HE was beaten to the top of the charts by Noel Gallagher – but Matt Cardle doesn't hold any grudges.

That's because he ended up taking advice from the former Oasis man in the pub last year!

X Factor winner Matt's debut album went to No 2 in the charts last October, but was eclipsed by Noel's first solo effort.

Yet Matt, who plays the O2 Academy tonight, is desperate to work with Noel in the future.

"I'd absolutely love to work with Noel Gallagher if I could, he's an absolute hero," he says, speaking in a phone interview.

"I saw him at the HMV Forum in London a wee while back, and he was absolutely on form. Noel's a big fan of the show [X Factor], and has had nothing but good things to say about it. I got talking to Noel at the Q Awards and then again in the pub afterwards, and it was great to get advice from him."

Despite failing to top the charts, Letters was still a strong seller, going platinum earlier this year. It's a sign that the 28-year-old might have more staying power than several other X Factor winners, who disappeared from sight soon after winning the contest.

For now though, Matt, who won the TV show in 2010, is simply pleased to see an album on the shelves, as he's been trying to make it in music for over a decade.

"Just to see the record out there is amazing," he enthuses.

"For it to have gone platinum is incredible. I'd have been absolutely devastated if this album hadn't sold well, but I did everything I could to make it a success, from the writing and making the album to how hard I promoted it.

"I had a lot of the album in mind before we went in to record it, and then others chipped in with new ideas and situations came as I went along."

Those others included noted songwriter Eg White and Starsailor singer James Walsh, while Gary Barlow penned Matt's first single, Run For Your Life. Despite that, he's taken some flak for the album allegedly being too dull, while he also suffered a rough ride for covering Biffy Clyro's Many of Horror as his winner's song in 2010.

Matt isn't fussed, however, and believes that a lot of those comments are to do with musical conceit.

"There's snobbery, but you get that in any industry," he says.

"But you learn with it, crack on and I know that my fans support me. I've had to develop a thick skin, not just with music but in general. If you let them get to you then you're going to have a sad life, so you need to get on with it.

You get that pretty quickly on the show, so you hurry up and learn to deal with it."

He's also had to learn to deal with devoted fans, and plenty of them will be on hand at the Academy tonight. He toured the Highlands last year for a series of warm-up shows, and can't wait to experience Scottish hospitality again.

"The Scottish crowds are always brilliant," he recalls.

We did a miniature warm-up tour a wee while ago and it was such great crowds, so I can't wait to get back up and see everyone again. We went to Orkney and Inverness, they were pretty wild, it was brilliant.

"As I've only got the one album, we'll be doing all the songs from that and a couple of wee acoustic songs – it should be a great show."

He's also hopeful his solo achievements can stop comparisons to other X Factor acts like One Direction and Rebecca Ferguson, who were all part of the 2010 crop, while he backs last year's winners Little Mix to enjoy further success.

"One Direction are a completely different act to me," he says.

"They're a pop band, a boy band and that's a very different market to a 28-year-old singer songwriter.

"I thought Little Mix winning last year was great for the show, and they'll do great things. They should have fun with it."

l Matt Cardle, O2 Academy, tonight, £26.50, 7pm

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