Oritsé Williams: Young Carer to JLS Founder | The X Factor Story They Never Told!

Oritsé Williams sits down for one of his most honest interviews ever. From becoming a young carer for his mother at just 12 years old to founding one of the UK’s biggest boy bands, this is the full untold story.

Chapters:

0:00 Intro / Title Sequence

1:52 Local Geeza Out Now! Shizzio X Mc Creed X Big Narstie

2:25 Welcome Oritsé Williams

4:03 Born & Bred

6:14 Avoiding the Streetlife / Fighting Stereotypes

7:54 Family / Older Brother Responsibility

8:35 I Became a Carer at 12yrs Old / Mum’s Health

11:59 Being a Carer for Mum Made Me Defensive

16:08 What Do Young Carers Need?

18:54 I Always Dreamed of Being a Music Star

23:26 Taking Singing Seriously in School / Songwriting

24:57 Lauryn Hill Is My Idol / Best Female Rapper?

26:43 Best Female UK Rappers

27:25 Grades / Leaving School

28:22 Moving to Nigeria / Expelled From School

31:48 Being Invited Back to School as a Celebrity

39:44 Beatings in School

41:22 Absorbing Musical Culture in Africa

43:49 I Got the Idea to Start a Band in Africa

44:50 BGR / Father Bond Broken

45:35 Return to London / Family Health Worsens

46:30 Singing Battles / Open Mics / Changing Opinions

51:29 Joining Vocal Academy / Perfecting the Craft

54:30 Joining & Leaving a Boyband

57:27 Starting JLS

58:18 Finding the JLS Band Members

1:02:08 Vibe Importance / HWBT / Pressure

1:02:44 Band Name / Developing Songs & Band

1:04:51 Black Boy Band Would Never Work

1:05:28 I Forged the X-Factor Application

1:06:30 X-Factor Auditions for Producers

1:08:43 Belief to Win X Factor

1:09:41 Louis Walsh Was Our X Factor Mentor

1:10:43 Live X Factor Shows / Live vs Stage

1:12:51 JLS Band Name / Colours

1:14:27 X Factor Final / Winning Belief

1:14:57 Beyoncé Alexandra Burke Performance

1:19:08 Not Winning X Factor / Mum’s Health

1:20:29 Storming Into Simon Cowell’s Office

1:24:16 ‘Beat Again’ Goes to No 1 / Trevor Nelson

1:28:50 Dealing With Fame

1:29:39 Chart Topping Debut Album / Fav Songs

1:30:20 ‘Everybody in Love’ / Learning Pop

1:31:03 Live Shows / Dealing With Screaming Fans

1:32:49 Brand Deals / Money Handling / Pressure

1:35:28 Signing Girl Group VIDA / Trying to Break Them

1:38:08 Che3kz Was in VIDA / Learning From Failure

1:39:48 I Witnessed You Try Your Best for VIDA

1:42:45 Jammer Dissing JLS / Grime vs Pop

1:45:21 JLS Breaks Up! WHY? / Life After Split

1:46:40 Mental Affect of JLS Split

1:47:16 Winning Brit Award & MOBO

1:49:57 Solo Track With Pusha T Is a Banger

1:51:52 Changing Name to OWS / Darcus

1:52:28 Island Records vs Kanye West’s GOOD Music

1:56:00 Waterline Pusha T Music Video

1:56:43 Pusha T Collab Release / Lack of Promo

1:58:22 Waterline Video Removed From YouTube

2:00:39 Unapologetically Myself / New Music

2:04:17 TikTok Social Media World

2:05:11 Thoughts on AI Music

2:05:50 JLS Reforms / New Tour / Album?

2:09:41 Marvin Humes Masked Singer / JB

2:10:10 2026 Solo Project Is Coming

2:13:27 AI Q’s / JLS Price / JLS Founder

2:13:53 X Factor / Artist or Product? / Money

2:14:38 Mental Health Struggles in Music

2:16:03 Cost of a Successful Music Artist

2:17:13 Music Makes Me Cry / Meeting Lauryn Hill

2:19:00 Outspoken Artists

2:20:39 Do You Trust the Music Industry? / Timing

2:22:10 JLS Reunion / Wife & Child

2:24:21 Advice to Younger Self

2:24:46 Quick Fire Q’s

2:29:55 Muay Thai Fight Training

2:31:55 Misfits Boxing?

2:33:48 Idris Elba Documentary / Part 2

2:34:43 I’ll Fight KSI

2:35:20 Robbie Williams Boyband Fights

2:36:39 Thank You Oritsé / Flowers