Last updated: December 28, 2014


Tablet Hit

Reece Mastin's rocking energy


Reece Mastin is keen to bring back live rock. Picture: Jeff Darmanin Source: National Features

THE X-Factor star talks about finding love, his tattoo addiction and his ADHD.

-- The lyrics of your new single, Rock$tar, suggest a bit of fame and holding a guitar make you instantly attractive to females.

Well, I wasn't the biggest hit with the ladies before I was on X Factor. It's changed. I don't know if that's because I've grown up or if it's a case of, "Oh this kid can sing". But it's still me, so at least they like me for me. I got a bit more notice, that's for sure, but not too much fun. We kept it on the DL. 

-- You sing "Doing shots of Patron with Pink and Emma Stone". Poetic licence or wishful thinking?

It's probably not going to happen but I'm putting it out there in the universe. 

-- You get to say the word "douchebag" in the song, too. A proud moment?

I like getting random words in songs. I had "dictionary" in one song but that didn't end up making the album. I like to think of it as educating kids! 

-- You say in the album you're trying to bring rock back. Is that your mission?

Yes. It's a genre that's dying. Nobody wants to see it dying. 

-- What went wrong? Can we blame LMFAO or Psy?

I don't know. I think people are too worried, especially on radio, to put on something that might not work. People doubt rock too much. But once somebody has the balls to put it on radio, I think it'll work. Live rock takes it tenfold. It's only a matter of time before it's back. 

-- The Rock$tar video also premiered your knuckle tatts ...

I'd just got them done two days before we were shooting. It was killing me the whole time when I had to take jackets on and off. It was awful. 

-- You've got "rest" on one knuckle and "less" on the other. So it can be "restless" or "less rest"?

I have ADHD. I find it very hard to sit still, so I thought "restless" was quite fitting. 

-- Are you medicated for ADHD?

I am. Or I was. But I decided I liked myself better without it. I'm never going to fall asleep, that's for sure. And my girlfriend says she likes me better when I'm more bubbly. 

-- What does your mum think of your tatts?

She's going to see them this week. She'll get her first glimpse of them in the flesh. She's not really approving of tattoos in general but she's going to have to be. 

-- So there's more ink to come?

Oh yeah. It's addictive. I'm on the way to getting a full sleeve. On both arms. And my face. Actually no, not the face. I think I'll stop at my neck, but I'll do the rest of my body, every inch. 

-- You wrote a song with Benji Madden from Good Charlotte for your album. Did you get tattoo envy?

Oh yeah. There's a few he regrets but he's got rad tatts. 

-- You turn 18 next month. What are you looking forward to doing once you're legal?

It's been pretty good. It's not long until I'll be of age. My band are older; they're more than willing to stay in the hotel and chill out with me and not go out to a pub or a club. 

-- There's a song on your album, Alive, that seems to be about your "journey" on X Factor and how you are becoming "the man I'm meant to be".

Yes. It's actually about (my X Factor mentor) Guy Sebastian. That song means a lot to me obviously. It's an important thing for me; that's where it all started for me. I changed so much over the show and Guy definitely helped with that. 

-- And Stars is about your girlfriend, Rhiannon Fish from Home And Away.

She's heard the song but she doesn't know it's about her. She will when she reads my thank yous. 

-- She seems like a muse for this record. It's very loved-up in parts.

One of the things I've found easiest to write about is girls, so when I've got one in my life it helps. 

-- It's a cliche, but is it easier dating someone in the business? 

It is. She understands when I'm on tour and recording; I understand when she has to be on Palm Beach with a bikini on, which I don't really mind very much. We get each other's schedules. 

-- You both saw the dark side of Twitter when people started sending her death threats when you announced you were going out ...

Yeah, there were a few death threats. It was getting bad, but we just don't listen and they get bored when people don't talk back. They went away. We let them do what they want to do and be childish. You find out who your true fans are. There's a lot of fans who are happy for me and for her. 

-- You met on the set of your Shout It Out video. Watching it now, can you see sparks flying?

At the time she had a boyfriend (Lincoln Lewis) and I was seeing someone else. But I remember moments when we did certain things. It's a fun memory. 

-- HEAR Beautiful Nightmare (Sony) out tomorrow 

-- SEE

- VIC Reece Mastin instore, Westfield Fountain Gate, tomorrow, 4pm. Hisense Arena, December 6., on sale tomorrow.