A HOCKLEY teenager is singing her way to the top after wowing judges on the X Factor.

Leah Gooden, 16, was called “a little pop star” at her first solo audition for the popular ITV talent series – before music mogul Simon Cowell decided to create an all-girl group – who have yet to be named – and put her in it.

Audiences saw Leah and her four bandmates cruise through a series of solo auditions and boot camp before a nerve-wracking wait to become this year’s X Factor girl band on Sunday’s show.

Leah, a former pupil at Greensward Academy, in Hockley, said: “I’m so glad I got to be in the group.

“I’ve met the nicest girls and we are like best friends.

“We all felt the same when it happened.

“I didn’t know what to feel when the judges called us back in. We were all an absolute mess.

It was so emotional.”

The girls, who all initially auditioned as solo artists, were called back by the judges to form a group in the same way hugelysuccessful former X Factor bands, such as One Direction and Little Mix began.

Leah said: “In my room audition, Simon said there’s no one out there like me.

“It was an amazing experience and Cheryl said I was already a pop star.

“Both Cheryl and Mel B have been in bands and when they put us in the band they were really supportive because they know what it is like.”

At the weekend, viewers saw the band made up of Leah, as well as Saffron Silva, 17 from Surrey, Abi Garrido, 17, from Newcastle, Mimi O’Connell, 17, from Liverpool and Abbi Eades, 18, from Barnsley ace their group audition to be chosen by judge Louis Walsh for his final six.

They will next be seen on screen at their judge’s house in Bermuda.

Leah, who is studying make up artistry at South Essex College, said: “We went to Bermuda and thinking about it now, none of us can believe we went.

“We met Tulisa and were talking to her for ages.

“We had a right laugh and got on really well with the other groups. It was like a holiday, except it was some of the biggest days of our lives.

But with secrecy surrounding who made it through to the live shows, viewers will have to watch the X Factor on ITV this weekend to see howLeah and her band-mates get on.

Sunday’s show was not such a success for talented singers Jordi Whitworth, 19, from Canvey, and Ryan Robertson, 18, from Basildon.

The boys, who are part of band Overload, were thrown out of the competition by judge Louis Walsh to makeway for the newlycreated girl group.

The decision shocked the X Factor audience, who voiced their disapproval on social media.