Last weekend’s double bill of The X Factor proved to be a scorcher as no doubt about it, everyone is yapping about the event’s that went on in the show. After weeks of warming to the new panel of judges with the audition stages, the heat was on for the contestants in the bootcamp stage at Wembley Arena, and this time with an audience.
It was suitcases at the ready as 72 successful contestants packed their bags and headed to boot camp where they impressed, unimpressed, and then had the grilling stages of awaiting their destiny where thirty two would survive and forty would go. Feisty judge Tulisa proved to be a tough nut to crack where she admitted to have been looking for someone who is “amazing, not great”. Whilst Gary Barlow let the viewers into the secret that they said “yes” to a lot of people, let’s hope leggy Goldie was one of them!
But before the tears and the tantrums, the judges gave the contestants time to whine down and loosen up where they threw a lavish party which involved a jacuzzi, liquor, and intimate encounters. The party seemed to be the highlight of the X Factor experience for one contestant especially, Frankie Cocozza. As the party came to a halt and contestants drifted off to their rooms, the night had just started for everyone’s favourite cheeky chappy. Elsewhere Johnny Robinson (dubbed to be the next Susan Boyle) compared to himself as the chipolata of the pack, rather than the many chippendales in tow. Just as well the competition is about singing and not about the number of girl’s names you have tattooed on your bottom.
Whilst the contestants got up to no good, elsewhere, the four judges reviewed the contestant’s video footage of auditions and took the sudden decision for 40 acts to face the axe in a shock booting before the bootcamp challenges commenced. Even the judge’s assessing equipment has stepped up a game this year with the use of a huge interactive computer screen, their predecessor Simon Cowell has certainly left them feeling at home. The judges reviewed, discussed, agreed, and disagreed to whether they would have to crush certain contestant’s dreams, and as morning dawned, it became even more frightful for the judging panel. When it came to the nitty gritty, contestants were kicked out immediately in large groups, where some people had a lot more than crying to do. One contestant, Curtis Ray White demanded an explanation from the judges, and luckily for him, he got all four judges out giving full accounts to the reason why they chose to end his journey. Pretty deep aye!
One of Kelly’s memorable contestants and every girl’s dream serenader, Derry Mensah, failed to repeatedly impress his favourite lady. Jessie J’s ‘Price Tag’ proved to be too much of a high price tag for Derry. But while the X Factor dream was over for some, elsewhere, a group of contestants were given a lifeline. The judges cherry-picked the contestants which they felt had more to offer and gave them the chance to be put into groups. Some of the hopeful contestants given a second chance was in fact Derry Mensah, Marlon McKenzie, and Beccy Shaw.
Group Time
After the gruelling shock elimination, the first stage of bootcamp kicked off where contestants were put into groups in order to work together and perform in front of the judges, this time, minus an audience. One contestant which did not succumb to the idea was Honey Shazab who couldn’t seem to overcome Kitty Brucknell’s outlandish demands regarding the choices of song parts. Kitty undoubtedly got the major part to show off her flexible vocal chords, in which the judges were relatively impressed. As the groups of contestants performed their hastily rehearsed songs, it was time for yet another showdown where contestants were given the boot ahead of the judges’ houses stage. Many contestants disappointedly didn’t live up to the judges expectations, Luke Lucas stumbled through his lyrics whilst performing ‘Forget You’ and vulnerable Lizzie Colbourne had a mind block with her words to Gaga’s hit ‘Born This Way’ even admitting that she knew the lyrics to the song before. The nerves certainly got to the contestants but the judge’s were having none of that, they either got it in one or they were out. One group which put a smile on all four judge’s faces was the ensemble consisting of boyband The Keys, Jade Richards, Joe Cox, and Nicole Simpson. They took to the stage with an epic rendition of ‘You’ve Got The Love’ which had the panel all starry-eyed.
Hot Favourites
Among those through to the second day of bootcamp were Janet Devlin, Luke Lucas, Kitty Brucknell, Frankie Cocozza, Jade Richards, The Keys, Joe Cox, Samantha Brookes, and James Michael. One contestant who was put through to judges’ houses even though there was disappointment with the lack of leg, was Goldie Cheung, who decided to keep it more demure when it came to judge Gary Barlow. Although that didn’t stop her from chasing the Take That member around Wembley Arena.
The second stage of bootcamp became the opportunity for the newly formed groups to shine. For Nu Vibe, The Risk, Misfits, Faux Pas, The Lovettes, and Orion, it was their last chance and their only chance to continue on with the X Factor dream. And for the panel, the group forming task turned out to be a success as they made quite an impression with them, as well as with the audience.
As the acts were narrowed down to 32, it was moment of truth for the judges as they found out which category they would be mentoring for the remainder of the competition. Kelly Rowland was teamed up with the girls, Gary with the boys, Louis with the Over’s, and Tulisa in force with the groups hoping to be the first to success with the unfortunate category. Keep with Flavour for my weekly round-up of the X Factor events!
Words by Melek Derebelyi