CAUGHT up with Raquelle Gracie yesterday ahead of The X Factor live finals, which begin tomorrow night.
Manchester-raised Raquelle is a member of girl band Hope, one of 12 acts now living together in a north London house.
The online version of today’s Page 3 news story – with pic gallery – is here.
As you will see from that gallery, it’s not the first time Raquelle, 20, has featured in the MEN.
There wasn’t, as ever, room to include everything from the interview.
We spoke about other important issues.
For example, a report that finalists have been to see the dentist.
“Yes, it’s true. We all had our teeth whitened,” she told me.

“It was pretty awesome, really – it’s like a celebrity treatment.”
Then there’s the alleged row between Hope and boy band Futureproof.
“Well, the boys have been saying that they would have preferrred W4 to have gone through.

“They have said some pretty hurtful things about us.
“But as far as we’re concerned, they’re still really talented boys.
“It’s just given us more determination to get as far as we an in the competition and beat the boys.”
Hope were formed from solo female singers rejected at Bootcamp.
“That was horrible, the feeling of being rejected. I didn’t know how to cope with it.
“When they told us to wait because there might be something else for us, I was in tears.
“I felt drained and like I’d lost a real lifeline – but to be given this opportunity, I just grapsed it with both hands.
“I’ve been singing professionally for two years – and acting – but it wasn’t going anywhere.
“So The X Factor is such an incredible opportunity.”
You can listen to some of Raquelle’s music via her MySpace page, which, at the time of writing this, could do with a spot of updating.
Check out the links below.
Raquelle’s X Factor
Raquelle MySpace
More X Factor Blogs
The X Factor Official Site