After a very long intro, Mario gets us on the way with the Girls, mentored by Demi Lovato.
Ellona gets the job of kicking everything off. Great. Leather hot pants and one really modern track that we haven't seen in any of the X Factor UK shows. Producers please note! Really good performance which didn't require much by way of singing talent but she certainly got everyone's attention and a lot of compliments.
Danie may be the one with the least stage presence. She is also doing a very, very today number, Wrecking Ball which is still at the top of our charts. Her vocals were spot on but the judges were a little down on her. I feel she might be the one to go, judging from Demi's attitude.
Rion is the very young and a little strange one. A mass of curly red-blonde hair makes her look even younger, Her performance of Skyscraper was remarkably good. This girl is very impressive and you can't help but respect what she does. She is almost certain to stay and may be one of the early favourites to win this show.
Khaya is doing Duff's Mercy and actually sounds quite like her. A good solid performance. She seems reliable and, if a little chunky, is attractive. Nice mini skirt from the 60s and well-presented. Simon notes that she might have some sort of likeability problem. She sounds serious - but not as serious as Danie. That was good and should mean that she stays in the competition.
Demi has to make a decision straight after the four sing. It is pretty obvious that it will be Danie that she sends home. Probably the right decision. She had no poor performers in her group but maybe it is better for her to choose than the public. they'll get their chance soon enough.
So now Paulina has to choose three of the four boys. You get the impression that she has already decided.
Josh Levi starts this category. Only Girl In The World is ideal for his voice. This young fellow is good. He will have a huge fan base, girls will love him and he can interact with the audience and those on stage with him well. The four judges were a little damning of the song choice and said that he'll need a lot of work. I still think he'll walk through to the next round.
Carlos Guevara has been one of lovable characters in the series so far. He hasn't always looked so smart and has an unusual, chewy sort of voice and may not be everyone's idea of a pop star but he has a huge amount of passion and is a mature singer who knows what the lyrics mean and how to get the across. Don't You Worry Child was a good number but I am not sure it showed him at his best. He's good and I'd want to see him go further. Now that's interesting, Mario announces that Carlos is the 'leading boy on-line'. There must be some on-line voting going on. No-one mentioned that before.
Carlito does a truly native Latino performance. No idea what it was called. Maybe Maria Maria. It was pretty typical of this sort of stuff and he did a good job, if not a particularly memorable one. Nice movement and he can certainly sing well. There may be some room for this in the market. Simon says almost exactly that just as I write this and that is one hell of a compliment for this chap. He will be feeling great and there is no way that Paulina will be able to kick him out now!
The weak one for me has always been Tim Olstad. Nice enough chap. Good voice. In fact, an extremely good voice as I listen to this performance. I am beginning to change my mind as he goes on. This is good and maybe there is space for someone who can appeal to the ballad, slightly Country, voters. It'll be between Tim and Carlos and Paulina has to choose. I think I might choose Tim after all. Simon is right about his looks and there is little star quality in terms of what he does on stage. If it were purely voice then he's in. If it's about performance then Carlos may just survive.
Mario says that, 'at home', Carlos is slightly ahead. That may well make her choice a bit easier. And you do wonder quite why they said that. Didn't mention it for the girls. Carlos is chosen with Carlito so it's between Josh and Tim. Interesting. Tim gets it. Josh, who many thought was a major contender, is out! That was a surprise. My views have been switching as I write, live with the recorded programme. I am beginning to wish I had seen some reports on what has happened, this being some week or so after the actual broadcast, thanks to some bizarre scheduling and total lack of promotion by ITV2 here in the UK.
Kelly has the Over 25s. Rachel looks good. James too. Jeff is the doubtful one. Lillie just has to keep going. Rachel has a big lead, apparently, with that on-line thing.
Lillie starts this category with When A Man Loves A Woman. Wow, this lady is good. I am very impressed at how she can look so neat for the age she is and there is no clue whatsoever that she is more than thirty something. A little breathless in places but a nice, solid and, in places, excellent performance. She'll survive and the public should love her too. Simon has a 'but', (not that sort of butt, he adds,) making the point that she may have been a bit old-style for this competition. I didn't notice that.
Jeff looks slightly scary to me. Great voice and nice to have someone rocking on the show. His is so good but will he get votes in this competition? He should be leading a band. It's raw and honest and Simon continues to say it's 'bloody brilliant'. I agree. Would I put him through? Dunno yet.
Rachel sings Liann Rimes' I Hope You Dance. Love that song. Not an easy one, as last year's runner-up will recall. They need a Country singer in this show. She may be the only one unless they re-programme Tim. Perfect song for her and she is someone I would hope to see survive. She has quite an emotional appeal to Kelly.
