The X-Factor Final 2011 - Little Mix create history

By Jason Wright (Entertainment Expert)

THOUSANDS had applied and now just two acts remained.  Following Amelia Lily’s departure at the end of Saturday’s show, just two now were left to fight it out.  Marcus Collins and Little Mix would compete over two hours on Sunday night to decide who would win The X-Factor 2011.  They were ready, the audience was ready, the judges were ready and Britain was ready to meet its next big popstar.

Before the serious business began, there was once again time to enjoy a performance from the eliminated contestants (minus Frankie for obvious reasons.)  In his place, there was a cameo appearance by Goldie Cheung; the act that Louis Walsh had initially sent through to the live finals, but declined to participate.

Turning back the clock to the past

Each act had three songs to win The X-Factor 2011.  In their first performance of the night, both of them performed a song from a past live show and they both opted to reprise their numbers from Movie Night (Week 7 of the competition, to you and me.)

GALLANT: Marcus was a creditable runner-up

First Marcus performed ‘Higher and higher,’ bringing back the gospel choir he used to great effect back then.  Just like the previous night, he had opened this leg of the final in sensational style.  Then Little Mix jumped onto stage to perform ‘Don’t Let Go.’  The song once again showed their unique abilities of being a group with either no lead singer or someone who gets the majority of the lyrics.  They all get their fair share and that’s why the public love them.

Giving Seasons Greetings

The X-Factor wouldn’t be the same without some Christmas cheer, something it has ignored in the last two series finals.  So it was nice to see it reinstated for 2011.  Marcus first gave a performance of Wham’s ‘Last Christmas.’  It was a song that was sort of lukewarm but the judges didn’t care, it was the final after all and it was all about standing out from the crowd for them.

Little Mix then next performed ‘Silent Night.’  This was them at their best, a song which just focused on their amazing voices that have grown throughout the competition.  With every performance that goes by, the belief that this could be the year of the Groups was growing.  All that Tulisa could do, as she had been doing throughout, was to make a loud plea for people to vote for them and that was an X-Factor political broadcast by “Tulisa’s Little Muffins” Party!

As the acts went backstage to prepare for their final and most crucial performance of the evening, it was time to look back at a series full of highs and lows.  Westlife, who have just announced they are splitting up, performed an acclaimed rendition of ‘What About Now,’ with a montage of series highlights being shown on the big screen behind them.

Just one more chance left

So it had all come down to this.  One song now stood between Marcus and Little Mix from victory – the winner’s single.  Reverting back to old rules, both finalists ad recorded versions of the Damien Rice ballad ‘Cannonball’ but with one difference, both acts had recorded it in their own style and how they saw it fit.  Unfortunately, both performances would be overshadowed by what is the worst ever X-Factor winner’s single!

Marcus went for a mixture of high notes and up-tempo base for his performance.  Although many might have predicted it would suit him more, it didn’t quite turn out the way many expected but what couldn’t be taken away was the power and soul put into it and it even had Gary Barlow shedding a tear or two.

Little Mix opted for the more traditional route of keeping the song as a ballad throughout its entirety.  They put plenty of dedication, emotion and other all sorts of dimensions into it.  It sounded like they been in the music industry for years.

ELECTRIC: Coldplay put on a stunning performance

A long wait would now have to be endured as it was time for another X- actor first.  This group had declined from appearing on the show, until now.  The biggest band in the world, Coldplay performed two songs from their recent new album, ‘Charlie Brown’ and ‘Paradise.’  The Wembley Arena crowd was transformed into a sea of glow lights for the performance and the group worked so hard that lead singer Chris Martin was left sweating like a pig after their performance.

An emotional and fairytale climax to an incredible weekend

Now came the moment Britain had been waiting.   Could Marcus make it four wins for the Boys in five years?  Or would Little Mix claim a long overdue triumph for the Groups?  In what was the closest X-Factor final ever, with just five per cent of the votes separating the two acts, and the standard long pause, the nation decided that the winner of The X Factor 2011 would be

…LITTLE MIX!

After eight long years, the group’s category had finally hit the jackpot!  In the past, the likes of G4, Same Difference, JLS and One Direction had tried and failed to win the final.  Now Little Mix had well and truly showed them all up.

The girls were undoubtedly overcome with emotion over the announcement; tears’ streaming down their faces and even their mentor Tulisa cracked and was a sobbing wreck too.  Throughout all they had been through, the public saw faith in them and they had well and truly beaten the odds.  Marcus was left to just offer his congratulations but again, he will surely be on his way to a bright future.

