THE rollercoaster journey for Islington’s wannabe X Factor star is over after Paije Richardson was axed from the show.

The 20-year-old became the ninth act to be voted off ITV’s The X Factor on Sunday – as 15 million people tuned in to see who would get through.

After failing to poll enough public votes to make it through to the next round, Paije was forced to compete in a “sing-off” with Cher Lloyd in a bid for survival.

Paije performed the Sam Brown hit Stop as Cher sang the Shakespears sister track Stay – and three of the four judges voted to keep Cher.

Plumping for Cher, judge Simon Cowell said: “I’m going to go with the person who I’ve continually supported. Neither of you should have been in the bottom by the way.”

Only Dannii Minogue, Paije’s mentor, opted to save the Islington youngster. She said: “Paije, you did the most unbelievable performance this week.”

The following morning, Paije told Daybreak: “Obviously it hurts a little bit to be out, but it’s the nature of the show and you’ve just got to keep moving with it.”

He added that he was “proud” of Cher, saying she was a “great talent” who “deserves her place”.

Paije, a former Holloway School pupil, has just finished a fashion course at City and Islington College and has also been working as an usher at the Vue cinema at the N1 Centre, Islington.

He has been singing for as long as he can remember – and counts soul artists such as Stevie Wonder, James Brown and Beyonce among his idols. But his ultimate heroine is fellow north Londoner Amy Winehouse.

He said: “I am maybe not as crazy as her but I can see where she is coming from. I would like to be the next Amy Winehouse – but without the issues.”

Paije previously told the Gazette that if he did not make it on The X Factor, he would continue in the fashion industry.

In 2008, Alexandra Burke, who lived with her family off Caledonian Road, Islington, was the overall X Factor winner.