It seems like only yesterday that Lucy Spraggan was belting out the Beer Fear song, MK1 brought out Tulisa’s “urban roots” and Rylan had one of the most exaggerated and over-the-top reactions in X-Factor history.
As the remaining four acts took to the stage to battle out for a place in the final at the weekend, it seemed that everyone brought their A-game (even Christopher!).
Christopher delivered one of his best performances to date with You Raise me Up by Josh Groban (Ahem not Westlife Louis!). After all of the stick and abuse he has received in recent weeks, Chris dedicated the inspirational song to his biggest fan, his nan of course! The Liverpudlian took to Twitter before his first performance to secure some last minute votes, writing: “right guys, my last tweet till semi final is over! let’s do this, it’s for you xx love Christopher xx”
As much as I have ranted about Chris in previous weeks, his vocals were on point this week. It was the most confident I’ve ever seen him – there wasn’t a shaky hand in sight. It was a powerful performance which showcased his impressive vocal range. Nicole said that it was a “hard song” and that he proved he had earned his place in the competition (really?). Meanwhile, Tulisa said she “really enjoyed” the performance and failed from adding any ‘buts’ to her feedback. I agreed with Louis when he said that it was a “brilliant” song choice and that he thinks he’ll end up on the West End.
In the second round, Chris tried to sing something a bit more upbeat and contemporary. However, his version of Michael Buble’s Haven’t Met You Yet lacked personality, passion and credibility. It was almost like he was singing the song just for the sake of it to please critics. According to reports that surfaced today, Chris was apparently sick before the performance and was advised by doctors not to perform at all this weekend. While the 34-year-old isn’t my cup of tea, no one deserves to be bullied or booed off stage. The public have stayed loyal to Chris from the beginning and continue to vote for him in their droves. Who knows maybe the wildcard might win after all?
Christopher Maloney sailed through to the finals
There wasn’t a dry eye in my house when Jahmene sang his first song, I Look to You, originally sung by Whitney Houston, in memory of his brother who committed suicide. The former ASDA worker explained that he performed the song at his brother’s funeral but after the verse and chorus he “couldn’t carry on.” The 21-year-old meant every single word of the song. It was an incredibly moving and emotional routine. Jahmene looked like a huge weight had been taken off his shoulders following his performance (Ah bless). When Dermot asked how he felt, Jahmene said: “I feel like I let go of something. I don’t know what to say.”
A teary eyed Nicole even admitted to being overwhelmed by the performance, saying: “I surrender. I can sit here and say you’re the strongest singer, the most soulful singer, the most dynamic singer.
“But what’s so special about you is where that voice, soul and spirit came from. You’re my little angel and it’s such a blessing to have you on this show.”
For his second track, Jahmene brought us back to basics and reminded me why he is so special and talented. He may have sung his audition song, At Last by Etta James again, but it still had the same (if not more) impact second time round. It was a flawless and truly beautiful performance. Afterwards Louis praised the singer, saying: "you are world class, born to sing…..You are sailing straight through to the final!," while Gary pitched in: "Jahmene that was Jahmazing. It was so memorable your first audition and the semi final is the place to pull out a performance like that." Here here!
Jahmene Douglas to win!
Sadly, we waved goodbye to the Union J. Louis may have gone a step to far by comparing the “fab four” to the Beatles. I’ve no doubt that the boys will do extremely well for themselves and get snapped up by a record label in the near future, but I think it will be a while before they come close to the success of One Direction.
I salute the boyband for getting to the semis despite being in the bottom two three times. I adored their version of Beneath Your Beautiful by Emeli Sande and Labrinth. It was soulful and the harmonies were stunning. It was great to see George rocking out with his guitar again. I agreed with Tulisa when she said that the performance was “very mature” which showcased their “growth in the competition”.
Their second song of Westlife’s I’m already There sounded good, but it was a bit too safe for the semi-finals. Overall, it was a pleasant performance but I reckon they could still be in the competition if they played it a bit more risky and set themselves a challenge over the weekend.
We waved goodbye to Union J
James Arthur delivered a powerful rendition of U2’s One, which he dedicated to his siblings. It was definitely a performance worthy of going through to the final with. The song sounded like it was written especially for him and made him even more popular with the judging panel. Gazza said: “James, another brilliant performance tonight. You’re almost like a boxer, you come out and knock the other opponents down one by one. James, you’re a finalist for me.” Meanwhile, Tulisa insisted that she wants James to win, saying: A lot of people say “if James doesn’t win, he’ll get a record deal.” I’m tired of hearing that, why shouldn’t you win? You are representing Britain – Britain vote for James Arthur.”
His final song, The Power of Love, was mind-blowing. The 24-year-old singer received a well-deserved standing ovation and a chorus of cheers for his heartfelt performance. I just can’t wait until James Arthur releases his debut album. A rock star in the making. Go James!
James Arthur received a well-deserved standing ovation
With less than a week to go until the finals, who will you be voting to be crowned The X-Factor king 2012?
It's officially time for the final three contestants to face the music!!
Laura Delaney