James has a great stage presence, apart from the brown trousers. Painted It Red or something like that is a nice enough track but I'm not sure he will appeal widely or last that long even if he does get through. A good performance. Good reviews from the judges too. Kelly has a tough choice. Sending him home would not be an easy decision.
I feel Jeff gave the better performance and may just stand out as a more unique act in the next live shows. I'd definitely keep Rachel for the Country vote. That's the first that Kelly chooses. Second is Jeff. That must mean James is going. Yup, Kelly chooses Lillie. No she doesn't. Yes she does. That was close. Poor James.
Love the way the groups react on arriving at Simon's house.
Roxxy Montana are first up for the Groups. Simon has them singing the remarkable Royals which has just hit the top of the UK charts and I didn't think it had been released there yet. So you couldn't get much more current or commercial-sounding. A good move for the public vote but this is not what Simon needs to do. They start at the bottom of the on-line vote chart, we're told. One of the voices was not nice to listen to. I may well get rid of them
Sweet Suspense are three girls from the audition rounds that Simon has put together, Amazing! They get to do I Don't Care and they are certain, certain folks, to get through. Potential winners, even if they didn't sing so well. That was the commercial performance of the night.
Alex & Sierra next. I am so impressed with simon's choices for the groups. They get Blurred Lines - another No 1 song here - and incredibly catchy! Again, he didn't need to do that for this section and I would have saved it up for the public vote. They did a great job of the track and have a certain appeal out there. An odd pair in many ways but they suit America. They wouldn't survive here for more than a week but will be around across the Pond for a week or two more yet.
Restless Road are the other Country act. A nice bunch of lads put together for the show. Ha! They get Roar! I am stunned by the song choices he's made. So current. So different to the UK show. Much better as well. It was a bit odd in places but the guys get on well and it worked.
It does look pretty much as though Roxxy Montana will be going home. I'm not too worried about that. The others really did do well. I suppose the choice ahs to be between them and Alex & Sierra. He puts Restless Road through straight away and says he thinks they could win the show. Next must be Sweet Suspense but no, it's Alex & Sierra. So, yes, he gives Sweet Suspense the chance they need and it's Roxxy Montana that, after a very long wait, he sends home.
That was quite a show. Marvellous entertainment. Why on Earth ITV2 put that on at some crazy hour in the afternoon, I have no idea.
Ellona gets the job of kicking everything off. Great. Leather hot pants and one really modern track that we haven't seen in any of the X Factor UK shows. Producers please note! Really good performance which didn't require much by way of singing talent but she certainly got everyone's attention and a lot of compliments.
Danie may be the one with the least stage presence. She is also doing a very, very today number, Wrecking Ball which is still at the top of our charts. Her vocals were spot on but the judges were a little down on her. I feel she might be the one to go, judging from Demi's attitude.
Rion is the very young and a little strange one. A mass of curly red-blonde hair makes her look even younger, Her performance of Skyscraper was remarkably good. This girl is very impressive and you can't help but respect what she does. She is almost certain to stay and may be one of the early favourites to win this show.
Khaya is doing Duff's Mercy and actually sounds quite like her. A good solid performance. She seems reliable and, if a little chunky, is attractive. Nice mini skirt from the 60s and well-presented. Simon notes that she might have some sort of likeability problem. She sounds serious - but not as serious as Danie. That was good and should mean that she stays in the competition.
Demi has to make a decision straight after the four sing. It is pretty obvious that it will be Danie that she sends home. Probably the right decision. She had no poor performers in her group but maybe it is better for her to choose than the public. they'll get their chance soon enough.
So now Paulina has to choose three of the four boys. You get the impression that she has already decided.
Josh Levi starts this category. Only Girl In The World is ideal for his voice. This young fellow is good. He will have a huge fan base, girls will love him and he can interact with the audience and those on stage with him well. The four judges were a little damning of the song choice and said that he'll need a lot of work. I still think he'll walk through to the next round.
Carlos Guevara has been one of lovable characters in the series so far. He hasn't always looked so smart and has an unusual, chewy sort of voice and may not be everyone's idea of a pop star but he has a huge amount of passion and is a mature singer who knows what the lyrics mean and how to get the across. Don't You Worry Child was a good number but I am not sure it showed him at his best. He's good and I'd want to see him go further. Now that's interesting, Mario announces that Carlos is the 'leading boy on-line'. There must be some on-line voting going on. No-one mentioned that before.