That just left Little Mix enough time to wipe away their tears and perform their debut single before being enveloped into a massive group hug by all of the finalists.  The race will now be on to get the single to Christmas Number One, but with that contest being taken place over two weeks this year and with a strong challenge from the ‘Military Wives’ charity single, it isn’t going to be easy.  However, they will surely be virtually guaranteed number one in next Sunday’s chart beforehand.

Series eight in a nutshell

It’s fair to say this year’s series of The X-Factor has had its ups and downs.  It started off so well in the early stages with rave reviews from critics over the new judging panel.  Once the live shows started, it descended into chaos, which put a bit of a damp squib on the competition because, at least in my opinion, the talent was much better than in previous years.

When Strictly Come Dancing started in October, the expected ratings switchover happened and The X-Factor struggled to maintain its grip with Strictly’s approach to hit the show where it really hurt.  Even the first night of the final on Saturday was outfoxed by Strictly’s semi-final and on Sunday, the peak audience was just over 15 million.  As anticipated, this was the most watched show on the box on Sunday but still a massive four million down on last year’s finale and the overall series ratings were below both 2010 and 2009.

As for “The Next Generation” judging panel, Gary Barlow was a creditable addition and delivered his promise to be fair and brutally honest in his role.  When Tulisa was appointed, I didn’t have any high hopes, but she has actually turned out so great in her role and my opinions on her have changed.  The least said about Louis Walsh, the better, and Kelly Rowland was strongly opinionated and honest in her feedback but looked out of her depth in the UK.  I wouldn’t be too surprised if at least one of these judges gets their P45 orders before next year however, with Nicole Scherzinger potentially switching from the US version to the UK edition next year.

Congratulations to Little Mix: X-Factor Winners 2011

Lastly, congratulations to Little Mix for a well deserved victory.  Now will they turn out to be successful – the answer won’t be revealed until next autumn but with acts like Shayne Ward, Leon Jackson and Joe McElderry having failed to build on their success, and with last year’s champion Matt Cardle seemingly going the same way, there will be huge pressure on them to deliver.  However, we should leave this until when that moment comes and celebrate on the foursome becoming the first group ever to win the competition.  The countdown now begins again to summer 2012 for when the search resumes for the class of series nine.

It may have not been a vintage series but The X-Factor 2011 certainly got a happy and fairytale ending.

The X-Factor Final 2011 - Amelia departs in stage one

By Jason Wright (Entertainment Expert)

THOUSANDS had fallen by the wayside and now just three acts remained.  This weekend, Little Mix, Marcus Collins and Amelia Lily competed in the 2011 X-Factor final, infront of 10,000 fans live at Wembley Arena.

After the casual, but always cringe worthy scene entrance of Dermot O’Leary, the three finalists kicked off with a group performance of Take That’s ‘Greatest Day.’  Then it was onto the real matter of impressing the public.  Each act had two songs to perform on the first night of the final and the act that finished bottom of the public vote would be eliminated.

Making a lasting impression

For their first performance of the night, each act was given a song they had never previously performed before in the competition.  With Wembley Arena’s bigger stage capacity, each act had the opportunity to add an extra dimension into their first song.  First was Marcus, who performed Outkast’s ‘Hey Ya!’ to the backdrop of a prop plane.  To say it was amazing was a bit of an understatement as he tore the roof of the building (not literally) with his cool, calm and collected approach to the song.

So, how could Little Mix match or even beat the stage display from Marcus?  Simple, arrive on stage, riding four Harley Davidson bikes before blasting into a rendition of Florence + the Machine’s ‘You Got the Love.’  They have been without question the revelation of this competition, not only having ripped up the form book of girl groups on the show but shredding and burning it.  The question was now, could the public believe that they really could go all the way?

Finally it was the turn of Amelia.  Kelly Rowland decided to take gamble in not using extra displays, deciding just to concentrate on her performance ability.  Though that might have sounded a big disadvantage, her version of ‘Ain’t No Other Man’ by Christina Aguilera was at the same level as all of her performances since her whirlwind return. 

The bond between acts and mentors exposed

As with finals in the past, each act would next perform a song with a special guest.  This is X-Factor though and with the new venue destination in mind, the stakes were raised massively.  So for the first time in the show’s history, each act was tasked to perform with their mentors.  It was a chance to see whether they really had either bonded together throughout the competition or were at each other’s throats.

First, Marcus and Gary Barlow performed Billy Joel’s classic ‘She’s Always a Woman.’  Collins announced previously he would be dedicating his performance to his mother and both he and Barlow made the song into their own unique way.

