Cher Lloyd - Want U Back

No X Factor star has had quite such a rollercoaster ride amongst my affections as Cher Lloyd. When she was on the show, I properly adored her - she was a breath of fresh air that the show desperately needed. But post-show, her unfortunate, bratty, antagonising tweets became a real turn-off and I really started to dislike her.

But the real test was in her music, and against all my initial expectations, her debut album turned out to be one of the best pop records of the year. It was consistent, gloriously poppy in the best ways, and above all, it sounded like Cher herself - the kind of music both her and her fans would really enjoy.

And new single Want U Back is the epitome of that. Possessed of the same bouncy R&B-lite vibes as album standout With Ur Love, the chorus is indelibly catchy, perfect for younguns to holler away to until the early hours, bottle of WKD in hand. This is profoundly youthful music, and the best part is that it feels genuine, not clamouring for faux trends like Swagger Jagger was (and even that ended up growing on me).

The best bit of the song has got to be the spoken word 'Remember all the things you and I did first?' bits. It's here that you get the best insight into the mind of Cher Lloyd and what she's all about. It's little nuggets of teen angst and bittersweet jealousy that are the lifestuff of every young person up and down the country - and all of them with a copy of Cher's album can sing along to these lines knowing in their heart they've felt these feelings too. And that's why Want U Back, and the album as a whole, works so well.