Category: News

Tonight The X Factor finalists looked set to show some star quality with the theme of “chart toppers.” I must admit, I was a little nervous about this theme as so often my favourite tunes never win any popularity polls. However with Robin Gibb acting as guest mentor I hoped our final four could pull something worth watching out of the bag.

Andrew Lawson made all of my fears come true with his rendition of “Uptown Girl.” I love the Billy Joel version, but this felt more like that lacklustre Westlife take, with an added dose of awkward. It was totally cheesy and there was a real lack of dynamics or connection. You just can’t count on the dancers to win it for you.

I was pretty thrilled to see Mahogany was taking on one of my favourite guilty pleasures, Bryan Adam’s “Heaven.” Throw in a key change, those magnificent harmonies, and a stripped back performance free of those distracting dancers and pyrotechnics and you’ve got something magical. This is a classic example of the old adage “less is more.”

Sally Chatfield gave another strong performance this week with Pink’s “Just Like a Pill.” Vocally I can’t fault her but I’m starting to feel a gloss that undermines the connection to the songs. I couldn’t help casting my mind back to Nathan from Australian Idol a few years ago, the way he delivered it with such rawness and intensity. While she was high fiving the audience and fist pumping that message, that truth about the song was just a bit lost.

After lamenting the lack of connection shown by other acts, Altiyan Childs delivered what I was after. “The Living Years” is one of those songs I have a deep personal connection to. I was released just after my grandfather’s death, and it really painted the picture of the relationship he had with my own dad. I wasn’t sure he could do it justice considering all of the meaning I have invested in it, but he did. Altiyan is starting to become the heart of the show, and honestly I think that’s more important than a pretty voice.
Continue reading “The X Factor Contestants Take on Chart Topppers” →

With ARIAs fever in the air, our X Factor finalists took on Aussie hits.

Luke and Joel kicked things off with The Living End’s “White Noise.” It was a smart choice as The Living End have always been more about the energy than the technical skills. This is where these boys excel. They didn’t blow me away as they did last week, but that landed them in the bottom two; maybe it’s better to be solid at this point.

When I heard Sally Chatfield was taking on The Veronicas, I’d hoped she’d do “Everything I’m Not.” But I don’t know; there were some really nice moments but it just didn’t quite jump off the page for me. I loved the way she asserted herself, and that lovely spontaneous moment with the guitarist, but I’m just not sure she gave us all of herself. They seemed to lap it up in the studio, but I just wasn’t feeling it at home.

Andrew Lawson dished up a bit of Sam Sparro’s “Black and Gold.” This was so theatrical and over the top. The song choice was lovely and his vocals were brilliant, but for me it was just too glossy to take seriously. I think if it was stripped back this would have been much more convincing. I’ve often felt that The X Factor goes overboard on the production, and this is a prime example.

I never would have thought of picking a bit of Daryl Braithwaite for Mahogany, but I thought their version of “The Horses” was brilliant. Well done to Guy for remembering that Australian music didn’t start with the naughties. This was the most believable performance of the night. I can’t imagine Mahogany being in the bottom two after this.

Altiyan Childs closed the night with a really lovely version of “Never Tear Us Apart.” It was all those things I’ve been banging on about, being believable and authentic and stripping it all back to the root of the song. He’s definitely coming into his own, and it’s a beautiful thing to see.

After a fairly uneven night it’s hard to say who will go. I know who my favourites were, but we’ve all got to factor in that sympathy element. We’ll find out tomorrow night where the axe will fall.