UNISON: Tulisa was like a fifth member of Little Mix in the duet round

Next, it was time for Tulisa and Little Mix (or ‘Little Muffins’ as Tulisa has been referring them to as throughout much of the competition) to give a medley of the Alicia Keys songs ‘If I Ain’t Got You’ and ‘Empire State of Mind.’  This performance perhaps gave no question that this is the best partnership between act and mentor in the competition.  At times, it felt like Tulisa had become the fifth member of the group.

Then Amelia and Kelly joined forces to perform Tina Turner’s ‘River Deep, Mountain High.’  As much as Amelia gave it her best as she has with any other song in this competition, the overall level performance lacked the passion and dedication that was required at this point in the final.

Only the public now could decide whether the acts had done enough to win a place in Sunday night’s decider.

 

The full time whistle goes for Amelia Lily…again!

The finalists weren’t of course, the only ones to take to the Wembley stage as The X-Factor promised that the final would be littered with guest stars.  On Saturday, the fans were treated a special “super group” performance by JLS and One Direction, as well as cameo appearances from Leona Lewis and Michael Buble.

Finally, the voting lines were frozen and the results of the first stage of the final were in.  Little Mix continued their incredible run by reaching the final two and despite going in as the underdog; Marcus’ performances were enough to sway the public vote in his favour of going through.

DIGNITY: Amelia was eliminated on Saturday, but achieved her target

It meant Amelia had to deal with the prospect of elimination for the second time.  However, unlike nine weeks ago, when she refused to accept what had happened, this time she was extremely gracious in defeat.  She said that her ambition was only to reach the final and she achieved it with flying colours.  Afterwards, she vowed that this would not be the last of her and for 17 years of age, she has an incredible voice.

ECSTATIC: Marcus and Little Mix celebrate their progress on Saturday

So as Amelia departed, the dream was now just beginning for both Marcus and Little Mix.  They would be back in the second stage of final on Sunday where one would win and have their lives change forever.  The Great British public now had 24 hours to deliver their verdict…

TO BE CONTINUED…

The X-Factor 2011 - The week five curse strikes again!

By Jason Wright (Entertainment Expert)

THIS WEEKEND was the week that is always designed to strike fear into the minds of both contestants and viewers – the dreaded Week Five!  A frontrunner always seems to depart on this particular week.     The competitive Maria Lawson in 2005, the consistent Laura White in 2008, the sexy Lucie Jones in 2009 and the formidable Treyc Cohen last year have all been victims of week five in the past and have had their dreams of being popstars destroyed as a result.  Once again, the jinx would strike again in a shock double elimination.  After its successful trial in last year’s semi-final, the ‘Club Classics’ theme was given a proper chance to shine and as Dermot O’Leary put it, this was the only week guaranteed to be a ‘ballad-free zone.’

OVER 25’s

JOHNNY Robinson was the first on stage and after his successful outing the previous week, he returned back to his entertaining roots with Madonna’s ‘Hung Up.’  Safe to say, the judges weren’t entirely impressed.  Gary Barlow, who finally was won over by him last week, returned to his criticism of him, comparing it “the opening of a bad pantomime in Scarborough”.  Ouch!  Both acts in this category had a troublesome night as Kitty Brucknell failed to impress too.  Her version of ‘Like a Prayer,’ another Madonna classic was out of her usual character on a theme that may have suited her liking.  However, the feedback she got was a little harsh with Barlow saying that she couldn’t dance.  In fairness, Kitty tried but it was lacking the extra vigour that has made her a talking point in the show.

GIRLS

BACKFIRED: Janet's style change led to mixed results

AFTER Kelly Rowland’s absence last week, she was back and ready to get her two remaining acts back on track.  There was no escape for Janet Devlin, who after four weeks of impressive but not stand-out performances, struggled with choosing her own song.  She fluffed the words during her rendition of Jackson 5’s ‘I want you back.’  She did recover, but the judges gave mixed comments, with Tulisa suggesting to go back to her previous style of music.  Following last week’s bottom two shocker, Misha B bounced back with Beyoncé’s ‘Proud Mary.’   It is well noted that when an act ends up in the bottom two on one week, they can’t win but don’t rule her out yet, especially in a competition that is becoming more open by the week.

