MALVERN’S singing sensation Cher Lloyd took the next step towards stardom at the weekend as she successfully came through the X Factor’s bootcamp stage.

The 17-year-old former Dyson Perrins student won her place among the last 32 acts with her own unique take on Coldplay’s number one hit Viva la Vida.

Cher added her own rap to the opening of the popular hit and, although Simon Cowell described her as “all over the place”, his fellow judge Nicole Scherzinger praised her for “making it her own”.

Cher is now one of the final eight contestants in the “girls” category, which will be mentored by Cheryl Cole.

Next weekend viewers will see Cher travel to Los Angeles to take part in the ‘judges’ houses’ stage of the competition, which will determine the 12 acts that make it through to the show’s live finals.

But, with the girls’ category widely accepted as being this year’s strongest, Cher will have to be at her best to be one of the three acts who makes it through.

Do you think Cher has what it takes to win through to the final 12 of the X Factor? Add your comments below.