I COULDN'T believe it when I won The X Factor - I was shellshocked. I never thought in a million years it would be me. At every stage, right from the start, you always prepare yourself for a "no", but you keep that element of hope in your mind. I was saying "Leon! Leon! Leon!" in my head before Dermot O'Leary announced the winner.

I've put 110% effort into my debut album and there's nothing more I can do. I've tried to cater for everyone, from young people right up to mums and grans. There's a couple of covers on there that I've breathed new life into, that people will recognise and say: "Aww, ye remember that one, Betty?"

I've taken the time that's necessary to make a quality record, but people were getting frustrated and saying: "Where is he? He's retired at 19." I've only been singing for a year and a half, never mind performing and recording. I'm learning guitar and I want to be a credible musician.

Music bored me growing up - I much preferred football and telly. I was a wee bit older when I heard Michael Bublé's music and developed an appreciation for that genre. The tone of his voice really appealed to me.

I'm a fan of Zoo magazine. I like the women, the jokes and the football, it's just a brilliant lads' mag. You can't go into the newsagents and pick up Closer and keep your masculinity, can you? Zoo or Nuts is about the best we get.

I started karate at six and became a black belt when I was 10. I was involved in the Scottish championships, the British championships and the European championships. I still keep fit in the gym but finished karate aged 18, just as The X Factor was kicking off.

I was born on December 30, 1988 - it's not a great birthday. "There's your Christmas present, Leon, and your birthday present joined in." Some folk have it ideal with a summer birthday. I've got Christmas, my birthday and New Year, then nothing to look forward to until Hallowe'en.

I was in Dubai for a Sony conference. It's like a big concrete jungle. Something like 60% of the world's cranes are in Dubai apparently. When it's finished it will probably be amazing.

The best thing so far has been performing live with Michael Bublé at Glasgow's SECC last July. To be up there with my hero, who is more or less responsible for me falling in love with the music I love, was just awesome.

I believe in reincarnation, that when you're dead you'll be able to look down on people - come back and haunt them. You watch programmes like Sixth Sense, with Colin Fry, and he can pick up stuff that dead people are saying. The people with the dead relatives look totally shocked.

I don't get up to Scotland as much as I'd like, but I try to get up to spend time with my mum and gran. I still have the same pals, even if I don't see them as much. I still text and phone them to see how they are.

I had some confidence issues way back at the start. Dannii Minogue said to me: "No matter how bad you feel about yourself, remember I have confidence in you." I tried to take on board that other people believed in me and that helped me to pick myself up.

Leon Jackson's debut album, Right Now, is released October 20. His single, Don't Call This Love, is released October 13 Interview by Paul Dalgarno