BOYS

FRONTRUNNER: Marcus looks like the one to beat

STILL with the full line-up in tow from the first week eliminator, Craig Colton kicked off the category’s running with Bryan Adams ‘Heaven.’  A club classic song was probably going to expose Craig’s weakness, but despite looking out of his comfort zone, he performed very well.  Ultimately, he proved again that he can cut the mustard at this level.  Marcus Collins has so far been a challenger if not a serious contender.  However, everyone was up on their feet with his take of the true fifties classic ‘Reet Petite.’  Gary was in lots praise for his act, labelling it as “the performance of the season.”  Perhaps, it was a little bit boastful but can that be blamed?  With every high comes a low and yet again, Frankie Cocozza was on the end of that yardstick with ‘I Gotta Feeling’ by Black Eyed Peas.  It looked as if he had downed full bottles of Smirnoff and Jack Daniels and was fashioned by an unemployed Next salesman!  The result, quite possibly the worst performance ever in a live show; Jedward or Wagner could have done that song justice.

GROUPS

FLYING high after their praise last week, The Risk looked to impress again with Shalimar’s ‘A Night to Remember.’  Not as strong as in previous weeks for the group but it again showed their true potential.  Every year, the experts have attempted to write off the category’s chances each year but on this occasion, they shouldn’t just yet.  Girl group Little Mix have become serious challengers as their version of Rihanna’s ‘Please Don’t Stop The Music’ went down with a storm with the judges. It’s taken eight long years but The X-Factor finally seems to have found its first girl group that can make a successful career from the show.

The Result

FAREWELL: Tulisa had to say a shock goodbye to The Risk

IT’S been clear for weeks now that a certain Mr S Cowell has been extremely unhappy about the quality of contestants this year.  He decided to shake things up and the double elimination did cause a surprise, especially in the public vote.  Little Mix, Marcus, Misha B and Craig all deservedly won their place back next week whilst Janet could count herself lucky to be saved by her many supporters.  Also, despite his tripe the previous night, Frankie was somehow voted to stay in.

     That left Johnny, Kitty and The Risk in the bottom three.  It was anticipated by everyone that one of Louis acts would go first…but no! The Risk was eliminated after finishing bottom of the public vote.  Viewers and the audience were left stunned whilst the boys themselves and their mentor Tulisa looked gobsmacked.  The curse of Week Five has well and truly struck again!

     So it was a showdown between the two remaining acts Louis had.  For the second time in three weeks, he had to make a difficult decision.  Johnny gave a dignified and polished performance but when Kitty can deliver under the huge pressure, it made the final decision far easier.  Kitty was unanimously saved by the judges and expectantly, cued more booing and jeering from the audience.  Sad as it was to see Johnny go, the fact is that Kitty would provide a better chance for Louis in the competition – though that chance is already at slim to nil!

     The double elimination drama did manage to put X-Factor back in lead in the ratings war with Strictly, mainly helped that there was no head-to-head clash this weekend, though there’s certainly still a long road to recovery ahead.  One thing is for certain, the competition has never been this open before as anyone from at least five acts could win!  The second half of this year’s live finals is set to be a thriller … providing any new controversy doesn’t get in the way of course.

The X-Factor 2011 - More issues to be dealt with

By Jason Wright (Entertainment Expert)

THE last two weeks has seen The X-Factor do what it has done best.  Controversy, dramatics and confusion off the stage have yet again overshadowed the great talent that is being shown on the screen.  Here is how the drama unfolded over the past fortnight.

Week 3 – ROCK SONGS

Liverpool hairdresser Marcus Collins kicked off with an explosive rendition of ‘Are You Gonna Go My Way?’ with his mentor Gary Barlow labelling it as how to open up a show.  Next, favourite Janet Devlin sung ‘Sweet Child O’ Mine’ but played it a little safe by not putting any upbeat twist on it.  Sami Brookes was compared to a cruise singer in week two and Louis Walsh did no favours by picking another “dated” song with ‘If I Could Turn Back Time’ whilst the girl band formerly known as Rhythmix (see Week 4 section for new name and explanation) once again impressed with ‘Tik Tok.’  Although she is a strong singer, Sophie Habibis is struggling to connect with the public.  Her ballad version of ‘Livin’ on a Prayer’ was so dreary; it could have made people fall asleep.

     Craig Colton was given the chance to sing ‘Stop Crying Your Heart Out,’ which was another solid outing.  Kitty Brucknell wasn’t as mental as last week but still showed off her unique style in her version of ‘Live and Let Die.’  After last week’s bottom two shocker, Frankie Cocozza was lacking in confidence and his performance ‘Get Your Rocks Off’ showed it in every department.  The Risk overcame a bad song choice from Tulisa to get the job done again with ‘Crazy.’  Johnny Robinson finally started to win over Gary Barlow with ‘I Believe in a Thing Called Love’, and Barlow’s jibe at asking whether he got the suit from Argos was a right laugh.

