The X Factor goes to Judges’ Homes – part 2

Hi all

As promised here is the last part of this blog! The second part lists the final 12 contestants taking part in the live shows next week, so if you do not want to know at this stage who they are, I suggest you stop reading NOW!

The judges have made their decision and here is who will be performing in next week’s show…

BOYS – Simon Cowell

• Scott Bruton (19)
• Eoghan Quigg (16)
• Austin Drage (22)

GIRLS – Cheryl Cole

• Diana Vickers (17)
• Laura White (21)
• Alexandra Burke (20)

OVER 25s – Dannii Minogue

• Ruth Lorenzo (25)
• Rachel Hylton (26)
• Daniel Evans (38)

GROUPS – Louis Walsh

• JLS: Aston Merrygold (20), Jonathan Gill (21), Oritse Williams (21), Marvin Humes (23)
• Girl Band: Tita Lau (19), Phoebe Jay Lau (19), Marisa Billitteri (19), Layla Manoochehri (22) 
• Bad Lashes: Stacey Lincoln (20), Sophie Wilson (23), Sam Bennett (21), Emily McNamee (19)

And there you have it! It has been an emotional rollercoaster for these finalists and a hue congratulations goes to them to have got this far! Now it is down to business to wow the audience and the viewers as we get ready for the live shows! All worth watching!

The X Factor goes to Judges’ Homes – part 1

Hi all

I thought I would change the subject a bit! This blog is a first in two parts! This weekend’s The X Factor saw the final 24 go through to the Judges’ Homes stage (although strictly speaking, it is not really their homes!). This is the final stage before the live shows and only 12 acts (3 in each category) will be going through based on one final performance!

Without going through deep detail, here is a summary of all the acts, the categories, judges and songs they performed…

BOYS – Simon Cowell – Barbados

• Eoghan Quigg (16) – Father And Son
• Liam Payne (15) – A Million Love Songs
• Mali-Michael McCalla (15) – All In Love Is Fair
• Austin Drage (22) – She’s Out Of My Life
• Scott Bruton (19) – I Can’t Make You Love Me
• Alan Turner (24) – All Or Nothing

GIRLS – Cheryl Cole – Cannes

• Diana Vickers (17) – Nothing Compares 2 U
• Amy Connolly (19) – Sweet About Me
• Hannah Bradbeer (23) – Take Another Piece Of My Heart
• Laura White (21) – Cry Me A River
• Annastasia Baker (19) – Oh Baby I 
• Alexandra Burke (20) – Listen 

OVER 25s – Dannii Minogue – St. Tropez

• Daniel Evans (38) – Against All Odds
• Ruth Lorenzo (25) – True Colours
• Louise Heatly (48) – Say A Little Prayer
• James Williams (26) – Mr. Bojangles 
• Suzie Furlonger (26) – One Day I’ll Fly Away
• Rachel Hylton (26) – Beautiful

GROUPS – Louis Walsh – Ireland

• 4 Instinct – Rockin’ Robin
• Girl Band – Valerie
• JLS – No Air
• Priority – Umbrella
• Bad Lashes – Wonderwall
• Desire – Shine

So there you go, all 24 acts and only 12 will go through! Tomorrow is the moment of truth…who will go through? Come back tomorrow for the second and final part of this blog!

The X Factor is back!

Hi all

It’s August and once again, the biggest music singing contest is back, yes everyone, it is The X Factor!  We are into series five now and once again there are some changes.  The categories stay the same and so does Dermot O’Leary!  But the judges change once again as Sharon Osbourne departs from the judging panel.  A new judge steps in, in the form of Cheryl Cole, member of the successful girl band, Girls Aloud.  She joins Simon Cowell, Louis Walsh and Dannii Minogue for another year of hopeful talent.

The auditions are going to be playing for a few weeks and already we have had some good talent and some pretty awful ones too.  The one highlight that was particularly striking was one of the former Popstars: The Rivals contestants returned to give it another go, Nikk.  He returned to see Cheryl who was absolutely shocked to see him!  As he performed, the other judges were not so happy and told him to stop living his dream as a singer.  Cheryl could not take the pressure and left the judging panel.  So heartbreaking.

What do you think of the return of The X Factor?  Good or bad?  Let me know!