The eighth live X Factor show has taken place with all acts singing two songs based on this week’s double header theme of Take That and Elton John. From 250,000 entrants the competition is now down to the last five with the prize on offer a place in next week’s semi-final.
While the judges could comment and give advice all they wanted, it would be solely down to the public to judge who goes through on tomorrow night’s live show.
With Take That’s back catalogue the choice for round one, first to get the ball rolling was Danyl. The pressure was on as he was taken out of his ballad comfort zone and asked to show the judges and public some moves, as he performed up tempo number Relight My Fire. So did he set the stage ablaze?
Louis, the only judge without an act on the show and therefore with free reign to be as nice or as nasty as he wished, certainly thought so: ”What a great start, “ he gushed. “You proved you’re not just a one trick pony. You can sing, you can dance. I think you’re really talented.”
Dannii was equally impressed. She described the production and performance as “amazing” but wasn’t so sure about the body rolls.
Cheryl disagreed: “They [the body rolls] were as camp as Christmas but in a fantastic way,”she said. “I know how tough it is to sing and dance at the same time and you made that look pretty effortless. So well done.”
Simon thought he’d proved a point and told him, “You were foot perfect; you were note perfect. Anything that is thrown at you, you just do it.”
Next up it was baby faced Lloyd Daniels with A Million Love Songs, written by Gary Barlow when he was only 15. It was also performed by Leona Lewis during her X Factor run, so would it prove just as lucky for Lloyd?
Louis didn’t seem so sure. He told him: “You are in the final five and obviously people like you much more than I do. Your singing was good but it wasn’t great.”
Commenting that there were 'a million girls out there that want your phone number', Dannnii said: “You always bounce back and come in fresh. But tuning-wise it was off a little bit in the verses.”
Simon told Lloyd it was a great choice of song, lyrically. “It's a teen pop song and I thought you sang it ok.” But he advised him that with the second song he had to show the audience fire in his eyes to show how much he wants to stay in the competition, as he felt the performance was a bit “mechanical.”
Cheryl said Lloyd would come out and show exactly just that with his second song of the night but as far as his first was concerned she 'absolutely loved it'.
Next act to take the stage was Olly Murs with Love Ain't Here Anymore, the sixth and final single from Take That’s second album.
Olly started off perched on the edge of the stage singing to a pretty young lady in the audience before working the crowd as a whole. But would he be able to deliver the emotion the judges said they were looking for?
A gracious Louis, who saw Olly go through last week at the expense of his last remaining act, John and Edward, told him: “I couldn’t believe you were in the bottom two last week. Everywhere I go girls want to marry you. I’m glad you’ve got your confidence back. It’s a talent competition and you deserve to be in the final three.”
Dannii however felt his normal sparkle wasn’t quite there in his eyes, while Cheryl was more upbeat telling him: “It was lovely to see everything stripped away from you and just hear you sing.”
Mentor Simon complimented him on a great job and praised his attitude this past week. “No sulking, no complaining, you just got on with it.” he said.
After that it was the turn of Geordie, Joe McElderry, who wowed the judges last week. Could he do the same again with Take That Brit Award winning single Could It Be Magic, originally penned by Barry Manilow which became a disco classic hit for Donna Summer?
“Could it be magic? It was magic,” enthused Louis of the picturesque production number where dancers emerged from a frame like a painting come to life. “Every week you get better and better and are turning out to be real, real pop star You deserve to be in the final.”
Dannii said:”Joe you are absolutely flying high and you absolutely smashed it.” Simon was in agreement. “It was brilliant. What was impressive is the way you managed to maturely navigate your way through all the dancers; all the production. You were in control and you young man were the star of that production.“ Rounding off the love-in was Cheryl, telling Joe: “I love you to pieces. I hope everybody at home loved it as much as we did.”
Bringing round one to a close was the only girl still left in the competition, Stacey Solomon with Rule The World
Louis praised her for getting better each week and told her: “ What I like about you most is that you don’t believe how good you are. You are a really good singer. It was a very challenging song, but you absolutely did it for me.”
Cheryl agreed. ”It was a challenging song, “ she said. “ I don’t think people realise how tough it is to sing a male vocal when you’re a female- let alone a male group. You’re the only girl left- represent!”