TOUGH: Misha B has had to deal with some rough criticism

     The night ended on a bitter low when after Misha B smashed ‘Purple Rain,’ Louis Walsh and Tulisa unfairly attacked her for acting like “a bully” to the other contestants.  It left both Misha and her mentor Kelly Rowland hurt by the comments and gave the tabloids a field day.  More drama was to come on Sunday night when Frankie swore to nearly ten million viewers, after learning he got through on the public vote.  ITV were forced to make an embarrassing apology two days later after stupidly forgetting to bleep out the dirty language.

     The final showdown was a direct battle between two of Louis acts.  For the judges, they opted to keep Kitty in the competition against Sami, based on the former having the better vocals.  Only Tulisa decided to save Sami with Walsh deciding to go against sending it to deadlock, making a frank and honest decision instead.

Week 4 – HALLOWEEN

THE mess from the previous week was still being cleared up come the show’s Halloween themed night.  Kelly Rowland was struck down by a virus infection whilst on a business visit to LA, so in this weekend to judge was 2008 X-Factor winner Alexandra Burke.

RESPECT: Johnny has a new fan, in Gary Barlow!

     Meanwhile, The Risk had a big problem when band member Ashley quit the group last Thursday, citing personal reasons.  The remaining members invited Ashford from axed boyband Nu Vibe to join them.  Their performance of ‘Thriller’ justified their decision and in fact, made them sound a better group than before.  Meanwhile Johnny Robinson finally got the chance to show off his full vocals with the ballad ‘That Ole Devil Called Love.’  Gary Barlow was so pleased that he went onto stage afterwards for hug and a kiss.  Who said romance was dead!

     Barlow’s mood soon changed when Sophie Habibis paced her way through ‘Bang Bang.’  She was described as “dull as dishwater” and quite rightfully too.  Marcus Collins was one act who got into the spirit of Halloween with his appearance during ‘Superstition,’ once again receiving rave comments.  The two remaining girls in participation, Misha B and Janet Devlin, also made more lasting impressions with their performances of ‘Tainted Love’ and ‘Every Breath You Take’ respectively.

     Fast seeing his chances disappear has been Frankie Cocozza but his take of ‘Should I Stay or Should I Go?’ was a million times better than his previous two performances put together.  Frankie’s song is perhaps one best suited to Kitty Brucknell.  The public is split over her but it still didn’t affect her ability to sell her performance of ‘Sweet Dreams.’  Accusations of ‘auto-tuning’ were strenuously denied but it was confessed that a voice enhancing method was used at the start of that number.

     Rhythmix are no more, long live Little Mix.  Maybe they should have put a lot more imagination into their new name but regardless, they gave the best performance of the night with ‘E.T.’  Craig Colton closed the show with his best outing since the opening week.  ‘Set Fire to the Rain’ was given complete justice throughout.

WHITEWASH: Misha B was too strong for Sophie on Sunday

     As luck would have it, the week which Kelly was absent was the week she lost an act.  Both Sophie and Misha B, possibly due to the bully allegations of the previous week, were in the final showdown.  It was no contest; Misha was by far the better performer and took a clean sweep from judges.  In a bizarre twist, instead of having guest judge Alexandra Burke speak on behalf of Rowland or just skipping her right to vote, the show contacted Rowland to vote from the other side of the Atlantic.  To say the least, this was a curious decision.

     In closing, the last two weeks have brought more negative headlines.  Viewers continue to switch off in their droves, with Strictly Come Dancing continuing its domination of the Saturday night ratings.

     The X-Factor is still contracted for further two years after this year but if it gets even worse, I think that it will have to be killed off.  ITV will perhaps now be rueing a missed opportunity in bidding for The Voice.

     It may still be entertaining to watch at times but it looks as if the shovels are at work in the TV graveyard…

The X-Factor 2011 - The final 16

By Jason Wright (Entertainment Expert)

AFTER the ‘Jedwardgate’ scandal that marred the 2009 series followed by the shambles of last year, ITV has had to look at the badly tarnished image of their number one show, the X-Factor and change it before it reached the point of no return.

The result, The X-Factor has gone back to its roots.  A questionable choice of new judges has turned out to be very successful and with contestants who actually want to win, it’s perhaps the first time since 2008 that everyone can look forward to the live finals.

Sunday night saw the new judging panel decide the 16 acts to take part in the live finals.  Here is each act profiled with my own judgement and prediction.

