X Factor guest judge Nicole Scherzinger has insisted that this year’s winner doesn’t need to be the best singer on the show.

The 32 year old Pussycat Doll star shot to fame after winning US reality TV show Popstars in 2001 and says that it is much more important to believe in yourself and your performing skills, than to be the best singer on the stage.

She told The Sun:

“You don’t have to have the greatest voice ever. For me, it’s if you believe it as a performer.

“If you believe the music and you believe in your singing, then I’m going to believe it.”

On her own experience with auditions and reality TV, Nicole added:

“I drove 12 hours to attend my audition, which was held in the nearest city to where I grew up.

“I didn’t have the means to go out to Hollywood, California, for someone to discover me.

“So I found this Popstars audition and I went to the closest city.

“I waited until four in the morning in a long line of people and I sang in front of the judges.”

“Even after the opportunity of being on that show, I still had to work to continue my career.

“So it’s like never-ending work, but it’s really good and worth it.”

Nicole will be seen on The X Factor when it returns to our screens this Saturday. She was the guest judge standing in for Dannii Minogue at the Manchester auditions and stayed on for bootcamp after Cheryl Cole fell ill.