VM: Ray, you're an 18 year old going on 35. A middle aged crooner in a boy's body. Discuss.
Ray: "I'm old blooded, yeah. I was born in the wrong year really. But I do like new music and indie stuff. I love The Killers, The Feeling and The Fratellis and R&B stuff like Omarion. But the Ratpack stuff just has a pull for me. My parents used to play their old swing and jazz albums and when I first heard those singers - Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin I just loved them straight away."
VM: When did you think you could make a living from singing the Ratpack stuff?
Ray: "I was about 14 and I was fooling around singing the songs for my grandmother. I loved singing them so much. It just hit me. After that, I started playing gigs and charity shows around Liverpool and I got such a buzz out of the crowds. That was it for me."
VM: So you pipped fellow X Factor contestant Ben Mills to the No.1 spot in the album charts. How does that feel? Have you phoned him up to gloat yet?
Ray: "Nah, I wouldn't do that. Ben has a different type of audience to me anyway. He's doing the rock thing and going in a different direction so I hope he does well too. But it's a dream come true to have a No.1 album. I still can't believe it."
20th March, 2007