IT’S BEEN 14 years since he won The X Factor after a killer performance with Rihanna.
Since then, Matt Cardle has been on a rocky journey with fame and has battled issues with drink and prescription drugs.
But now I am pleased to tell you that Matt is on track after beating his demons for good.
The When We Collide singer, who is currently on tour with West End musical & Juliet, told me: “I stopped drinking again in January.
“I realised I have always written my best music when I’ve been sober and I think that’s true for most people.
“Unless you are Fleetwood Mac who can create Rumours, the rest of us work better sober.
“Better things happen when I have a clean and clear head.”
Speaking candidly, Matt, continued: “I made a conscious decision to knock drinking on the head.
“I wanted to see what happened when I got, not clean because it wasn’t a problem so to speak, but sober and focused again to see what life is like.
“Life is always better when I’m not drinking. Life has been great.
“My writing has been great.
“You don’t see the fruits of being sober until you really give it a chance.
“It has helped my writing.
“It has helped my personal life.
“It has helped everything.
“I think it can take a long time to work out who you are as a person in this life.
“Especially when you are in the public eye and judged.”
Matt is hard at work on the follow-up to his last album, Time To Be Alive, which came out in 2018.
He said: “I think I know who I am finally.
“I am now putting out music that really aligns with who I am and that is so satisfying.
“I’ve left the drink behind and am sober, have a clean head and focused on being the best person and artist.”
