On 14th August, Maria Lawson is set to release her R&B ballad debut single, called “Sleepwalking”.

Maria, who was contoversially voted off The X Factor over The Conway Sisters has penned all the songs on her new album herself and is hoping to take the charts by storm.

Speaking on This Morning, Simon Cowell said that he has not offered Maria a recording contract, but that she has been in talks and he thinks that she is actually about to be offered a recording deal with one of his competitors at Universal.

When asked if he had any regrets about Maria’s exit from X Factor, Simon said that he didn’t think that Maria would have won the competition, so he therefore has no regrets about being faithful to his own act and keeping The Conways in over Maria. Apparently, Simon thinks that it is going to be an all male X Factor final.

Last night, at the big Oxford Street London lights switch on, X Factor Judge Louis Walsh was booed at by a 12000 strong crowd. He was due to appear there on stage with his band, Westlife, who were turning on the lights, but at every mention of Louis’ name came strong BOOS from the crowd, forcing Louis to stay behind the scenes. Obviously the crowds have not forgotten last Saturdays X Factor when Louis controversially chose The Conways to stay over Maria.

Westlife stood by Louis saying that “We watch X Factor and whatever decision Louis makes, he is the man for us. We love Louis no matter what you say” Westlife then performed “You Raise Me Up” to hoards of screaming fans and were joined later by four of the remaining seven X Factor contestants namely Chico, Andy, Nicholas and Brenda.

It was no surprise, according to The Sun that Louis would choose the Conways over Maria Lawson. Maria revealed, “I knew what was going to happen before I went out on stage. I knew I was going to go as Louis came to me just before I sang and whispered in my ear ‘I’m so sorry, I’m so, so sorry’.

Maria revealed that she saw Louis in the corridor after the show and that he didn’t say anything to her. “He looked really pale and upset”

In regard to keeping The Conways over Maria, Louis Walsh has been quoted in The Daily Star as saying “It was one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever had to make. I didn’t sleep at all on Saturday night after the vote. I’m man enough now to say I think I might have made the wrong decision.”