X Factor Australia 5 – Live Show 5

Rock! Week! Devil Horns! Satanic Imagery! Electric! Guitars! O.K. not so much especially when Train is on the set list for tonight. But figured I would try to get into the spirit, before I delve into it! Overall, this week didn’t impress me that much, but the story isn’t that simple. Obviously as I have about at least a thousand more words to talk about it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2hWCF9ZSHI

Taylor Henderson tackles Cold Chisel’s “Choirgirl” and for the first time in a while, I really felt this is a song he would do on his album. Very much in his vein, very much authentic. With lovely flourish of manly growl. (Did I just write that last sentence?) I also thought a lot of the vocals were mixed weird with the music this week. Putting the voice behind the music a little too much, and this performance was one of the few where the contestant wasn’t enveloped by the music. I said it in the beginning, and I still believe it. Taylor will be in the final 3. The one thing that really helped him this week, was that acoustic guitar opening. In a week where everyone is loud and banging, there is something to be said for the one that is a little quiet.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbtDn0TBQWg

I wanted so, so, so bad to put THIRD D3GREE‘s “By The Way” first this week. But I couldn’t, the vocals went pair shaped after the first chorus. Easily, and I want to stress that, easily the most fun performance of the week. Jordan’s vocals at the beginning have never been stronger. Harmonies had some great moments at the end. Kelebek’s rapping was good, but not the usual star power that I am used to and want to see from her. I think Jacinta’s voice was veering on a little sharp, or pitched a little too high. If those few complaints were addressed, I could’ve given them first, but alas nope. Do I think that THIRD D3GREE can make the final 3? Yes. Do I think they will? I think they will be in the final 4 looking in, sadly. As much as I love them. Their performances haven’t even reach the likes of The Collective’s “Domino” or Three Wishez’s “You’re The Voice” “Turning Tables” “Lose Yourself” So I hope so. But I think Johnny Ruffo Omar Dean could be a spoiler for them when trying to make the final 3.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DPPw9QsrJ6E

A lot of people got overwhelmed by the mix this week, but not Dami Im she pushed with her (sometimes shout-y) vocal and came out one of the few winners of the week. I know this isn’t the Best of Dami by any exaggeration. Dannii and Dami had such a big pool to select from and this was kind of a banal choice.  I must commend them for not going the Halleluiah with choir route, so in at least someways this was at least somewhat unique. I am not usually a fan of Janet Devlin but her performance of “Sweet Child of Mine” was my favorite for rock week on X Factor UK 8. You’re like Ed, why did you bring up this performance? Because Janet made it her own, with the Florence + the Machine inspired harp. This is what held Dami back from being the best this week. She didn’t make it her own besides the pyrotechnics. Dami is another lock for the final 3, I wish she showed something that was uniquely hers though other than a big powerful voice. Put a freaking didgeridoo up there, or cello, something. Change it up.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JyOm6asxRE

In terms of Glee Project auditions. Omar Dean did a fantastic job with this Journey song. He had swagger, he was confident. The most confident I’ve ever seen him on the show. He did well with everything and was one of the four performers tonight, not overwhelmed by the mix. I actually believed whilst viewing this that Omar could be the lead singer of a rock band, a la Thirty Second to Mars or Daughtry or Hedley or Mookie & the Loyalists. (You weren’t expecting a Canadian Idol 2 or 6 reference, were ya? Nope.) Where Omar went wrong was his falsetto notes. Normally he hits them with ease. I am not going to say he missed the notes per say, but the product wasn’t that pleasant (Danny Gokey, “Dream On” ok not nearly THAT bad). Omar is sexy and could therefore be a spoiler for THIRD D3GREE’s chance in the final 3, not to say he doesn’t deserve it. Just at this moment I think 3D deserve it more.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8i0fB5NRAc

The only thing I could think of during this entire performance was Katy Perry. Katy Perry. Katy Perry. I am not sure why? Perhaps it is the poofy 80’s esque skirt or the hair or a combination of how she works the stage. But Jiordan Tolli was channeling her best Katy Perry for “Dancing With My Myself.” The beginning was strong, but after Redfoo’s dubious count-in, the music started taking control of the performance and the vocals fell to the background. This was a fun time, but that isn’t what wins you this show. It was stuff like her “Thriller” and “With or Without You.” This is a decided step backward from those (albeit slightly forward from “Burn” so all in perspective, I suppose). Two weeks Jiordan was a lock for taking the wildcard spot in the final 3 (aka Taylor and Dami are locks only one spot open) and now she is looking like a very strong fifth or sixth place finisher. Slow it down, make it yours, random song suggestion, Lana Del Rey’s “Video Games.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3dDXaoWlKw

Jai Waetford didn’t necessarily do anything wrong with Train’s “Drops of Jupiter,” but he was a bit breathy. Now I know this strong is a difficult one to sing (many nights of SingStar karaoke informed me) and he did it with poise. There isn’t anything special though. Nothing that particularly amazing, unique or exciting. This why I knocked him down to sixth (although the argument could be made that he deserved as good as fourth). I am hoping this article will send a message to him and Ronan (LOL, like they read this, although they should) that Jai needs to do something, something big to prove he deserves to be in the final 3. Because even if he gets there, but undeserving. It will be as empty of a victory as Ray Quinn getting second place to Leona Lewis, no one really cared after it was over. Unless. Unless Jai does something to show us he deserves it. Do some Justin Beiber or Austin Mahone already.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUO23Hed3h8

I almost ranked Joelle last, almost, but Joelle’s level of difficult on “Joey” was so low, that how could she have failed that miserably. The song didn’t go anywhere, it wasn’t anything special. Joelle did seem emotionally connected to the performance, so that is something. She is headed for a quick trip to the bottom 2 and out of here. She lost all of her edge, I don’t whether it is Redfoo or her or Redoo’s inability to make song choices that exemplify Joelle’s talents. Random song suggestion if by some miracle she survives Ed Sheeran’s “You Need Me, I Don’t Need You” with the full rap. Come on girl find your urban edge.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=But6-KOXZj8

JTR did their best harmonies of the season on this performance. And they looked like a proper rocking boy band over “Thanks fr th Mmrs.” My biggest issue with this was how they overpowered by the music. Plus their repeated trips to the bottom 2, it is a little hard to believe they will ever get out of this whole that they are dug in. If they survive this week it will most likely be at Joelle’s expense, which I cannot blame the judges for sending her home first. There is a part of me that wonders if Cat Vas deserved the second chance more than Joelle did. Anyway, back to JTR nothing special, decent, easily one of the weakest performances of the night. Probable bottom 2 on Tuesday.

  1. Taylor Henderson
  2. THIRD D3GREE
  3. Dami Im
  4. Omar Dean
  5. Jiordan Tolli
  6. Jai Waetford
  7. Joelle
  8. JTR

The bottom two will be a combination of Joelle, JTR, Jiordan Tolli with an outside chance of Jai Waetford, but probably it will just be JTR and Joelle.

Thanks for reading! Comment below.

Ed