MIX: Gary has a varied selection of glamour and genuine talent

BOYS – mentored by Gary Barlow

Craig Colton

Aged 22, biscuit factory worker from Liverpool

ALONG with his continuing studies, Craig has been working in a customer services assistant role at a local biscuit factory.  However he has always had aspirations to be an actor, so he enrolled in a drama course and it was there that he realised he could sing.  He has been so nervous however about this that he didn’t even bother to tell his parents that he applied to take part in the competition.

Craig says: “I’ve got to the finals, its madness.”

I say: He looks talented but does need a confidence check first.

Prediction: 11th               Odds: 14-1

Frankie Cocozza

Aged 18, unemployed from Brighton

STUDENT Frankie has already developed a reputation for being a party animal and a ladies’ man.  One weird fact is that he has the first names of every girl he has slept tattooed on his rear end!  He first took up singing at a theatre club at the age of eight, but stopped at the age of 13 until deciding to go for the big time.

Frankie says: “I’m probably the happiest person in the world right now.”

I say: Can he cope with the pressure and adapt to different styles?  He surely will get girls voting for him in droves.

Prediction: 6th                  Odds: 10-1

James Michael

Aged 20, unemployed from Cheshire

AFTER dropping out of school at 16, James decided to take up song writing instead of looking for a job.  From there, he went to college to take a course on music tech after not knowing what to do with his life in his early years.  He’s a real guitar specialist so expect to see him regularly playing the guitar on the live finals.

James says: “I’m one step closer to doing what I really want to do for the rest of my life.”

I say: He’s good but if he is to stand a chance, he can’t stick to guitar based songs every time.

Prediction: 13th               Odds: 7-1

Marcus Collins

Aged 21, hairdresser from Liverpool

A QUIET and shy young person at school, Marcus found his inner voice in musicals.  He became a huge fan of Destiny’s Child, always buying tickets for their Liverpool shows and has got all of their tour DVD’s.  Now he aims to follow in their footsteps in realising his potential and it’s worked so far.

Marcus says: “I cannot believe I’m through – I’m just a regular lad and I’ve been to LA!”

I say: Very popular, very talented.  Certainly the pick of the boys pack.

Prediction: Runner-Up  Odds: 9-1

FIRST: Tulisa will have her work cut out to produce a winner

GROUPS – mentored by Tulisa

2 Shoes

CHARLEY BIRD, aged 23, telecoms worker & LUCY TEXEIRA, aged 21, fragrance shop worker, both from Essex.

CHARLEY and Lucy first met whilst performing at various events across Essex.  They soon combined their talent together into a duo.  First considered as a laughingstock from first impressions, they have quickly proved that they really do have singing talent.  During bootcamp, it was revealed that one half of the pair was three months pregnant, so it’s a brave decision from Tulisa to put them through into the final 16.

The girls say: “What on earth are we going to wear? Will they do us fake tan and nails?”

I say: It’s nice to see some variety at times.  The jury is still out on them at the moment but one thing is for certain, to those people who say they can’t sing – SHUT UP!

Prediction: 9th                  Odds: 33-1

Nu Vibe

ASHFORD CAMPBELL, aged 19, student from Huddersfield, BRADLEY JOHNSON, aged 16, student from Liverpool, JORDAN HIGO, aged 16, student from Manchester, RICHARD MILFORD, aged 16, student from Birmingham, STEFAN ROMER, aged 19, unemployed from Hampshire

ASHFORD, Bradley, Jordan, Richard and Stefan all entered as solo acts but the strong competition in the boy’s category, combined with the initial abdominal talent in the category means they are one of three groups manufactured by the judges in the final line-up.

The boys say: “A few weeks ago, we were in college and now this.”

I say: They may lack some edge but they have strong chemistry and will certainly get a lot of teen attention.

Prediction: 3rd                  Odds: 14-1

Rhythmix

JADE THIRWALL, aged 18, student from Newcastle, JESY NELSON, aged 20, barmaid from London, LEIGH-ANNE PINNOCK, aged 19, Pizza Hut waitress from North London, PERRIE EDWARDS, aged 18, student from Newcastle

JADE, Jesy, Leigh-Anne and Perrie will count themselves extremely lucky.  They were knocked out at the first stage of Bootcamp as soloists and then rejected again in separate created groups at the second stage.  However, they were another group benefiting from the lack of talent in the groups category which resulted in them merging together for judges’ houses.

The girls say: “We feel sick with excitement. We’re so glad Tulisa saw our potential.”

I say: Their judges’ houses performance proved they have so much potential.  However, I feel that the “Girlband Curse” is ready to fire again.

