Lincolnshire's Ella Henderson boosted by support after shock X Factor defeat

Ella Henderson has played her first live gigs since her shock elimination from The X Factor.

The talented Tetney teenager took to the red carpet at the Amy Winehouse Foundation Ball on Tuesday night, rubbing shoulders with stars such as Mark Ronson, Paloma Faith and Barbara Windsor.

Ella attended the star-studded bash with her parents Michelle and Sean and was also invited to sing by Amy's father Mitch Winehouse, which she later described as "an honour and a pleasure".

The following night Ella went on to perform at the GMTV Awards at Corinthia Hotel.

Millions watched on Sunday night as Ella, who was tipped as the bookie's favourite to win this year's X Factor, lost out in the sing-off to James Arthur.

Afterwards, the graceful 16-year-old defended her X Factor mentor Tulisa.

"Tulisa was just absolutely gutted for me and I think she felt like she was to blame," she said.

"I was telling her, 'please don't feel that way at all. You've done absolutely everything you could and stuck by me from day one'."

Ella's exit from The X Factor sparked outrage across the country – and even prompted the show's creator Simon Cowell to tweet: "Ella! Gone?? Unbelievable."

Ella, who has been coping well with the disappointment of not reaching the final, said the support from Cowell had given her a "massive boost".

She said: "Getting a tweet from Simon Cowell was incredible. That gave me a massive self-esteem boost."

Ella won the hearts of the nation back in August in her first televised audition by performing a self-penned song inspired by her late grandfather.

Now, the talented songwriter is looking forward to the future and hopes to release a debut album in 2013.

"I guess I can say maybe I should have performed one of my own songs sooner, and I shouldn't have held them back," she added.

"But in a way I'm glad I didn't because I still got as far as I've got, I came sixth.

"And it's more exciting now because people haven't heard my original stuff, it will all be on fresh ears and I can't wait to get it out there."

Ella's mum Michelle has said she is "incredibly proud" of her daughter's achievement.

"Her music career most definitely isn't over and this won't be the last we hear from her," she said. And Ella's dad, Sean Henderson, added: "Even though X Factor has ended, we know her music career hasn't."

TOWIE's James "Arg" Argent was among the first to react to Ella's eviction on Twitter.

He said: "She deserved to be in the final and more!"

And One Direction's Niall Horan, who came third in 2010's X Factor, wrote: "Oh my god! Cannot believe what just happened on xfactor! What the hell".

Celebrity Juice's Keith Lemon said: "Can't believe Ella got kicked out of t'x factor. Sure she'll go on to be the biggest success."

James Arthur, who now moves on to the X Factor semi-finals after surviving the sing-off, said he was certain he would be eliminated if going up against Ella.

"Ella is the strongest 16-year-old I've ever met in my life and the most talented 16-year-old in the country by a million miles," he said.

"I have no idea why she was in the bottom two but I thought I was a gonna when I was up against her."

Meanwhile, controversial contestant and Ella's close friend Rylan Clark said he felt guilty and responsible for her elimination.

Fighting through tears on The Xtra Factor, he said: "Ella should be in the final. She's like a sister to me.

"100 per cent, I feel so guilty. I'm so gutted."