X Factor: When It All Goes Wrong
Altiyan Childs - X Factor Australia winner
Simon Cowell launched The X Factor hoping to make the winner’s dreams of being a star come true. But this isn’t always the case; just ask Steve Brookstein or Leon Jackson. The X Factor Australia’s Altiyan Childs probably thought his dreams had come true when he won the second series of the talent contest. But sometimes the dream can become a nightmare.
The forklift driver was mentored by Ronan Keating and walked away with a Sony Music recording contract in 2010. His debut single reached the top ten and his album went platinum after peaking at number three in the album charts. The future was looking bright for Altiyan. But then it all came caving in. In April, the house where he was staying was ransacked by police, who discovered a chemical lab and firearms. The property was owned by Altiyan’s manager, Steve Gold, who was promptly arrested for possession of drugs and eight different illegal weapons. After parting with Gold’s management, Altiyan admitted he was earning less than when he was a forklift driver.
Things only got worse for the 35-year-old singer earlier this year, as he shocked Australia by announcing his engagement to a 19-year-old fan. He had met the girl on Facebook just four months prior to the announcement. It also emerged he had become close with a 15-year-old girl through Facebook as well. Marred by scandal, broke, and without a contract, the X Factor winner was then beaten up by a group of men after a live performance. Ronan admitted his protégé’s life was a ‘train wreck’. It’s not how you envisage the winner of a hit TV show to end up.
Altiyan has now been dumped by his second manager after his latest single ‘No Ordinary Man’ (you’re certainly not that Altiyan) bombed in the charts, peaking at number 55. All this must make Steve Brookstein just a little bit grateful for his life right now.
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