Tommy Reilly: Parties, Pressure and London Life

Likeable Scottish Orange Unsigned Act Winner Exclusive Interview

Jan 10, 2009

The intensely likeable and talented Scot talks to Suite 101 about fellow finalists Hip Parade, the bright lights of London and time flying by on stage.

T4’s Orange Unsigned Act is hurtling towards its dramatic climax, with Sunday’s show marking the start of three live shows whose outcome will be decided by public vote. Leaving the judges’ opinions behind, the acts will now perform live for the people of Britain, who will choose which act wins the ultimate prize, a record deal with Universal and a £60,000 advance.

The final acts are Tommy Reilly, Bo Bruce, Toby Sebastian and Hip Parade, with a wildcard entry to be chosen from the previously eliminated acts this Sunday.

This week, Suite 101 took the opportunity to speak to the disarmingly honest, modest and slightly eccentric Tommy before he headlined a show at Camden’s Proud.

Parties and Hip Parade

Tommy: Very good. Yeh I’m all excited. I must sound a bit mental but I’m all excited.

Tommy: Unbelievably good fun. It was good to do nothing for a little while. I love running around, but it’s good to sit down for 2 days. Yeh it was fun! I ended up at the same party as Rob from Hip Parade at Christmas! His fiancée’s cousin is one of my best mates so we ended up in the same house for Christmas. We were loosely acquainted for a while, before the competition, but it’s been good to finally get to hang out properly.

London Life, Time Flies When You’re Having Fun

Suite 101: So you’re down to the last 4 of Orange Unsigned Act with Sony Ericsson, how does that feel?

Tommy: Nuts. It’s really strange, but it’s loads of fun. Probably just about the most fun I’ve ever had doing the music thing. I’m getting to do gigs in London! It’s just really weird, I’ve never been to Camden and it’s all very bright, it’s a little bit much! Everything’s moving all the time, and you never really do nothing, you’re always moving.

Suite 101: Now you’ve been involved in the competition since the summer. It’s been going on for ages now it seems?

Tommy: It doesn’t feel like ages. Like they say time flies when you’re having fun. If I’d have been at Uni all this time, over the past semester, it would have been horrible. Uni goes really slowly. Not because it’s not fun, but just because it’s work you know? All that thinking and stuff, it takes a bit longer! But every time I do a gig, I feel like the night just goes, in two minutes.

Dealing With Competition Pressure

Suite 101: Week after week you have to deliver the goods and get through to the next round. What’s it like trying to deal with that kind of pressure week after week?

Tommy: It’s not too bad actually. Obviously you’re terrified you’re gonna leave, because you’re just having such a good time, but after the first week you get used to that, because it’s the same set up again. It’s quite good that you know you only have to do one song, so you can really strip that song down, get to know it inside out, and when you feel comfortable with a song it’s just easier.

Orange Unsigned Act continues on Channel 4’s T4 on Sundays throughout January, with this Sunday’s show offering the opportunity for a previously eliminated act to re-enter the competition.