James Arthur walked away from the 2012 X Factor final as victor almost a year ago and as he looks forward to the future of his career, including the release of his debut, self-titled album, the singer has been contemplating the pressures of fame and how they may affect him. Speaking with the BBC, the singer insisted that he plans to stay 'authentic' and not bow to the pressures facing him.

James Arthur artwork
The cover of James Arthur

After finding immediate fame with that most authentic of routes, through the talent show circuit, and then scoring his first number one single with a cover of Shontelle's 'Impossible,' James is determined to make a name for himself and not become another throwaway TV contestant. He spoke recently about how he has made an album that doesn't necessarily fit in with the typical X Factor mould, one that he is "proud" of and one that he has held a heavy presence over in all aspects.

"I don't feel as though it sounds contrived or compromised, or overly produced or poppy or anything like that," the talent show winner said in his recent interview. " I feel like there's pop songs on there but they're really - I hate using the word credible now - but they're really authentic sounding. The words are coming from me."

With songs like 'Smoke Clouds' and 'Suicide,' James does not cover the usual bases with his album, a factor that he says is down to the fact that he had such an overwhelming presence in the album's conception. He continued, "I didn't ever work against [the X Factor team] but I would challenge them and I don't think they were used to that. I knew exactly what I wanted to do, who I wanted to be, which market I want to appeal to. They realised that if they didn't give me the licence I required then they won't get the best out of me."

Check out our track-by-track video of James Arthur

As he was working with some of the X Factor team on his album, James didn't create it by himself, and in fact he also had help from one pretty famous friend. Emeli Sande co-wrote and sings with James on the track 'Roses' and he was blown away by the Scottish singer during the recording of their duet. Still, there is someone that James would like to work with more than any other and that's Eminem.

"I really want to work with Eminem. I know it will never happen, but I would love if he let me do a hook on one of his songs or he featured on one of my songs, it would be incredible," James said. "I've just always admired him since I was young. I admire the way he plays the media, the way he doesn't care what people think about him, yet he's so inspiring to so many people. And he's the best rapper on the earth."

However critical people may be about James for coming through the ranks of the X Factor to find fame, the Middlesborough lad knows his audience and thinks people should forget the stigma and just enjoy the entertainment that is trying to be offered. Although he is now branding himself as an "authentic" and "credible" act, this doesn't mean that he is ready to turn his back on the show that made him.

"I don't want to be seen to be going, "I'm too credible, the X Factor's not how I want to be associated", because I think people have made that error in the past and it just makes you look like a pretentious idiot. I'm really proud to have come from it. It can be the only way to launch people now," he said.

James Arthur by James Arthur is out now.

James Arthur
James can be found enjoying Eminem and tea in cafes across the UK