Stepping out

BEATS: blonde bombshell Diana Vickers plays Manchester Academy 2 tomorrow after transforming herself from “X Factor” loser to chart-topping superstar.

The 18-year-old, who’s unusual voice has been likened to Marmite because you’ll either love it or hate it, reached number one with her debut single “Once” and album “Songs from the Tainted Cherry Tree”.

Diana was booted off the ITV talent show — which was won by Alexandra Burke — the week before the final and became well known for singing barefoot.

While she decided what she wanted to do with her music career, Diana played the title role in a West End revival of “The Rise and Fall of Little Voice” to massive thumbs-up from critics.

After “The X Factor” it was announced that Vickers would be signed by Sony along with fellow contestants JLS and Eoghan Quigg but this plan was later dropped and she signed to RCA Records instead.

For her debut album, she worked with Nerina Pallot, Ellie Goulding, Cass Lowe, Guy Sigsworth, Chris Braide, Savan Kotecha, Starsmith, Alexis Strum, Patrick Wolf and Lightspeed Champion and debuted the material with a UK tour in March.

This summer, Diana will perform at V Festival, Radio One’s Big Weekend and the Sundae Festival as well as supporting JLS on tour.