Lights, camera, X Factor! It’s movie night tonight on X Factor UK! And miraculously, we only have 3 songs from The Greatest Showman, and the Asteroid song isn’t on the set list! So things are a lot better than they could be. Last week, Dalton, Scarlett, and Shan continued to pull ahead of the pack. Will that continue this week? The best way to find out is to join me at 3:30 PM eastern as I liveblog all the action!
After a recap of last week and a preview for tonight (featuring OMG John Bailey from Honest Trailers – epic voice guy – saying it’s time to face the music!) Dermot spins and says your Saturday night starts right here! Ten contestants remain with three weeks until the final. Dermot introduces the judges. The music changes from the Superman theme to Darth Vader’s theme as Dermot introduces Simon – LOL. Another double elimination this week.
Giovanni Spano – Clearly he’s getting bussed this week. He has dinner with his family and his family is stereotypically Italian. He sings The Greatest Show from The Greatest Showman. Brendon Urie did it better. Having said that, Gio is delivering a competent vocal and he has a lot of production around him. Simon and Louis sit, Nile Rodgers and Ayda stand. Simon says it was a great choice of song. Louis loved the arrangement, said he did a great job. Nile says he’s a great showman. Ayda says the set was on fire, he was on fire, hopes people vote to keep him in. Subtle praise = a bussing when someone goes up first.
Dalton Harris – He’s singing California Dreaming. In the VT, he talks about his nerves. But he shouldn’t be, because he’s killing this. He’s now sung both songs Seann Miley Moore sang a few years back, but he’s done them even better. Four judge standing ovation for the chosen one. My god he’s good. Ayda comments that the screaming is so loud after every one of his performances, she doesn’t know if he can hear her. She’s running out of things to say, she expects to stand every time for him. Nile says he’s next level, every time he performs he’s unbelievable. Simon says to Louis that his mentoring has been amazing. Simon says he’ll be in the final in three weeks time. Yep. Louis talks about his nerves, tells Dalton to take it in.
Scarlett Lee – She continues to have to follow Dalton. She talks with her dad in the VT. She’s singing I’ll Never Love Again from A Star Is Born. She’s an amazing singer. I want her and Dalton in the final 2 so bad, I won’t care which of them wins. Scarlett nailed another vocal. Only Simon stands for her though. Ugh. Louis says she doesn’t just sing songs, she sings with emotion. Ayda loved the tenderness and vulnerability, she’s got Scarlett fever. Nile says she was wonderful, did the song justice, cheaply plugs his album. Simon says they stripped it back later in the week, says it was one of her best performances. She says she wants to top herself every week. Dermot brings up Simon’s week 1 comment, which worries me a bit. I know they don’t want her to win, but I hope they want her in the final at least.
Brendan Murray – He goes to Ireland. He sings Everybody Hurts, which is the song that got him the Golden X. This is great, better than last week by a mile. I know a bussing is coming. Nile and Louis stand, Simon and Ayda sit. Simon says he’s been critical of Brendan so far but thought tonight was great, couldn’t be happier for him. Ayda says being in the bottom is the best thing that could happen to him, says he found his lane and had the fight. Nile says he brought him to tears in Ibiza, would love to record him. Louis is proud of him, says it was his best performance of live shows.
Acacia & Aaliyah – I miss some of the VT due to connection issues. They’re going to do Survivor. Robbie is still mentoring them via Skype. They were going to do Cardi B I Like It Like That. I think this is less good than they’ve been in the past. It’s not a train wreck but it’s not good either. Nile stands for them. Ayda says their branding was on point, she’s going to call them Destiny’s Grandchildren, hopes they survive. Louis says it was amazing how they came out fighting after last week. Simon says they should be chaos, says it was overproduced, they have to be messy, hopes they survive on their potential. Nile is amazed that they changed the song, says they impressed the heck out of him.
Bella Penfold – She’s singing A Million Dreams from The Greatest Showman. Before she starts she talks into a mirror about what she’d tell herself when she was 10. She’s no P!nk, but this might be the best she’s sounded so far in the competition. No rapping this week. My favorite performance she’s done so far. Simon stands, the other three sit. Louis says the vocal was good, but didn’t like the song choice. Ayda also didn’t like the song choice but likes her. Nile disagrees, thought she killed that song. Simon absolutely loved the whole performance, thinks people will connect to her for the first time, says she’s one of the nicest people he’s worked with in a long time. Bella says she likes the bad comments better because she can learn from them. A class act.
Misunderstood – They are singing Maniac from Flashdance. Robbie FaceTimes with them. They “misunderstoodify” the song in the studio, and they come up with their choreography. They start out with harmonies. It’s good but it’s still not a moment. I’m more mad at them with each passing week, because I know what they are capable of. And it’s a lot more than this. They need to do a ballad next week if they survive this week. Nile stands, the other three look confused. Ayda says they bring the party, well done. Louis was underwhelmed, doesn’t think it was the right song choice for them. Simon said after 10 seconds he would have said stop, let me hear a second song, says they lost themselves. Nile says they didn’t want to do it like this but because of circumstances they had to do it like this. They sound pretty cocky when Dermot interviews them. I think they’re in trouble. And honestly, I hope they do end up in the bottom so they can sing a friggin ballad.
Danny Tetley – He’s singing My Heart Will Go On. It’s ok, but Danny can’t afford to just be ok at this point. Acacia & Aaliyah dance/mime dramatic in the balcony – LOL. Danny will never be relevant but at least he doesn’t make my ears bleed. Ayda stands for him. Nobody else does, but they do clap. Simon says it was the right song for him, says that next week is Big Band week which should be a moment for him. Louis says it was great to watch. Nile says he was in his right register, he nailed it. Ayda says she was Celine De-on-it tonight. Ayda begs for votes for Danny.
Anthony Russell – He’s singing Eye Of The Tiger from Rocky. Totally makes sense based on his personality, but probably not based on his voice. He enters from backstage. This is hilariously over the top. But I have to say, he’s doing a great job with the vocal at least. By the end, I think this is his best performance so far? Am I crazy for writing that? Not that much as all four judges stand so Anthony can high five the fake band again. Ayda says it was the perfect song for him. Nile says he found his voice, that’s his song. Simon says he was messy, fun, exciting, loves him. Louis is proud of him, says this show is about people like him.
Shan Ako – She’s singing Never Enough, which was her audition song. She had trouble picking a song, which is clearly why she ended up with a reprise. Even though everyone went crazy over this audition, I have to say, Scarlett sang this exact song way better than Shan did. This is perfectly passable but I’m underwhelmed. And she almost sang the wrong lyrics at one point. Simon stands, the others sit. As they should. That wasn’t standing o worthy. Louis wants more of her identity. Ayda says never enough is how Simon feels about Botox, says she’s someone to watch in the competition. Nile knows she’s unbelievable, but doesn’t think it was a consistent performance, doesn’t think the lower register was great. He speaks the truth. Simon said technically it wasn’t great because she fell out of time, but she recovered. Simon gets that she gets nervous, but he absolutely loved that. Thank god they didn’t blow smoke after that because it didn’t deserve it.
The vote is now open! Tomorrow we go back to the format from two weeks ago. The lowest vote contestant goes at the start of the show. Then the vote reopens for a few minutes before the bottom 2 are revealed and they sing off. Olly Murs is returning to perform, along with Michael Buble.
