Tonight’s X Factor elimination reminded us how much of a popularity contest the competition is. Despite some very shaky performances by Christina, Mitchell, and Johnny, Young Men Society and Declan Sykes found themselves in the bottom two. Both acts put up strong showings last night, but it’s just not about that.
And again they performed admirably. Young Men Society brought us the new jack swing I’ve been craving, and Declan trotted out a little Oasis. YMS proved they’ve got serious vocal chops and charisma by the bucketload, while Declan showed us he’s such a unique special jewel. I’m glad I wasn’t sitting in the judges’ seats.
With the judges unable to make a decision, it went to the public vote. And sadly, Young Men Society went home. What an absolute tragedy to lose them just as they had returned to form. They will be seriously missed.
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?
Tonight’s X Factor elimination saw Johnny Ruffo and Audio Vixen battling it out. After Johnny Ruffo murdered some Meat Loaf, I was happy to see him doing time. However it seems perhaps the judges were on to something when they accused Audio Vixen of being boring.
Johnny Ruffo reinforced everything I thought about him with his performance of “Just the Way You Are.” He’s really pretty, but I don’t feel anything beyond the surface. His vocals were also pretty shaky for the most part. Bruno Mars he ain’t.
Audio Vixen slayed him with Queen’s “Somebody to Love.” It wasn’t perfect, but it was a damn sight better than Johnny’s performance. And at the end of the day, that should be enough.
Clearly though my opinion doesn’t matter. After the judges were deadlocked the public had their say, and young girls will always vote for pretty boys. It’s sad when a talent competition comes down to that.
I’ve been complaining about all those modern but fairly inconsequential song choices on The X Factor, so I was thrilled to see the show going back into the vault for 90s night. The decade might not be music’s strongest, but there were certainly some gems that I hoped to hear trotted out.
When I spotted on the ad that someone was doing Meat Loaf, I was thrilled. I was also convinced we’d hear the Meat number coming from Andrew Wishart, as my husband and I have been comparing their vocals for weeks now (good Meatloaf, not AFL Grand Final era). But sadly it was Johnny Ruffo that trotted out “I Would Do Anything For Love (But I Won’t Do That),” and he made it some weird electro pop number. I hated the treatment. I thought the whole thing made him seem even soulless than last week’s performance. This song should never, ever sound like this.
Mitchell Callaway showed his tender side with REM’s “Everybody Hurts.” He had his reservations, but I think this was the perfect song for him. I’m not sure I saw the brilliance the judges’ seemed to see, but I do think this was miles better than he’s been in recent weeks.
Three Wishez stepped things up again with “Ghetto Superstar.” This band has really hit its stride; everyone worked together so well, and they were all stellar in their own right. I think we’re finally starting to see their potential, and it’s exciting. Continue reading “The X Factor Does the 90s”→
As I watched The X Factor tonight I was reminded of the benefit of the program’s judges having the final say. There are always those cases where some of the strongest performers find themselves in the bottom two, and it happened tonight when Young Men Society saw themselves standing alongside Jacqui Newland.
YMS didn’t have the strongest night last night, but I was sure their fan base was stronger than this. Let this be a reminder that if you love someone, you’ve got to vote for them.
To be fair, Jacqui Newland didn’t do terribly with No Doubt’s “Just a Girl.” But Young Men Society showed they’re definitely in a class above with their take on Eric Clapton’s “Change The World.” It was understated, without the theatrics we’ve seen from them in the past, and that really allowed their vocals to shine.
It would have been easy for the judges to play strategically, but they did the right thing and sent Jacqui packing. I didn’t mind her, but to see the back of YMS at this point would have been a travesty.
The X Factor contestants came out ready to rock at this week’s performance show.
Young Men Society kicked things off with their take on the Run DMC and Aerosmith classic “Walk This Way.” These guys have set such a high bar in previous weeks, so I felt a little let down by this. The vocals got patchy in places, which is something we haven’t seen from them before. But they always entertain, so I can forgive them a few pitch problems.
