BRISTOL'S Girlband say they still have a bright future ahead of them despite being voted off The X Factor.

In an exclusive interview with the Evening Post, the girls say they still have hopes of pop stardom.

They will appear again in tonight's show singing alongside the other contestants in a new version of Mariah Carey's Hero.

All the acts have recorded the song together as a charity single to raise money for the Help for Heroes campaign to support injured veterans from current conflicts.

Marisa Billitteri, 20, from Kingswood, along with Tita and Phoebe Lau, 20 and 18, and Layla Manoochehri, 22, made it through to the live shows as one of 12 acts to be picked from the 184,000 who auditioned.

Marisa says although it's great to be home and see friendly faces, it's strange settling back into normality after spending four months away from work, friends and family.

Marisa, who works as a recruitment consultant at the Evening Post, said: "It was such a rollercoaster. We had the highs of getting through all the stages to make it to the live show, but now we are out and it is heartbreaking. It was horrible.

"But we entered the competition as four friends not knowing how we were going to do and we made it down to the last 12.

"We feel really happy with everything we have done and, out of it all, the live shows were the best experience of all."

She said the experience "really feels like you are living the dream".

"I have been performing in talent shows and other things for years, but, on a scale of one to 10, those things are a one and The X Factor was 10-plus," she said.

"Just going out there and singing and knowing that millions of people are watching you at home is amazing

"We had a good talk with (X Factor mentor) Louis (Walsh). We really did get on with him well and he was very hands-on with us.

"He's definitely got ideas on developing us, maybe with a fifth member. Whatever happens, we want to carry on with this.

"I believe if you believe in yourself you can do really well in whatever you want.

"We rehearsed everything as much as we could and as long as we can look back and say that we did our best we can be proud.

"It was a strict regime of getting up at 6am and going for singing lessons and then dance lessons then coming back for interviews. It was really hard work but we coped really well.

"I think The X Factor can really open doors for people and that's what we hope will happen for us.

"For now it will be nice to get back to family and see friends and workmates that I've missed."

Phoebe, who had just finished school this year was planning to go to Leeds University to study business and management.

Now the 18-year-old has decided she wants to persevere in the music industry to become a singer.

She said: "It's been such an adventure. Whatever happens I know we are going to work really hard and see how things pan out.

"It wasn't a very nice feeling knowing that we had to leave after the second live show, and I suppose, at first, it was complete shock.

"I think now we are just really happy that we got so far and grateful that it has created such a wicked platform for us to launch our music careers."

In the first week the girls opened the first of the 2008 live shows with Bananarama's hit Venus, but they found themselves having to sing for survival when they were left in the bottom two with fellow girl group Bad Lashes.

After the judges' vote was tied, the girls got through to the second week on the results of the earlier public vote. Unfortunately though, they again found themselves singing their hearts out for a place in the contest when they were left with Ruth Lorenzo in the bottom two.

The girls sang Aerosmith's Don't Wanna Miss a Thing, but history repeated itself when the judges' decision was tied again. The girls' fate was sealed by the results of the public vote, but it did not go their way second time around.

Girlband said it was like one big family inside the house they stayed in during the competition.

Tita said: "It really was the most amazing experience. To go back and see everyone this weekend is fantastic because living in the house together, we were all like one big family.

"It was so hard to leave everyone. It's going to be like we are still in the competition, so it will be very strange.

"We want to thank everyone who supported us because we wouldn't have got as far as we did otherwise. We need to say a big thank you to our families as well, who worked really hard and have supported us all at every opportunity in our dreams to become singers and performers."

Marisa said: "Apart from going out on stage and performing on the night, living in the house was the best thing.

"It was such fun and we would all congregate in the kitchen and cook for each other and chat.

"Sometimes Austin would get his guitar out and we'd all start singing.

"We got on really well with Laura and Diana and I think it would make for a good final if they were both in it because they are both different and quirky, but really great singers.

"We will be supporting them 110 per cent now," the Bristol resident added.