The Traitors’ Jessie Stride previously auditioned for The X Factor in a bid to make it as a successful pop star.
Long before heading into Ardross Castle, she tried her luck on the huge ITV talent show, ED! can reveal.
Jessie now works as a full-time hairdresser, although it has come to light that music has always played a huge role in her life.
In fact, singing was once her main ambition.
Despite living with a stutter, Jessie was determined to give it a go and auditioned for The X Factor, hoping to turn her passion into a profession.
The Traitors’ Jessie: X Factor past
Jessie, now 28, auditioned for The X Factor back in 2016.
She tried her luck in the ITV1 competition in hope of impressing judges Simon Cowell, Louis Walsh, Sharon Osbourne and Nicole Scherzinger.
Jessie’s audition came 15 years after Gareth Gates rose to fame on Pop Idol. Gareth, like Jessie, also has a stutter that disappears when he sings.
Jessie experiences the same phenomenon. While her stutter affects her everyday speech, it vanishes completely once she starts singing.
In 2017, Jessie spoke publicly about her X Factor experience after enrolling with The McGuire Programme, which offers alternative therapy for people with a stutter.
Gareth Gates had previously taken part in a course with the same organisation.
Reflecting on her journey, Jessie said at the time: “‘I started singing and writing songs from the age of eight. I could never understand why, but when I sang I wouldn’t stutter.
“My mum would come upstairs to my room and listen to me sing. Sometimes, when I couldn’t tell her about my day, I would sing it.”
She continued: “When my speech started to come back I thought, ‘I’m going to turn this around and make a positive out of what’s happened’. So I wrote this song called Control and even auditioned for The X Factor in May 2016.”
Jessie made it through two rounds of auditions before being eliminated from the competition.
Jessie Stride’s singing career
The Traitors star, who is from Hull, also has a profile on the website Casting Now.
In her own words, Jessie describes herself as: “Singer/song writer. Self taught on the piano from the age of 12.
“I’ve also been playing the ukulele for 3 years. I like to describe my music style as fun and quirky. Victoria Wood and Lucy Spraggan are big inspirations.”
Jessie also runs her own YouTube channel, where she has shared videos of herself singing while playing the ukulele.
Among the uploads is the music video for her song Control, which was inspired by her stammer.
Fans have been quick to praise her talent. One follower commented: “I’m crying I love your voice!! I’m not even kidding!” Another wrote: “Omg you sing like an angel.”
A third viewer summed it up more simply, describing Jessie’s voice as “amazing”.
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