Prediction: 14th               Odds: 25-1

The Risk

ANDREW MERRY, aged 20, car salesman from Ayr, ASHLEY BAPTISTE, aged 22, university graduate from North London, CHARLIE HEALY, aged 25, pub singer from Coventry, DERRY MENSAH, aged 21, Burger King employee from East London,

Andrew, Ashley, Charlie and Derry are also benefits of the poor standard from the group’s category.  After the initial line-up of The Risk failed and with fellow group The Keys relying too much on lead singer Charlie, Tulisa decided to axe two members of The Risk and bring in Charlie to give the group a much needed boost ahead of the live finals.

The boys say: “It feels like the start of something special. Because we’ve all been put together it’s like an emotional rollercoaster that’s on its route to success.”

I say: On paper it looks a good combination but whether they can connect together remains to be seen.

Prediction: 10th               Odds: 20-1

OVER 25s – mentored by Louis Walsh

Johnny Robinson

Aged 45, unemployed from Harrow

BACK in 1990, Johnny took part in the very first series of Stars in their Eyes.  He impersonated his idol Boy George and he made it to the grand final.  Twenty-one years later, he is well known for his high-pitched helium vocal which certainly makes him a total laughingstock to make all the way to the last 16.  Certainly was a surprising selection for the live shows.

Johnny says: “Someone pinch me and wake me up!”

I say: Yet again, Louis has proven why he is a fool.  I hope he goes early on but this unfortunately looks like it’s going to be another Wagner.

Prediction: 7th                  Odds: 50-1

Jonjo Kerr

Aged 27, infantry soldier from Wiltshire

JONJO has devoted most of his life to protecting the country on the frontline.  In his short spare time, Jonjo has performed in school and karaoke bars.  Now he wants to crack it on the big time and he hopes that doing the show will make both his family and army colleagues proud of him.

Jonjo says: “I’m just a normal bloke and I feel extremely privileged.”

I say: Totally outspoken, great voice and always gives it 110%.  He could be the dark horse of the competition.

Prediction: 4th                  Odds: 33-1

Kitty Brucknell

Aged 26, club singer from Cheltenham

KITTY has been performing since the age of five, gradually moving up in performance standard, from summer camps to a regular slot at local nightclub.  She mainly excels in the field of A Cappella, when there are no instruments or backing track to accompany the performance.  She has already earned a negative and diva reception from the press and it’s difficult to see why as she will take no expense from living her dream.

Kitty says: “I’m so grateful to Louis for taking a risk with me.”

I say: Can perform well but her bitchy approach will be her undoing.  Exit week one, stage right, I think.

Prediction: 16th               Odds: 50-1

CHANCE: Can Sami take the second opportunity thrown to her?

Sami Brookes

Aged 31, retail assistant from Rhyl

SAMI has worked in the retail industry all her life but has always dreamed of a singing career.  She had entered several karaoke competitions and regularly performs in pubs and clubs across her hometown.  She was initially sent home by Louis, but after Chinese hopeful Goldie Cheung quit the show, Sami was given a second chance to impress.

Sami says: “I’ve conquered my nightmares because of my dreams!”

I say: The public will no doubt accept her more than Goldie but the pressure is already on her as she has had less preparation time than her fellow contestants.

Prediction: 8th                  Odds: 20-1

POWER: Kelly will be hoping for plenty of girl style from her picks

GIRLS – mentored by Kelly Rowland

Amelia Lily

Aged 16, student from Middlesbrough, Tyne and Wear

AMELIA entered the competition after being inspired by her brother Lewis, who was runner-up in the BBC show Any Dream Will Do in 2007.  She attends dance school and regularly takes part in musical theatre.  Although it was her brother that convinced her to take part, Amelia’s biggest inspiration is her own father.

Amelia says: “I’m just going to work my socks off, I really am.”

I say: For a girl of her age with such a grown-up voice, I say she’s got a good shot but is she ready for the big time?  I’m not totally won over yet.

Prediction: 5th                  Odds: 5-1

Janet Devlin

Aged 16, student from Omagh

JANET first started singing when her grandmother convinced her to take vocal lessons.  Since then, she has become very passionate about music and it means so much to her.  In fact, she has been writing songs since the age of seven and feels it more natural to sing rather than talk.  Now that’s pure dedication!

Janet says: “This is the start of being taken seriously as a musician.”

I say: Anyone who really commits their future to music early in her life deserves to go for it.  At the moment, I think Janet is the one to beat.

