She's been accused of looking cartoonish with her over-the-top red hair and wacky sense of fashion and described as a caricature of mentor Cheryl Cole - but Cher Lloyd was goofing around with an actual cartoon when she was pictured with a balloon of her favourite character SpongeBob Squarepants yesterday.
The 17-year-old threw some funny poses for the camera as she carried around a blow-up version of the television favourite ahead of the last date of the X Factor Live tour in Cardiff last night.
Cher even joked on Twitter that she'd renamed herself 'Spongebob Cher-pants' for the day and also opined: 'Last day of the tour! I'm gunna miss you guys! :'( thanks to everyone who came and supported! Xx'
For the uninitiated, SpongeBob SquarePants is a very energetic and optimistic sea sponge who lives in a pineapple under the sea with his pet snail Gary, who meows like a cat.
As well as her balloon friend, Cher meanwhile was joined on the last night of the X Factor Live tour yesterday by fellow finalists including winner Matt Cardle, Katie Waissel One Direction, Rebecca Ferguson, Wagner, Mary Byrne, Paije Richardson and Aiden Grimshaw.
It kicked off way back in February and it would appear that some strong friendships have been forged - and not just between Cher and her favourite cartoon character SpongeBob.
Cher and Katie may not have got off to the best of starts on the show - and both caused as much controversy as each other on it - but have now become best friends following the tour.
That came despite the favouritsm shown to Cher on the tour too - while all the other finalists got two songs each, Cher got four.
Meanwhile, talking about her bold decision to dye her hair from dark brown to neon red, she explained she felt the colour was more her.
Talking to fashion magazine Wonderland earlier this month, she said: : 'I wanted something that would sort of represent me, thats fiery and outgoing. So I thought a bit of a red would do me good.
'I want to get my nose pierced too.'
Despite coming fourth in The X Factor last year and ending up in the sing-off on several occasions, record bosses are convinced Lloyd could be the next big thing and offered her a record deal.
It's also being reported today that American X Factor bosses are keen to get her to perform on one of the live shows when it launches later this year.
The Sun reports that the Worcestershire teen could debut a track from her debut album.
Cher is keen on breaking America and has already worked with Will.i.am. She spent several weeks in Los Angeles earlier this year recording her debut album, which is due for release in August.
But despite her fierce ambition, she admitted it was hard to read the negative press about her.
She said: 'Well, Im just a normal 17-year-old girl and I do have major feelings.
'Sometimes things that people say do really affect me, whether its about the way I look, or the way that Im acting. It can get me really stressed out. And its like, give me a little break. A week of somebody being nice to me would be lovely.
'Thats the thing that I want to get across. And its about my music, and I cant wait for people to hear it.'
