Judges' Houses: the Girls

At last, X Factor begins to show some quality production and decent performances. This was a very fine show and quite remarkable from the very start when we learn just who Simon Cowell has managed to assemble at his home abroad.

Just to mention a few, we see Paula Abdul, Randy Jackson and Ryan Seacrest from American Idol! Dionne Warwick is there, she may be getting on but she's still some celebrity. Paul Anka! Adam Lambert, Leona Lewis. Many more I don't know the names for plus producers and people who have a lot of influence and knowledge but may not be well-known faces to us. We even see Sinitta!

This array of celebrity and singers and sheer buying power did not deter the six girls at all. Naturally they were pretty impressed and amazed to be singing in front of rather more than just Simon on a couch with Louis.

Molly
An excellent start from this 16 year old. A super first audition proper. Not the simplest of songs to perform, I expected her to crumble but she seemed confident. Young and likeable. Maybe a little bland and will she prove to be memorable? Certainly good, whatever the case.

Georgia
Her spoken voice was a bit nervous and she looked strange in red trousers that were too short but I guess would have been 'fashion'. a strange song too. I didn't like it but several in the crowd showed respect for her doing it. A good response indeed.

Shan
My favourite to date for the whole show by quite a margin. She does 'get Back' but it's not the Beatles' song but her own, written just recently. Wow. That's a risk at this stage. It was very good, though, and she got that moment almost. very competent. You could hear some people tell Simon that he has to keep her. I agree.

Maria
She couldn't get a visa so was performing over a video link from London and I got the impression it had been recorded. She performs an inspired version of California Dreaming and I love it. She is definitely the best of all the Filipinos we've had on this competition. I could see her being a star in future and filling concert halls. It was a simple audition and worth the gamble perhaps.

Bella
She's modern and a bit different to all the other entries. The song - supporting a lesbian theme I think - meant a lot to her and she permed it well. It's all OK, edgy and she's unpredictable. The assembled Gods like her a lot.

Scarlett is last up. She sings a song that Dionne Warwick wrote. Difficult. She strats low in er register but eventualy gets into it and gets a standing ovation. That's impressive. I wouldn't have chosen her but that should see her safely through.

I would choose Shan, Maria and Molly, maybe Bella.

It's Shan | Molly | Scarlett | Bella who go through. That seems fair enough.

Dermot O'Leary gives and gets one hell of a lot of hugs in that week!