The X Factor served up number ones for this week’s performance show. With every tune reaching the top, song choice shouldn’t have been an issue tonight. But …
Christina Parie reminded me that just because a song hits the top it doesn’t make it worth doing. “Teenage Dirtbag” isn’t a bad song, but it was all wrong for Christina. It didn’t sit in her sweet spot until the end, which was disappointing. She did as much she could, but she didn’t have much to work with here.
Young Men Society were back to their best with Beyonce’s “Single Ladies.” The boys smashed it with flawless vocals, brilliant dance moves, and plenty of swagger. I’m so glad to see these guys returning to form.
Declan Sykes toned things down a few notches with Youth Group’s “Forever Young.” I must admit, this song’s never been one of my favourites. I appreciated the treatment and enjoyed seeing him in another mode, but I also thought this was a bit sleepy. I found myself drifting off towards the end, but that could have more to do with my feelings about the song than what Declan did with it.
When Mitchell Callaway started “Can’t Get No Satisfaction,” I was thrilled someone remembered there was great music before this decade. However it didn’t get out of second gear. It was alright, but Jagger he ain’t. For Nat to suggest that Mitchell had no country stuff to play with boggles my mind though. If he wants to stick with his preferred genre, why not some Eagles, Lonestar, or even a bit of Shania Twain?
Johnny Ruffo took on Justin Timberlake’s “Cry Me a River.” To me it came across as incredibly imitative, and more than a bit try hard. The falsetto was a little weak, and it seemed he was really over thinking it. I think Johnny’s getting way out of his depth here, and I’m wondering how long the young girls can keep him in the competition.
Mr Consistency Andrew Wishart showed us his rock chops with Stereophonics’ “Dakota.” I knew this would sit right in his vocal pocket and I was right. This guy is such a pro, and I’m really enjoying seeing what he delivers week after week.
Reece Mastin showed us his sensitive side with Maroon 5’s “She Will Be Loved.” With the exception of some shaky falsetto notes near the end, I think he did really well with this. He certainly showed an emotional maturity beyond his years, and that’s the sort of stuff you just can’t teach. The treatment was lovely too. I appreciate that Guy seems to be toning back the dramatic shake-ups this week; the arrangements have been unique without deviating too much from the original magic of the songs.
Just like Three Wishez, I was very concerned when I heard they were taking on Eminem’s “Lose Yourself.” However I was pleasantly surprised by what they did with this. It had so much passion and drama. I’m really impressed by the way this band is coming along.
I’m starting to feel like Johnny Ruffo is dead weight in the competition, so I’m hoping he’ll find himself in the bottom two again. Perhaps those young female voters will have run out of phone credit by now. If I get my wish he’ll share the honors with Mitchell, whose bad attitude is shining through those packages more and more.