'If you ask someone in our city how they are, they'll tell you ...even if it's awful'

REBECCA FERGUSON is feeling content, as she enjoys her settled life in the run up to Christmas after a rollercoaster 15 years.

- By RYAN PATON

The Scouser was thrust into the limelight on the X Factor in 2010, aged just 23, when her soulful voice captured the hearts of the nation on her way to finishing in second place.

The mum-of-four is now at a point in her career when she can pick and choose her projects and is excited to perform an annual Christmas show at the Liverpool Philharmonic Hall on December 6.

Speaking to the ECHO about the performance, she said: “I've got a gorgeous orchestra doing lovely Christmas songs, then we have an interval. And then it's club classics. I’m looking forward to it. It should be a lovely night.”

Rebecca is currently based with her family down south, but always looks forward to returning to her home city.

She told the ECHO she can’t wait to reunite with her friends after the show for a night out and even bumping into a few faces in the audience. She added: “It’s always such a lovely atmosphere.

“Liverpool is always the best crowd and I always tend to land on a good day in Liverpool as well. Everyone always ends up out straight after the show.

“I normally leave the crowd on a banger so it's always Show Me Love or Proud Mary.

“I always have something that’s really well known in Liverpool to end the night on to send them on their way. And then I end up bumping into them all when I’m out in town.”

Rebecca moved down south after her X Factor success as long train journeys meant she was away from her children too often. However, now that her eldest children are reaching adulthood, she admitted the family are turning their attention to moving back to the place that holds such a special place in her heart.

She said: “My kids are constantly in Liverpool and they just love it. They're quite grounded and very family oriented so I am really proud of them.

“It's really hard to not be grounded when you're from Liverpool. The kids have had a very different life to certainly what I was brought up like.