X Factor hopeful Lauren Murray has predicted this year’s winner will be from Rita Ora’s Girls category.

The 25-year-old from London is one of the six who have made it through to the Judges’ Houses round on the ITV show, after impressing Ora with her performance of the Jessie Ware track Say You Love Me during the brutal Six Chair Challenge.

She joins Brighton market trader Chloe Paige, St Helens barmaid Kiera Weathers, Essex student Louisa Johnson, retail assistant Havva Rebke and youth worker Monica Michael, both from London, who will be coached by Poison singer Rita.

Rita Ora and her Girls: Havva Rebke, Lauren Murray, Kiera Weathers, Monica Michaels, Louisa Johnson and Chloe Paige
Rita Ora and her Girls: Havva Rebke, Lauren Murray, Kiera Weathers, Monica Michael, Louisa Johnson and Chloe Paige (Thames/Syco)

“We love Rita. She definitely wants to win this year and I definitely think the winner is in the Girls category,” Lauren said.

“It’s so hard (to predict) because everyone is so good this year. The groups are coming in strong with Bekln, the gospel choir who are just wicked. The Girls are coming in and killing it. We don’t know (who will triumph).”

Lauren admitted the Six Chair Challenge – which saw her taking a seat from Lucy Duffield, who in turn took Sharon Rose’s place – was “crazy”. Rita was faced with boos from the audience when she swapped Karen Mav’s seat for Kiera.

“Six Chairs was mental. I think it was one of the worst experiences of my life 100%,” she said.

“I never want to see six white chairs again, ever in my life. I was just thinking, ‘How am I going to top this?’ and (after) every girl who went on, it got worse and worse.”

Lauren, who counts former X Factor winner Leona Lewis and the late Whitney Houston as her inspirations, revealed she has given up her job as a dental receptionist while she awaits her future in the singing competition.

“I don’t work in the dentist any more because it was getting too disruptive. I’m not doing that for a little bit until we find out what’s going on,” she explained.

The aspiring singer also stood up for Simon, who expressed his fury after being told he would be mentoring the Overs. He has since apologised for his outburst, tweeting: “I did apologise to my contestants.”

Lauren said: “You know, Simon’s actually not as bad as he makes out to be. On camera, he’s worse than what he is in real life.

“So far, I’ve had really nice comments from him. I really like him. I’m just happy that he knows who I am. He’s heard me singing – that’s one of my dreams. That was definitely on my bucket list, for Simon to just recognise me and to hear me sing, so I’m so happy to get this far.”

The X Factor continues on Sunday (October 11) at 7pm on ITV.