Yes, It was big band week and we were told to expect big performances. ‘It’s going to be big,’ the judges said. Mel B said she liked it big. (And no doubt she was looking forward to some big songs as well!) The word big was being bandied about a lot at the beginning of the show.
And sure enough there was a big orchestra playing their big music at every opportunity and they were very nice to listen to. The problem was, I felt, that they took over most of the performances and I found myself thinking: yeah well the band were very good, whatever about the actual singing. I really felt that Andrea, Lauren, Ben and Jay would have been extremely boring to watch without the lavish accompaniment.
It pains me to say it (because I find them annoying) but Stereokicks were one act that made their presence felt on stage with their lively rendition of ‘That’s Life’. And again, Only the young (also annoying usually) were impressive with a memorable dance and song routine for ‘I Wanna Be Like You’. They have become the fun act in the competition and as a result, their fan base has an average age of 5 – that how Louis is marketing them, anyway.
Stevi Ritchie and Fleur East also put on a good show – though Stevi’s dancing is starting to remind me of a drunk uncle at a wedding. Fleur always gives it loads but I just don’t see her as a superstar – she strikes me as someone who was working the cabaret circuit a bit too long before ending up on X Factor.
Jay James got sent home and I definitely thought this was the right decision. When I think of his appearances on X Factor….Oh sorry, I can’t remember anything about them!
