X Factor star looks unrecognisable after changing his name to become a spiritual healer – a decade after spat with Simon Cowell
A former X Factor star is becoming completely unrecognizable after becoming a spiritual healer, a decade after appearing on the ITV talent show.
Rapper Mason Noise, real name Mason Binnell, mentored Nick Grimshaw during the 2015 competition and famously locked horns with Simon Cowell.
But now Mason has changed his name to Matreya and has grown a huge, bushy beard, with flowing capes and face paint instead of trendy vests and baseball caps.
As well as dedicating her life to being a ‘Reiki healer and inner explorer’, she also maintains her passion for music and recently returned to touring as her new self, a million miles away from the 21-year-old competing on the X Factor.
Mason’s altercation with music mogul Simon occurred during the show’s infamous Six Chair Challenge, when he was left fuming over the length of the audition.
He was kicked off the show after a confrontation with the judge and was eventually brought back by his mentor Nick.
A former X Factor star looks completely unrecognizable after becoming a spiritual healer, a decade after appearing on the ITV talent show
Rapper Mason Noise, real name Mason Binnell, mentored Nick Grimshaw during the 2015 competition and famously locked horns with Simon Cowell.
Accordingly Sun Mason now puts Buddhist principles to shame and embraces cannabis products to relieve his anxiety and relief.
It comes after Simon recalled the “terrifying” moment he was told Liam Payne had died and admitted how he desperately tried to contact the singer’s parents.
He said he was in shock and ‘couldn’t think clearly’ but wanted to ‘reach out to his mum and dad as a parent’.
Liam died on October 16, 2024, after falling from the balcony of the third floor of the Casa Sur Palmero Hotel in Buenos Aires.
Speaking on The New York Times’ The Interview podcast, Simon recalled hearing about his death.
She said: ‘Someone I worked with came into my room very close and I could tell by the look on his face that he was upset, then he told me.
‘It was a bit like that when I heard the news of my father’s death. ‘It’s hard to put into words how you feel, other than shock.’
Simon continued: “I wasn’t thinking clearly and I just remember saying: ‘I really need to talk to his mum and dad, can you get them on the phone?’
Rapper Mason Noise, real name Mason Binnell, mentored Nick Grimshaw during the 2015 (R) competition and famously locked horns with Simon Cowell.
As well as dedicating his life to being a ‘Reiki healer and inner explorer’, he also maintains his passion for music and has recently returned to touring as his new self.
Mason’s row with music mogul Simon occurred during the show’s infamous Six Chair Challenge, when he was left fuming over the length of the audition.
He was kicked off the show after a confrontation with the judge and was eventually brought back by his mentor Nick.
‘As a parent you know what this feels like. I knew his mother and father and at that moment I wanted to reach them. “It was very bad.”
Simon recalled seeing Liam in the same room a year ago and said the singer was in a “really good mood” when he saw him, but he still questions whether he could have done more to help.
‘He looked great, was going to the gym and we talked about his son and said there was more to life than music. “We just hung out as friends,” he added.
‘There were things about those times that were special that I will never talk about. I tried to give him advice about the things that come with fame.
‘When you sign an artist, my job is to connect him with the right production team and managers and make sure he is successful.
‘There were around 20 artists in my books at the time, it’s like they’re leaving the nest, you say you’re always available but you can’t follow them everywhere.
‘If I could go back in time to the day he was in my house… you always think about things like that. “What if I said this, what if I said that” but there is so much you can do. You just hope they are successful and happy.’
Simon added: ‘We did these shows because I realized there was always someone out there waiting to be discovered.
‘I really don’t know which is harder; Trying to be famous or managing your fame? I can say this about myself, I made my own choices. It comes with pressure and stress, but that’s what I signed up for. ‘I’d do it all over again.’
