Tonight The X Factor contestants were taking on one of my favourite themes: songs from the movies. I found myself wishing for some of the classic 80s films tunes I grew up with, but did the singers deliver? Let’s find out!
India-Rose Madderom started the night off as I’d hoped with “Fame,” sort of. She sang it really well, but it missed the bounce and lightness of the original. It just felt a bit laboured for me. The dancers were giving it their everything, but she just didn’t match their enthusiasm. I was surprised when I heard she was singing this, and after hearing her version I wish it was given to someone else.
I really hoped Andrew Lawson would get “Danke Schoen” from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, so I was disappointed from the get go. When I heard that he was doing “Love Is All Around,” I expected it to be insincere and twee. It was. I’m sure his female fans at home probably got something out of it, but to me it felt staged and artificial. The judges seemed to love it though; am I missing something?
Sally Chatfield brought things back on track with her rendition of “All By Myself.” It’s such a big song, and I feel she’s perhaps the only one in the competition up to the challenge. Vocally I couldn’t fault her. If I had to be picky, I’d wish for just a little more connection to the lyrics, but really, this was a hard performance to find fault with.
When I heard Hayley Teal was taking on a song from The Bodyguard, I hoped it would be “Queen of the Night.” She really delivered it with great vocals and a sense of fun. I’m not sure she was quite at Whitney level, but hey; even Whitney’s not at Whitney level these days!
I was very worried for Luke and Joel when I saw they’d been saddled with “Don’t Want to Miss a Thing,” but I needn’t have been. These lads are really stepping up to the plate, and as a Newcastle girl myself I am feeling pretty proud. I was impressed; it might not have been the best vocal but they connected with it all better than the artists that are vocally flawless. And honestly, that matters more.
Oh man, I love me some Altiyan Childs. Whatever he can’t do, he makes up for with entertainment. You’re never bored watching him perform, and his rendition of “Eye of the Tiger” was no different. Crazy karate moves, tiger faces, and all; I lapped it up.
Mahogany closed the show with a very polished performance of “Say a Little Prayer.” These girls are the real deal; the vocals, the choreography, the costumes, everything came together in such a slick package. And unlike so many acts that are polished, I don’t think we missed out on the emotional content. What a great way to end the night.
I’m wondering who’s going to go tonight; will India-Rose Madderom finally find herself ousted, or will Andrew Lawson get the boot? I think it’s down to one of these acts, but as we know all too well, anything can happen on the night!