us that she doesn�t like Malachi and nothing was going to happen. I actually thought something was going to happen between her and Ainslie. I don�t know if she snogged Malachi for the camera or if it�s part of her tactics or if it�s genuine. It�s mad. Malachi is really genuine and I think he likes her, so if she does genuinely like him, I think something else could happen between them.
And Katie has that big old crush on Kevin�
It�s fun to have crushes in there. Sometimes there was nothing to do, and it was nice to have little fantasies. Katie and I even had a code in the Academy for when we really wanted to pounce on someone. It was a bit of a release. I liked someone in there too, but I�m not saying who.
No need to, we already know it�s Jeremy!
Aaaaahhhhhh!! How do you know? Aaahhhhhhh!
Part Three
Do you regret anything you did in the Academy?
No because I look back on it and I think: �I made good tv!� I was me. I laughed when I was happy and I cried when I was moody or I felt like crap.
Do you think being Grade A in the first week was a bad thing as the only way was down?
Definitely, it was like I had nowhere else to go. I peaked too soon.
Who do you think plays up to the cameras in the Academy?
I think Ainslie is starting to now because he�s going a bit barmy. Nigel does a bit as well and I think Sinead is being quite sneaky. I think she really wants to win it and is definitely playing the game.
Do you think the tactical voting had kicked in?
Absolutely. Big time. It�ll be interesting to see how people play the game from now on.
How did you find the Fame Academy teachers?
Brilliant, but I think Richard should have been meaner. But I loved all of them, I think they�re fantastic. I have so much respect for them.
What was your favourite class?
Kevin�s workouts. I�d hate it � especially the jumps � but I�d feel great afterwards. His classes are the ones I miss most.
Who do you think will be out next between Nigel, Malachi and Katie?
I think Katie could be out this week, I think Nigel will get the public vote as he got 56% last time. I would actually like to see Nigel win as it would be two fingers up to all the people in the music industry who think you�re past it after a certain age.
Who do you think is going to win?
I hope David does. He�s a lovely, lovely bloke.
Who do you think will be the biggest star?
Lemar. He�s fantastic.
You�ve had two record deals before; are you hoping it�s going to be third time lucky?
Totally. I�m hoping that this is my big chance. I�ve been given a platform to launch myself from and I�m going to carry on writing and try to get that one hit. I�ve got about 60 songs in the bag that are great, but I need that one smash. I want to make sure everything is perfect.