Simon told Stacy: “ Where you’ve actually got an advantage when it’s a girl singing a guy’s song is that it’s not going to sound like a karaoke version. Thought that was was believable. Perfect song choice for you. Better than last week because it was a more interesting song.” Dannii added: “That was an amazing performance. You’re merging as the true star of this show.”
Now we were at the halfway stage and before there was time to draw breath, “Ding Ding!” it was second out for round two with the acts singing songs by Sir Elton John.
Lloyd was first to return with I'm Still Standing from Elton's 1983 album, Too Low For Zero
Louis said: “Round one you kind of won me over; round two, you’re just about still standing. It didn’t look like you were having a good time and it was all a bit too karaoke. It was nice but we’re not looking for nice anymore, we’re looking for a star.”.
Cheryl then had a pop telling Louis he didn’t have anybody left standing in the competition. Then it was Dannii’s turn to give her verdict. She thought the procution was fantastic but vocally Lloyd was still shaky, but said it was better than the first song. Simon disagreed. “I thought that was a silly song choice for you to be honest, “ he said. “And I don’t know what Cheryl was trying to do with you what that kind of retro routine. It didn’t suit you; it didn’t suit the song…it was like an amateur dramatics production.” Cheryl defended her act, telling Lloyd: ”I’m very proud of you for coming out and delivering each week. And I hope Wales gets right behind you and keeps you in.”
Arguments over, Danyl was next up with Your Song .
Louis told him: “What I like about you is you always bounce back. You picked Elton’s most iconic song and made it your own.It wasn’t karaoke".
Though he had a dig at using a childrens choir. "You don't need a choir. With your voice and your looks, you've got it all." Dannii told Danyl it was : " A really great version; a really great song. Much, much better than your first." Cheryl said :"We're seeing the Danyl that we first fell in love with. You look more comfortable; you look more confident. You look cool. It was good Danyl."
Simon snorted: "Cheryl, it wasn't good, it was sensational. That was what it's all about- doing something different with the song. And Louis don’t be rude about having kids on the show. Your dark cloud will block out the sunshine!"
After that, it was the return of Olly performing Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting, accompanied by some sexy dancers done up as boxing ring girls.
Louis said: " I loved you in round one. It was an unusual song choice for you. I like your funny dancing and I like you, but there was something missing."
Dannii disagreed. "Round one was ok, " she said. "Rround two was an absolute knock out. Got the sparkle in your eye. That song was absolutely made for you. That was absolutely a smash."
Cheryl added: "I don't know how you concentrated with all those sexy girls around you but you did it, and you did it really well. I definitely agree with Dannii- knockout performance." Simon chippeed in with: "Great song; great performance.. Added an extra 10, 15 tonight. You put your heart into it and made it sound as if the song was written for you."
Following Olly was Joe with tearjerker, Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word , the song that secured his place in the live rounds.
Louis told him: " You won round one for me and on that performance you won round two. You’ve got it all. You were born to do this. I like everything about you."
A visibly moved Dannii told Joe: "There hasn’t been a song sung in this year’s competition with more passion. I have to see you in the final." Simon was equally supportive, telling Joe: "I'm gobsmacked. Something happened to you in a week where you've changed, it's like the boy has turned into a man. What you did with that song- it was so simple, and so beautifully sung and it really felt that you were really sincerely singing every lyric. It's by far my favourite ever performance of yours."
A not -surprisingly chuffed Cheryl chimed: " You are a little star. You make me proud to be a Geordie. You thoroughly deserve your place in that final."
Finally it was Stacey's turn to finish off the evening, draped over a sheepskin covered piano singing Something About The Way You Look Tonight
Louis told her: "You're the last girl standing and you certainly desrve to get into the final three. I wasn't crazy about your song choice. I preferred you in round one to round two, but I like you an awful lot." Cheryl thought she looked slightly uncomfortable in parts but still thought under the circumstances she did "a great job." Simon didn't like the song and compared her to a wedding singer: " You're not a singer like a Leona [ Lewis} or or an Alexandra [Burke].You're not what I call one of those big, belting singers. What I liked about you on your first audition was you had a different kind of voice. It was more subtle, cooler. That song didn't do you justice." Dannni, unsurprisingly, told her last remaining act standing "I don't know what Simon's talking about. I loved it"
http://entertainment.stv.tv/tv/140640-x-factor-live-show-eight/
