Rak-Su backs X Factor return: But say show must embrace a new era
Rak-Su have thrown their support behind reports that The X Factor is making a comeback - but the former winners believe any revival must reflect the radically different way audiences consume entertainment today.
The Watford group, who won the ITV competition in 2017, know better than most the power of the format.
Their victory helped launch them into the national spotlight, with the band going on to release music and build a career beyond the show.
Now, as Rak-Su prepare for a new chapter of their own, they believe there is still a place for the talent-show formula, provided it evolves with its audience.
Commenting on reports the show could return, Jamaal Shurland said: “It is a great vehicle. It will never not be a great vehicle. People enjoy that concept of TV.”
But he also warned aspiring contestants not to become consumed by the spectacle.
“It is easy to get swept up in it, so you have to be careful about who you are going to be when you go on the show,” he added. “You have to have a narrative and have your mind around what it is going to be about and what it is going to give you.”
For Rak-Su, the attraction of seeing artists develop in front of an audience is part of what makes the format so enduring. Shurland points to the long history of successful boy bands as evidence that audiences will always respond to the concept.
“That is the reason why, if a boy band is put together, it can do well. People like to see that, from The Beatles all the way down to One Direction and beyond,” he said.
Myles Stephenson is also firmly behind the idea of seeing The X Factor return, believing there would be a huge appetite for the show from audiences who remember its original success.
“I’d love to see it come back. I think there would be a lot of people who would be very happy to see The X Factor back on their screens,” he said.
However, Ashley Fongho believes simply recreating the old X Factor formula could risk turning the clock back too far.
“I do not think it is very smart. People watch TV less now,” Fongho said, warning that a traditional revival could cast a shadow over “the heydays of when it was great. It would be amazing to get back to a point where the whole country sat down at the same time to watch live music again. I just question if it’s possible to make that happen anymore.”
That shift in viewing habits could ultimately provide the blueprint for a successful X Factor reboot. Rather than competing with TikTok, YouTube and short-form video, a new version of the show could embrace them, turning auditions, backstage moments, performances and contestants’ stories into content that exists beyond a single weekly broadcast.
The timing is significant for Rak-Su themselves. The group have signed with Champions Music & Entertainment as they work towards a new album and UK tour, marking a fresh phase in their career.
Describing his time on the ITV talent show as one of the defining moments of his life, Ashley added: "The X Factor changed our lives... I remember coming out at Jingle Bell Ball and hearing the reaction from the crowd. It all felt absolutely surreal. The further away I get from it, the more surreal it feels. Whatever happened afterwards, nobody can take away what we experienced together.”