Every year I find myself watching The X Factor and I always end up disappointed. It seems to start off well, with the usual funny auditions and good auditions, but then they always seem to get rid of the most talented singers before the live shows.
Cheryl's pick of the girls didn't start well. At one point I thought she had a hearing problem but it improved when 15 year old Emily showed the others what real talent is and was given a seat. As she is under 16 the rules stated that she couldn't be switched out so I knew at least there would be one person in the girls who could actually sing at least until the judge's houses stage of the competition anyway.
Cheryl did managed to claw back some common sense along with her sense of hearing after that, only to lose it again when she announced she had made a mistake. She bought back Chloe Jasmine at the cost of another more talented singer Chloe O'Gorman. In my opinion this was Cheryl's biggest mistake but what do I know? I'm just the person who has to listen to her until my ears bleed if I choose to keep on watching.
The full list of the six girls through to the next stage (unless Cheryl changes her mind again) are:
- Chloe Jasmine
- Lola Saunders
- Lauren Platt
- Kerrianne Covell
- Stephanie Nala
- Emily Middlemas
Next was Mel's boys. The first two contestants probably deserved the no they received, although Mel could have turned them down without resorting to nastiness.
At one point she was repeatedly yelling at one of the rejected contestants to get off the stage. I appreciate that the show is edited and we may not have seen the whole story but he didn't appear to deserve that.
Jake was the first to get a seat. He was the best up until that point and seems to have genuine talent. So if previous years are anything to go by this means he will be gone before the live shows.
I can only hope that I am proved wrong.
I felt genuinely sorry for Charlie whose original audition showed promise but for whatever reason he seemed like a completely different person and despite getting a seat he eventually lost it and was out of the competition.
The final six chosen to go through to judge's houses wouldn't have been all my choices but it appears many of the better singers were ready sent home before the chairs stage.
I'm happy Jake got through.
The six boys are:
- Andrea Faustini
- Danny Dearden
- Jack Walton
- Jake Quickenden
- Jordan Morris
- Paul Akister
Simon was next with the over 25's. My favourite has to be Jay James. He can actually sing which always helps. If this competition was based on real talent this is the guy who would win and restore my faith in these kinds of shows. I also think Helen should have a chance of winning too but of course this is only based on talent. For some reason talent seems to go out early in this so called talent show so anything could happen between now and the final winner being picked. I was also happy to see Stevi manage to retain his seat. He won't or at least shouldn't win the competition, but is likeable and funny.
Watching him makes me think this is what it would be like if Nicolas Cage auditioned. He has that same crazy streak about him. Thankfully Raign lost her seat. She looks like a witch, sings like a banshee and loves herself far more than can just be passed off as just confidence. She was then shown saying how there is nobody else like in the competitions. For this fact I truly grateful. I don't think I could watch if the show was full of people like her. I would smash rather smash up my Television. Yes I know using the off switch would be the less destructive thing to do but that would be less dramatic and wouldn't fully convey my feelings about this woman. The six over 25's are:
- Ben Haenow
- Fleur East
- Helen Fulthorpe
- Jay James
- Lizzy Pattinson
- Stevi Ritchie
Lastly was Louis Walsh and the groups, two of who have no name because they have been thrown together from solo auditions.
This makes me wonder if they had so few bands audition or were the previous episodes just edited to make it look that way. I don't recall seeing a lot of bands auditioning. From the six chosen to go through, "only the young," is one of the best. Some of the talk from the contestants does make me laugh. One of the members of concept said they, "here to fight for our lives." no, you're here to fight for a place at judges houses, your lives are not actually at risk here.
The six groups are:
- Concept
- Only the young
- The girl group with no name
- The boy band with no name
- The Brooks
- Blonde electric
