We’re finally at the pointy end of The X Factor with Sally Chatfield, Andrew Lawson, and Altiyan Childs all vying for the title.
Sally Chatfield kicked us off by reprising her version of Queen’s “Don’t Stop Me Now.” I’m not generally a fan of redoing what you’ve already done, but I think this topped her last performance of it. It’s almost as if the lack of judging tonight freed her. She seemed so confident and at ease, and that gave a beautiful quality to her performance.
Andrew Lawson was up next with his duet with James Blunt on “You’re Beautiful.” I was really enthusiastic at the start, thinking the song was a great fit for Andrew, but then the chorus kicked in and I cringed. His falsetto just isn’t there, and it really showed his vocal flaws. Thank goodness for James Blunt’s appearance to cover those bum notes!
Altiyan Childs gave us our first taste of the winner’s single “Somewhere in the World,” and I must say that I liked it. Ordinarily these songs are cookie cutter inspirational tracks, but I wouldn’t mind hearing this on the radio. It’ll be interesting to see what the other contestants bring to the song, but Altiyan’s take gets my seal of approval.
Then it was time for Sally to come back with her audition song, “Hurt.” I was incredibly moved by her first audition, and while I’m not sure this had the vulnerability of that performance I was still impressed. The consistency she’s showing could see her winning this thing.
Then Andrew was back with his take on “Heartache Tonight.” This was one of my least favourite performances from him, and again I just didn’t warm to it. It felt like a number for a musical that didn’t make it to Broadway. The flames and flair bartenders were impressive, but this song’s treatment still didn’t resonate with me.
Altiyan then teamed up with his idols INXS for “Don’t Change.” I’ve been a big champion of his, but this just didn’t hit me. He felt a bit like a poor man’s Michael Hutchence, an imitator rather than the real star I’ve started to believe he was. The band seemed to best him rather than support him, which is disappointing.
Then it was Sally’s turn to show us her version of the single “Somewhere in the World.” Again, it was a stellar job. I think Altiyan edged her out a bit, but I still wouldn’t switch the channel if this came on the radio. It did drag a little towards the end, but I really admired the belief she put in this song despite not writing it.
Andrew was back to his niche with “Fly Me to The Moon.” This is where it’s at for this kid. It reminded me exactly why I liked him in the first place. I only wish the production wasn’t so over the top. The girls and theatrics were distracting, but he really held his own.
When Altiyan performed “Sex on Fire” during the auditions I just didn’t get it. Fast forward a few months and it all made sense. I’d like to think he was better, but maybe I’ve just jumped on the bandwagon. Either way, I really enjoyed this. Again there were big production values, but I was looking at him rather than the flames. That’s what’s really starting to separate him from his peers.
I was really looking forward to Sally’s duet with Jay Kay of Jamiroquai, but I was a bit disappointed by their version of “Canned Heat.” He was great, but it felt like she had to try so hard to match him vocally. It was fun, but just not as great as I’d hoped for.
Then it was time for Andrew to show us his version of “Somewhere in the World.” It was nice, but honestly nice gets boring pretty quickly. The lyrics of this song are about such big things, but I felt no connection at all in his delivery. I just don’t think nice can cut it.
After the disappointment of Andrew’s single it was great to go out on a high with Altiyan’s performance of “Livin’ on a Prayer.” What a way to end a show. It was deliciously unhinged and a whole lot of fun.
If we’re going to award this thing on the strength of the single, or even on lasting impressions, Altiyan’s got it wrapped up. If it’s about consistency I’d hand Sally the title. If it’s about surviving against the odds, I’d say Andrew’s fan base is going to get him across the line. We’ll find out which way it swings tomorrow night.