Prediction: Winner         Odds: 5-2

Misha Bryan

Aged 19, student from Manchester

IT WASN’T until the age of 14 until Misha decided to sing competitively.  Since then, she has compared to a way of understanding herself.  Her parents and friends have been very supportive and always listen to her rehearse.  Now Misha is determined to pay them back in the only way she knows how.

Misha says: “Dream to reality – next stop, world domination!”

I say: Has great ability.  If she can conquer other themes of song besides R&B, she’s in with a fighting chance.

Prediction: 12th               Odds: 14-1

Sophie Habibis

Aged 19, barmaid from West London

FOR a girl of her ability, Sophie has had a rough time in growing up.  Dropped out of school early and went against going to college, she instead wanted to have an active part of life.  That’s where the singing came in and she now combines it with her role as a barmaid in a local pub, along with playing at local festivals.

Sophie says: “I was expecting a no because everyone was so good.”

I say: Has totally been taken aback by going through going into the finals.  However, it will take a lot of convincing to prove to the public that she can go all the way.

Prediction: 15th               Odds: 14-1

So that is the starting line-up for this year’s live finals. Or is it?

     That’s because it has been confirmed that once again, the first live show is to be rocked by a BIG TWIST.  Of course, it won’t be known until the live show but the theories are that the wildcards are being used again (but this can’t surely happen, how can you fit 20 acts in two and a half hours?), the category mentors being swapped (that would be interesting) and the rumours of a fifth judge (which will either be Simon Cowell or Cheryl Cole rejoining the show.)

     In either case, it looks set to be an entertaining ten weeks ahead, and it all starts on Saturday at 7:30pm on ITV1 and ITV1 HD. IT’S TIME…TO FACE…THE MUSIC!

The X-Factor - The next generation

(By Jason Wright, Entertainment Expert)

SATURDAY saw the launch of eighth series of The X-Factor and its much hyped makeover, aptly entitled “The Next Generation.”  So, how did the new judges fare on their debut?

GENERATION: Louis, Tulisa, Kelly and Gary head the new panel

     Simon Cowell had stepped down to focus on the US counterpart and had persuaded Cheryl Cole to join her on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, until we knew what happened next.  Meanwhile, Dannii Minogue hasn’t returned either, due to commitment clashes in Australia.  In their place alongside veteran Louis Walsh were Take That’s Gary Barlow, N-Dubz front girl Tulisa and American singer Kelly Rowland.  Fans were angry at these inept decisions taken by ITV and Cowell, with wild rumours of the judges being constantly booed by the audience at the live auditions.  Again, as with many rumours in the show’s past, this claim was quickly dismissed by the programme.

     Still, bosses at ITV feared a mauling in the ratings similar to Britain’s Got Talent and American Idol in the US, two shows that Cowell has quit or limited his appearance this year.  Critics initially scoffed this refresh approach, until they saw the first episode at the show’s press day.  John Plunkett, a TV columnist for The Guardian newspaper described it as, “ITV looked to fill the Cowell-shaped hole at the heart of its most popular and important programme with as much ‘vazjazzle’ as it could muster.  Some of it worked, Cowell’s replacement Gary Barlow looked a natural in his role as the show’s “Mr Nasty.”  Simon Cowell would have been proud.”

     Similar praise was also given by other media critics and when the programme aired over the weekend, so did the fans, with the general feeling of any doubts being dismissed.  The consent feeling is that recent years of The X-Factor have been heavily biased on the performance of the judges.  However this series promises to be geared more towards the contestants striving to win and it’s exactly what the viewers wanted.

     Nearly 12 million watched the first episode, slightly down on the figures of last year’s opener but still pretty impressive considering the concerns over a steep drop over the ratings.  A Digital Spy poll reported that a whopping 76 per cent had given the thumbs up for the new judging panel.

     In my own personal view, the first episode certainly turned out to be better than first predicted though I’m still not overly convinced on the performances of the new panel.  Gary Barlow is already a big plus to the show; he is brutally honest when someone isn’t talented enough and has already settled in well as head judge.  Tulisa was a nice surprise too.  She seemed to know what she was talking about; she also stood up for herself brilliantly when one of the rejected acts on this week’s show responded to the rejection by calling her a “scumbag.”  However, I already dislike Kelly Rowland; I think she is out of her depth and often or not, takes the job with over the top comments.  Maybe my opinions will change on her as the series goes on but for now, I’m certainly not impressed by her.

     No doubt the feedback from experts and the great British public will act as a massive boost of confidence to the brand new judges but this just the beginning.  They now need to keep the momentum up for a few more weeks to come, so the viewers can be convinced that the future of The X-Factor is, against all odds from a few months ago, in fact very bright after all.