Ah, the 1980s. Wham!-mania! Perma tans, New Romantics, shoulder pads, yuppie excess, half mast jeans and enough hairspray to take the ozone layer out in one go. Those were the days. Or, if you're Simon Cowell, his recent 50th birthday bash.
Talking of reunions all the acts were filmed going home to visit their friends and families which added a bit of “aah” factor to tonight’s X Factor.
And so with the competition’s very own Pepsi and Shirley, Dannii Minogue and Cheryl Cole safely seated alongside X Factor’s very own Andrew Ridgeley and George Michael, Louis and Simon (though which was which it wasn’t clear) it was down to business.
Oh and also no pressure on the acts at all with presenter Dermot O’Leary revealing that George would be watching and sends them all his best wishes.
First up in the difficult opening slot was baby faced Lloyd Daniels with Faith, the second single from Michael’s debut album of the same which hit No. 1 in the US and went on to become one of his most popular songs, as well as an MTV favourite
Lloyd was sporting a new spiky hairstyle but not a shuttlecock stuffed down his shorts (they did that back in the days of Wham! you know).
Dannii told him: “You’ve definitely got something that is the X-factor; we can’t put our finger on it.” But she urged him to use his falsetto more. Louis reminded him he was under a lot of pressure because he was in the bottom two last week. He told him: “I Iove the new haircut; I love the new image. I love everything - except the voice. I think you’re out of your depth now. I think there are better singers in the competition.”
Simon was more generous saying Lloyd had surprised him. “That wasn’t bad at all, “ he admitted. “I’m not saying it’s the best vocal I’ve ever heard. But you look a lot better this week. You sang your performance to the public and most of all it started to feel believable. Maybe because you’ve started to believe in yourself. Very good.” Mentor Cheryl rounded things off by telling him he looked adorable and that that was his 'best performance yet'.
Next up was the only remaining girl in the competition, Stacey Solomon, with I Can't Make You Love Me which appeared on George’s last album Ladies & Gentlemen and as part of 1997 double a-side single "Older / I Can't Make You Love Me"
Her performance certainly seemed to make the audience love her. But what about the judges?
Louis told her: “Last week you absolutely stole the show. You’re a great performer and there’s nothing phony about you. You’ve definitely got star quality and I definitely think you’re going to make the final.” He also praised Dannii’s choice of song. Cherly gushed: ”Your voice has become as big as your personality which is what we were all waiting for. You’ve got to that point where you’ve got to start believing you’re the winner - because you could do it.”
Simon was equally flattering describing Stacey as “one of the genuinely nicest people we’ve had on these shows.” But there was a sting in the tail. “ Do I think it was as good as last week?” he asked. “I don’t. It was just a little bit mechanical in parts and a little bit clumsy. But there’s no question you’re not going to be here next week. I’d be amazed if you weren’t.”
Dannii told her ”That was such an elegant performance. This show is all about dreams and making people’s dreams come true. And Cheryl’s right, you have to believe this can come true for you. Because they do." (pointing around at the audience)
After Stacey it was the turn of the only group left in the competition, twins John and Edward. Dressed in white suits and sporting 1980s Wham! Choose Life T-shirts, they jumped all over the scaffolding set. They were performing I'm Your Man , not Wham Rap! as expected. Or were they? Those little (musical) mixers.
Dannii, who makes a habit of appearing genuinely baffled by the boys' presence still in the show, told them quizzically: “The singing was in tune, but the rap was out of time. So I don’t know what’s happening. I’m totally confused.” Cheryl said: "out of everybody they’d had the toughest rollercoaster ride." She added: “No matter what happens from here on, you should both be very proud of yourselves.” Simon quipped it was more: “Andrew and Andrew than George and Andrew.” He said the song choice was perfect but thought Louis gave them too much to do with this “crazy crazy choreography” every week. ”It’s like he’s turned you into his version of action men dolls,” he said.
Louis replied that was because they could do it. “They never stop rehearsing. These boys are connecting with young people and I’m having the best time of my life working with them. This show would not be the same without them, we’d have no fun,” he added.
Simon then took his hat off to the lads for having had a rough time at the start but ending up converting a lot of people to their cause. ”You’re like this unstoppable machine at the moment,” he said.
Following Jedward, singing Careless Whisper it was the turn of Danyl Johnson (or Danyl ‘diva’ Johnson if careless whispers about tantrums were to be believed). Dannii said: “That was a really original version and you sang it perfectly.” Louis told him: “There’s no doubt you can sing anything. But I think you tried too hard tonight on the song. I wish it had been a different arrangement I think you’re trying too hard and I think Simon is making it very difficult for you.”
Cheryl also had her doubts, telling Danyl when he watched it back, he’d see that parts of it “were really, really flat.” But she added: “Your image and your performance is always fantastic.” Simon wondered if they were listening to the same song, describing the performance as “what is called respecting the song, taking it, listening to it and, most importantly, doing something original with it.“
The penultimate act of the night was Essex boy Olly Murs with George Michael solo, No. 1 hit, Fastlove which allegedly is about George’s brief fling with a city banker. But hey, who working in the city these days isn’t a banker, if you get my drift.
Dannii told Olly: “You’re always really polished. You know how to rock the audience” but said there were “tuning problems in the first half.” Louis enthused: "I loved everything about your performance. I think you have the potential to be a new pop star in the UK. You’re a very natural mover. There’s nothing fake about you. Everything about Olly Murs is real. Everywhere I go girls ask, ’Is Olly single’. You’ve got the potential to win this competition.”
Cheryl agreed, claiming Olly had really broad appeal: "Young lads think you’re cool, girls love you. You get you head down, get the job done and you always come out and deliver.” Simon said: “You’re going to have no problem with the chicks when you leave this competition." (Oh Si, does anybody say chicks anymore outwith Cowell Towers?) He added: “You are turning into a really, really good, fearless performer.”
Last, but certainly not least, it was the turn of Geordie Joe McElderry with Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me, which as Louis, getting his rulebook out again, pointed out was a 1974 hit for Elton John. Cheryl hit back that it was an even bigger hit when George and Elton released a live version of it as a duet. Did Joe do good? He brought the house down, receiving, count ‘em, not one, not two, not three, but four standing ovations from the entire judging panel. Job done, I’d say, Joe.
In a sea of superlatives, Dannii called his performance: “exceptional. We love you. There’s such passion and a raw energy to your voice.” Louis was next with the praise telling him: “that was easily the best performance of the night. You could be like a UK Michael Buble.” Simon waived aside Louis’ point of order about it being an Elton John song and said there was a new rule to stop Louis from speaking. Especially he said: “after this young kid gets up on stage, does the performance of his life and absolutely nails the song 100%.” Rounding off the love-in Cheryl told Joe simply: “You stole the show. I could burst with pride when I watch you there. Here’s to the fina!l”