Christina Parie brought things back to the naughties with her take on “Gives You Hell.” She nailed the attitude and the vocals, but I was a bit torn on the song choice. Luke Jacobs raised my expectations when he announced the contestants would be singing “classic rock songs.” This is hardly a classic, and when you consider the history of rock music it’s a pretty dodgy choice. Perhaps such a contemporary song helped Christina relate to it, but I would have loved to see a song with a bit more cred.
Speaking of songs with cred, Andrew Wishart brought us the Cheap Trick hit “The Flame.” But this was about more than simply choosing a great song. For the first, and hopefully not the last, time in the competition I really felt it. It’s one thing for him to feel connected to a song, but it’s another very special thing for him to make us feel that connection. That was incredible.
And then we had Johnny Ruffo. In a way I felt a bit sorry for him taking the stage after Andrew. It only exposed just how lacking in emotional heart his version of “Here Without You” was. It was pitchy, but to me that lack of conviction was much more disappointing. I didn’t believe he was longing for anyone. Continue reading “The X Factor Rocks”→
Given my cold, I’m not planning on partying any time soon. Thank goodness for The X Factor who brought a party to my lounge room tonight. And I didn’t even need to change out of my pyjamas!
Audio Vixen kicked off proceedings with The Zutons’ “Valerie.” I liked it but I didn’t love it. The retro styling was great, and I was thrilled that the band upped the performance factor, but there wasn’t enough harmonising for my tastes. That’s where this band really excels; when those voices came together it was amazing, but I was left wanting more. Perhaps that’s a smart move though. Could it bring them back next week?
Declan Sykes upped the ante with Panic at the Disco’s “I Write Sins Not Tragedies.” I am really enjoying Declan because he’s not predictable. I love his theatricality, and while the vocals weren’t always the strongest his unique delivery to me is much more interesting than hitting all the notes just right. Talk about making a song your own.
Mitchell Callaway was up next with Kid Rock’s ”All Summer Along.” I must admit, as a musical purist I’ve always hated this mash-up of “Sweet Home Alabama” and “Werewolves of London,” but Mitchell didn’t go close to redeeming the song for me. He looked a bit scared up there, perhaps because of all those scantily clad ladies? Continue reading “The X Factor Parties On”→
With this year’s X Factor live shows kicking off tonight I figured it time I started to blog about the reality singing quest. I’ve caught bits and pieces up until this point, but with the competition heating up I’m starting to get switched on to the action. Once the judges treated us to a medley of their own hits it was down to business.
Tonight’s theme was Judges Choice, which was a smart move in my books. Let’s face it, few of the acts really know anything about anything at this point, so it makes sense to have the more experienced judges pulling the strings for now.
Reece Mastin kicked things off with 30 Seconds to Mars’ “Closer to the Edge.” He was one of my early favourites, but I must admit I was a little disappointed by his performance. The opening verse was really shaky, and while the chorus started to soar I didn’t get the big stadium confidence from him that I think this song needs. I’m hopeful he can grow from here, as it must be tough to be the first performer out of the gates. The judges seemed to love it, so maybe it lost something in the translation to TV.
Ronan kicked off his groups with Three Wishez. Their take on Lady Gaga’s “Telephone” was a real performance, spectacular and well put together. The vocals were a bit shaky from Sophia in places, but I really appreciated the entertainment value. There’s definitely room for this band to grow into a very slick unit.
Andrew Wishart headed up Nat’s team with The Script’s “The Man Who Can’t Be Moved.” This performance gave me the connection I’ve been longing for all night. There’s something so authentic about this guy, so believable, and I love the little sweet spots in his voice. It wasn’t perfect, but I really liked what he did with this song.
Altiyan Childs has won the hearts of the nation, and the title of X Factor winner. After Andrew Lawson was ousted early on, it was down to Altiyan and Sally Chatfield.
Honestly at that point I didn’t much care who won, although Altiyan was my sentimental favourite. Everyone loves an underdog, don’t they? Something tells me Sally’s going to enjoy a career without taking home the gong.
Log on to bandit.fm from 10 pm tonight if you’re itching to own Altiyan’s single “Somewhere in the World.” Personally I’m happy to wait until we’re saturated by it on radio.
Well done to Altiyan though, and to Ronan for seeing what most of us couldn’t in those early days of forgotten lyrics. I’m feeling pretty thrilled for both of them right now!
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.