Carlito does a truly native Latino performance. No idea what it was called. Maybe Maria Maria. It was pretty typical of this sort of stuff and he did a good job, if not a particularly memorable one. Nice movement and he can certainly sing well. There may be some room for this in the market. Simon says almost exactly that just as I write this and that is one hell of a compliment for this chap. He will be feeling great and there is no way that Paulina will be able to kick him out now!
The weak one for me has always been Tim Olstad. Nice enough chap. Good voice. In fact, an extremely good voice as I listen to this performance. I am beginning to change my mind as he goes on. This is good and maybe there is space for someone who can appeal to the ballad, slightly Country, voters. It'll be between Tim and Carlos and Paulina has to choose. I think I might choose Tim after all. Simon is right about his looks and there is little star quality in terms of what he does on stage. If it were purely voice then he's in. If it's about performance then Carlos may just survive.
Mario says that, 'at home', Carlos is slightly ahead. That may well make her choice a bit easier. And you do wonder quite why they said that. Didn't mention it for the girls. Carlos is chosen with Carlito so it's between Josh and Tim. Interesting. Tim gets it. Josh, who many thought was a major contender, is out! That was a surprise. My views have been switching as I write, live with the recorded programme. I am beginning to wish I had seen some reports on what has happened, this being some week or so after the actual broadcast, thanks to some bizarre scheduling and total lack of promotion by ITV2 here in the UK.
Kelly has the Over 25s. Rachel looks good. James too. Jeff is the doubtful one. Lillie just has to keep going. Rachel has a big lead, apparently, with that on-line thing.
Lillie starts this category with When A Man Loves A Woman. Wow, this lady is good. I am very impressed at how she can look so neat for the age she is and there is no clue whatsoever that she is more than thirty something. A little breathless in places but a nice, solid and, in places, excellent performance. She'll survive and the public should love her too. Simon has a 'but', (not that sort of butt, he adds,) making the point that she may have been a bit old-style for this competition. I didn't notice that.
Jeff looks slightly scary to me. Great voice and nice to have someone rocking on the show. His is so good but will he get votes in this competition? He should be leading a band. It's raw and honest and Simon continues to say it's 'bloody brilliant'. I agree. Would I put him through? Dunno yet.
Rachel sings Liann Rimes' I Hope You Dance. Love that song. Not an easy one, as last year's runner-up will recall. They need a Country singer in this show. She may be the only one unless they re-programme Tim. Perfect song for her and she is someone I would hope to see survive. She has quite an emotional appeal to Kelly.
James has a great stage presence, apart from the brown trousers. Painted It Red or something like that is a nice enough track but I'm not sure he will appeal widely or last that long even if he does get through. A good performance. Good reviews from the judges too. Kelly has a tough choice. Sending him home would not be an easy decision.
I feel Jeff gave the better performance and may just stand out as a more unique act in the next live shows. I'd definitely keep Rachel for the Country vote. That's the first that Kelly chooses. Second is Jeff. That must mean James is going. Yup, Kelly chooses Lillie. No she doesn't. Yes she does. That was close. Poor James.
Love the way the groups react on arriving at Simon's house.
Roxxy Montana are first up for the Groups. Simon has them singing the remarkable Royals which has just hit the top of the UK charts and I didn't think it had been released there yet. So you couldn't get much more current or commercial-sounding. A good move for the public vote but this is not what Simon needs to do. They start at the bottom of the on-line vote chart, we're told. One of the voices was not nice to listen to. I may well get rid of them
Sweet Suspense are three girls from the audition rounds that Simon has put together, Amazing! They get to do I Don't Care and they are certain, certain folks, to get through. Potential winners, even if they didn't sing so well. That was the commercial performance of the night.
Alex & Sierra next. I am so impressed with simon's choices for the groups. They get Blurred Lines - another No 1 song here - and incredibly catchy! Again, he didn't need to do that for this section and I would have saved it up for the public vote. They did a great job of the track and have a certain appeal out there. An odd pair in many ways but they suit America. They wouldn't survive here for more than a week but will be around across the Pond for a week or two more yet.
Restless Road are the other Country act. A nice bunch of lads put together for the show. Ha! They get Roar! I am stunned by the song choices he's made. So current. So different to the UK show. Much better as well. It was a bit odd in places but the guys get on well and it worked.
It does look pretty much as though Roxxy Montana will be going home. I'm not too worried about that. The others really did do well. I suppose the choice ahs to be between them and Alex & Sierra. He puts Restless Road through straight away and says he thinks they could win the show. Next must be Sweet Suspense but no, it's Alex & Sierra. So, yes, he gives Sweet Suspense the chance they need and it's Roxxy Montana that, after a very long wait, he sends home.
That was quite a show. Marvellous entertainment. Why on Earth ITV2 put that on at some crazy hour in the afternoon, I have no idea.
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