Ali weighs in on the recent eliminations of X Factor UK early frontrunners, and what it means for the competition. He’ll be back on Wednesday with a column on the X Factor US.
The reactions online following Janet Devlin’s elimination this past weekend on The X Factor UK were probably the most polarizing that I’ve observed over the course of this past season. While some staunch supporters insist that she was sabotaged by the show’s production staff with bad song choices and early performance slots, others simply feel like it was her time to leave after a string of mediocre performances. What surprised me most wasn’t Janet’s elimination per se, but what her elimination signifies about this very unusual season of The X Factor. For the first time, we are facing a semi-final with no real front-runner, and to me, that’s the most exciting thing of all.
Just like all televised singing competitions worldwide, this season of The X Factor began establishing emotional story arcs for a chosen few contestants very early in the game. Early on in the season, the contestants I remember being featured the most were dramatic villain Kitty Brucknell, cheeky heartthrob Frankie Cocozza, lovable everyman Craig Colton, and the endearingly demure (and recently departed) Janet Devlin. There’s a reason why TV shows do this. They want the public to be connected with the winner, and to feel like they are a part of their rise to the top. A stowaway on their train to stardom, if you will.
This season, however, for the first time in my memory, the lovely train that the producers so meticulously scheduled was derailed spectacularly within the span of a few weeks. Frankie Cocozza, poised to duplicate the success of fellow floppy-banged X-Factor alumni like One Direction, ended up being an awful vocalist with an unlikable persona. After breaking competition rules regarding illicit drug usage, early frontrunner Cocozza was booted. Instead of relishing her role as this season’s evil queen, Kitty Brucknell misguidedly attempted to endear herself to the audience. The British public, who savors manipulative bad girls, ultimately got bored of her ‘please like me’ desperation and sent her packing. Both Craig Colton and Janet Devlin ultimately revealed a lack of vocal diversity, and were hit with the dreaded ‘boring’ tags by the public and media alike. And unlike a Rebecca Ferguson in season’s past, the public eventually tired of them. And thus, almost consecutively, the X Factor’s ‘chosen ones’ all fizzled one by one.
So what does this mean for us, the viewers? It means that, for the first time on a show so reliant on pre-planned story arcs and editing trickery, we actually have 3 acts who are still standing purely because of their talent and personality, not the scripted delusions of a senior producer.
For the first few weeks of the live shows, Marcus Collins seemed like true cannon fodder. Compared to the heartthrob potential of Frankie and the down-to-earth relatability of Craig, his days seemed to be numbered. Now, he’s the last man standing. While Craig played it safe and Frankie played with fire, Marcus found his niche as a high-energy jitterbug with a winning smile. Who would have thought that after his dull-as-dishwater rendition of Rihanna’s ‘Russian Roulette’ that he would now be a lock for the final?
Because girl bands have historically found it hard to connect with the public, it seemed like Little Mix was destined for an early exit. Surprisingly, however, this assembled girl group managed to win over the public by exhibiting fun, quirky personalities and a united front. All four girls go to showcase their unique personalities while blending together seamlessly. This doesn’t seem like four aspiring solo artists begrudgingly forced together- they seem to genuinely get along and support one another as vocalists. Plus, they’re all excellent singers in their own way, and share the spotlight with one another graciously. In a season with two boy bands filled with handsome young guys, I’m shocked that Little Mix ended up being the last group standing.
Lastly, Amelia Lily’s arc has been nothing short of bizarre. She at least got some sort of story arc early on (unlike Little Mix and Marcus), but after her elimination in week 1 (when her mentor Kelly Rowland voted her off), it seemed like we’d heard the last of her. However, when Frankie’s penchant for nose candy got him booted, Amelia took his place, re-entering the competition. Despite not having had as much time as the others to build a large following, Amelia has delivered terrific vocals since she’s been back, and despite a showing in the bottom 2, seems to have found her footing.
This season of The X Factor has been full of twists and turns. There’s been interpersonal drama, new judges, and surprising developments. However, it’s nice to know that there’s one thing we can count on: The semi-final will consist mostly of acts who prevailed because of their talent and connection with the public, not the master plan of the production staff.
