Leading the pack: The X Factor judges

Diva behaviour, emotional meltdowns and sneaky tactics — and that’s just from the judges. The claws are out and reputations on the line as music-industry identities Ronan Keating, 33, Guy Sebastian, 28, Natalie Imbruglia, 35, and Kyle Sandilands, 39, hunt for our next international superstar singer or group in their roles as judge/mentors on Seven’s nationwide talent competition, The X Factor. They spilled on their off-camera antics to WHO’s Alicia Neil.

Are you really friends?
Guy: We are all really great mates who have this great chemistry. I love that. We message each other every second day.
Ronan: Honestly, we all get on really well.
Natalie: We’ve all been hanging out and having dinners. That’s been really good. Kyle’s a big teddy bear and Ronan tells dad jokes.
Kyle: Natalie and I are like best buddies. We can’t help ourselves — we’ll get on the phone and go, “Oh my God, who’ve you got? Blah, blah, blah.”

How competitive are you with each other?
Ronan: It all started very friendly but believe me, we all want to win as much as any of the contestants.
Kyle: It was all like a big love-fest during the auditions and now we’ve peeled off a little bit. I know it might sound cocky, but I’m going to destroy all of them.
Natalie: I feel quite relaxed at the moment. But I’m pretty confident we’re all going to have the competitive spirit coming out during the live shows.
Kyle: I can tell Ronan and Guy have been trying to snoop around to find out what group I have. They’re so bloody transparent, those two. It’s like looking through a window.

Natalie, how does it feel to be the only girl on the judging panel?
Natalie: I’d like to think of that as a bit of an advantage. But the boys are so lovely. But when you’re hanging around with boys, you start talking like one. I would find myself sniggering with them over stuff that was initially horrifying. I keep forgetting we’re on camera—it’s a disaster.

What do you see as each other’s strengths and weaknesses in your roles as judges and mentors?
Natalie: I thought Guy would go easier on people, but he doesn’t hold back in his honesty with the contestants, so he could be one to watch. And Ronan already had pages of song lists and stuff—he scared me. Kyle obviously has way more experience than me at judging because he’s been on so many shows.
Guy: Look, I’m the nitty gritty judge; I get down to detail. Ronan is like the nurturing little Irish leprechaun. Nat brings the glamour and the bling and a wealth of industry experience, and Kyle definitely doesn’t beat around the bush. Sometimes you need that directness.
Ronan: In terms of weaknesses, we’ll have to see how we go. But we all have something to bring to our groups.
Kyle: The downside is they are all precious little artists who believe only in the lyrics and the voice, and that’s where they are going to fall apart.

What are you looking for in a winner?
Kyle: Someone you desire to know more about and you want to fall into their world. And we are looking for an international star who can plough into other countries.
Guy: I think the X factor is something indefinable. Sometimes we think it’s a look or vocal ability, then you get someone like Susan Boyle and the rules change. There has to be a likeability and this ability to connect.

How have you approached your mentoring roles?
Natalie: I feel really protective of them. I want to make sure I prepare them for the pressure and media attention.
Kyle: Harshly. Extremely harshly. You never go in with a plan to be that way — I’m not that harsh by nature — I want people to roll up their sleeves and try really hard. I don’t like laziness. You can stop on your words and give everyone a cuddle, but I think that takes out the importance of it.
Guy: I am always compassionate, but I am trying to be honest and give them exact reasons why I make a judgement. But if I set a challenge and they go out and get on the booze, I’m pretty harsh with stuff like that. When I was on Australian Idol I was really disciplined. People say Idol is boot camp, but that’s nothing compared to what you go through afterwards in the industry.

Has the judging process been emotional?
Natalie: It was hard to say it straight at first, but you get good at it by the end of the day. I’ve definitely been kept up at night wondering if I did the right thing.
Ronan: That’s what’s surprised me the most. You really feel that you hold someone’s hopes and dreams in the palm of your hand, so it really does hurt when you have to say, "I’m sending you home."
Kyle: Oh, yes. I go in there all puffed up like a pigeon, but I genuinely feel terrible. I had to do a cull today and I actually said that it was one of the most difficult things I’ve had to do.
Guy: Not on camera, but at night it goes through your head that you’ve just smashed someone’s dreams. It’s hard to deal with, as I’ve never had to do anything like that.

Tell us about the talent.
Ronan: There’s some amazing singers out there who are going to blow people away. There’s some oddballs as well, but I guess that makes for a bit of fun.
Guy: All walks of life. We have had war veterans, married couples, brothers and sisters, a pregnant woman, opera singers. And a lot of young solo singers who’ve completely blown us away.

Have there been any crazy moments on set?
Guy: Kyle might have said a couple of colourful things that didn’t go down too well!
Ronan: There’s a great clip of Kyle and me doing “Ice, Ice Baby”. He reckons he knows all the words, but I’m not too sure.

The X Factor airs Sundays and Mondays, 7.30 pm, on 7

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