The UK’s Eurovision entry hopes to sign with a top-tier record label when he returns from Israel, after organising a meeting with executives at Sony Music.
Michael Rice plans on going into the studio with Pete “Boxsta” Martin, the songwriter behind hits by Jessie J and James Arthur.
“He understands my style of music and the direction I want to go,” Rice said, adding that he thought his songs Church and Neighbourhood were contenders for chart success.
Speaking at a garden party organised by the British Embassy in Tel Aviv, 21-year-old Rice said he had “major label meetings” with Sony Music and Simon Cowell’s Syco Music planned.
Rice, who will sing Bigger Than Us during Saturday night’s grand final, told the Press Association: “We’ve got a few record label meetings when I get back. I’ll get back in with the management to organise plans over the summer.
“I’m represented by Jonathan Shalit at InterTalent. We’ve got some really major record labels interested. It’s exciting.
“Syco, Sony, we’re still hearing back from record labels because they are going to be watching the performance and seeing how everything goes.
“Everyone is going to be sitting there watching this performance on the night.”
Asked whether record label bosses had told him they would be watching him in Saturday’s grand final, he replied: “Yeah, definitely. There’s been a few who have said, ‘we will wait and see how it goes’.
“As soon as I get back we’ve got a few meetings and definitely people like Syco and that are really interested in my music.”
Rice, who appeared on the 11th series of The X Factor in 2014, added: “I haven’t met Simon Cowell. I’ve only met him on X Factor.”
The evening saw him perform for the UK delegation, press and members of the UK’s Eurovision fan club, singing a cover of Tina Turner’s Proud Mary, which he performed during his winning turn on BBC One singing show All Together Now.
He followed that with an acoustic version of Bigger Than Us, accompanied by five backing vocalists and a keyboard player.
Britain’s ambassador to Israel David Quarrey said: “A big thank you to all of you for being here for this and a huge welcome to Michael Rice.”
A trio of drag queens also performed a medley of the United Kingdom’s past Eurovision songs.