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Cher Lloyd stepped out jet red hair to kick off the Xfactor tour, at ­Birmingham’s NEC last night , by rapping The Clapping Song.

Supporting her were her Xfactor comrades One Direction.

Cher Lloyd is reportedly desperate for a collaboration with rap mega star Nicki Minaj"

The singer, who finished fourth in The X Factor last year, is currently working with Red One and will.i.am on tracks in LA.

A source told misformusic.com: "Cher has been telling anyone who will listen about her love for Nicki. Cher mentioned to will.i.am how much she would love to work with her, knowing full well he could put her in touch with Nicki and sure enough he has. They haven't started recording yet but are looking to get together sometime in the near future when Cher is back in the US"

Meanwhile One Direction arrived in LA today and reunited their former X Factor  competitor. The boy band finalists are thought to be over in the States to work on their forthcoming debut album.

According to Now Magazine. Cher recently returned from America to talk about her debut album and has reportedly been throwing tantrums at her record label - Simon Cowell's Syco -  demanding things are done her way.

'Cher knows what type of artist she wants to be and she won't change for anyone,' says a source.

'Simon knows what will make a hit record and get her career off the ground, but she thinks she knows best.'

Meanwhile, the daily star is reporting that Jay-z and Will.I.Am are eager to sign Cher if she goes through with her threats and leaves SyCo - even talking to Cowell about "buying out" the teen British superstar.