X Factor 2009 – Live Shows Week 3 Review

by David Cameron on October 24, 2009

BIG BAND WEEK

Big band week this week which stretches the acts considerably.

Olly

Bewitched – Steve Lawrence

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Olly’s turn to open the show this week and what an opener. He performed the track like he was born in the Sinatra era. No signs of nerves leadiing to a very confident and polished performance.

Olly should be safe tonight.

Lloyd

Lloyd – Fly Me To The Moon – Frank Sinatra

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Lloyd took a battering last week for taking on a Leona Leis number and doing badly. Sadly, he didn’t fare any better this week with an extraordinarily shaky performance. Nor do I feel that he has a big enough and mature enough voice to take on bugger competitors this year.

Lloyd could be bottom two tonight  … subject to the performance of the acts that follow.

Miss Frank

That’s Life – Frank Sinatra

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With Louis Walsh’s return this week, can Miss Frank step up a gear?

I thoroughly enjoyed this performance which had Miss Frank’s own unique stamp on the song with a bit of jazz and a bit of rap thrown in for good measure. Keep this performance standard up and they can be a real contender.

Rachel

Proud Mary – Beyonce version

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Rachel has been singing nervously since the live shows started and failed to get viewer support leaving her languishing in the bottom two with only the judges saving her last week.

There is no question that Rachel is talented, but she needs a performance that the UK public can relate to better.

Tonights’s performance was like a different Rachel had come out on stage. We saw a very confident young woman deliver a really punchy strong performance. Is it enough to sweep away past bad reviews and to start a clean slate with the public? This performance deserves a safe passage.

Jamie

Angel Of Harlem – U2

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Jamie just doesn’t fail to deliver and tonight was no exception, but the song choice was stretching the definition of big band. Is Simon Cowell realising that Jamie is still little more than a rocker?

Jamie will be safe this week, but I can’t see him winning the contest.

Stacey

When You Wish Upon A Star – From Disney’s Pinnochio

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Stacey is the competitor that everyone just likes whether she speaks or sings.She seemed to lose her way a bit tonight though I can’t place my finger on the problem.  Stacey does need to find more confidence in coming weeks if she is to have any chance of winning the competition.

This has been one of the weaker performances of the night.

Danyl

Feeling Good – Muse version

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Danyl has shown the most natural talent for performance … or is it that he is comfortably extrovert?

For me, the song was a bit of a slow burn until we reached ignition but ended up with a bit of a damp squib. It wasn’t the greatest Danyl performance that I have seen, but Danyl is sitting comfortable for next week and maybe the competition overall.

Joe

Sway – Michael Buble version

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Joe was one of the starts of last weeks show. He did well again this week with some added choreography. One of the best performances of the night. A real contender to win.

Lucie

My Funny Valentine – Ella Fitzgerald

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A song that exposes mistakes, how would Lucie do?

Lucie sang beautifully and with emotion. The song was one of the hardest of the evening and Lucie took it all in her stride. Lucie should be safe again, but can she win? I am not sure.

John and Edward

She Bangs – Ricky Martin

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John & Edward win the luck of the draw … the last act of the show usually picks up a good few more votes simply because they are focussed in people’s minds when the voting lines open.

Without even hearing their performance after the break, I suspect that they will be safely into next week barring a car crash performance.

So …. the performance.  It pains me to say it, but that was their best performance yet. HOWEVER, the extended choreography is being done to divert from the poorest vocals in the competition. They don’t deserve to take the place away from a true singer.

Conclusion :

Generally a big step from most acts, but for me the poorest acts of the evening were Lloyd, Stacey and John & Edward.

However, it remains to be seen whether Rachel has endeared herself to the UK public as yet.

My bottom two predictions are Lloyd and Stacey …. though Rachel could still creep in to the bottom two.

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