Semi Final Pt 2: The Top 4 become 3

Dermot is in a hurry tonight. I guess the producers have had their budgets cut and so there's less time or, more likely, the Christmas adverts are now so long that there isn't a great deal of time left for the show.

Dalton

Opening the show with the Emile Sande song about a Clown. Not as good as he has been still pretty impressive. He seems to be cruising a little now but I am sure he will pull out the stops next week. Recently, this guy, who must be the winner, seems to be relying on some vocal antics rather than emotional interpretation which he was so good at in the early days. Now he's almost a bit ordinary.

Robbie Williams said he thought he was a bit boring too.

Acacia & Alysiah

I now want to see this pair in the final. Too Big For Your Boots mixed with Shut Down. They do seem to be using the same song several times. I guess being in the bottom two for several weeks has used up a lot of their minimal repertoire and, of course, we have heard nearly twice as much from them as anyone else! This was a bit boring too and really did not have any logic in the link which was more of an emergency stop and hill start. All a bit weird and nothing like as good as they have been before. Not as well-synced either. But I'd still prefer them to Anthony or Scarlett in the final. Simon Cowell says they've claimed the right to be there now. Nice.

Anthony

He sings the Oasis number Don't Look Back In Anger. And that's not a bad idea at all, probably the best song he could have chosen and certainly his best performance so far in this competition. Indeed, it could even save him tonight from what I'd thought would be a certain 4th place elimination. We all like the guy but he really ought to go as Scarlett is more likely to contribute usefully to the charts and British pop scene.

Simon wants to change the rules and put all four through to a 'final'. For a moment I thought we were about to see it happen as he suggested to the panel that they talk about it. Shan would have been very hurt.

Scarlett

Something I don't recognise, maybe called I Don't Know My Own Strength and sounds like a Pink number. She even has a Streisand touch in this number and that's quite a compliment. She has become very competent and has an excellent voice with all her bad habits gone. She gets a standing ovation and so I suspect that she will be through.

Tonight I fear it will be Acacia & Alysiah who fall at the final hurdle on the track to the final. Their only hope will be if they scored very heavily and Anthony scored very poorly last night as, whilst he is likely to pile on a lot more with the Oasis number, I feel that few will be bothered to vote again for the pair.

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Yes, it is A & A who go. They did the Blinded By The Light and something else mash. Scarlett does This Is Me which was good too. I can't believe that Anthony got more votes than Scarlett. The decision is down to Ayda and Louis. I had expected them to leave it to the public vote but they both save Scarlett.

The Top 6 perform (Semi-Final)

They call this a Semi Final but with six still remaining I see it more as just another week except that we're told two will go tonight and another tomorrow! Jeez, someone seems to want to shut this down very rapidly again like last year. This is really not a good idea. As the weeks go by we have better contestants, more experienced and more likely to produce good performances. It seems crazy to cut so many so quickly but there you go.

Brendan

The young lad from Ireland is first tonight with Run. One day he will really start well. Even though the song may be gentle he needs a stronger start. However, this was lovely once he got into it. Super job of the Snow Patrol classic which Simon got Leona Lewis a win with.

Danny

A Shirley Bassey number, This Is My Life. Odd that I don't recognise this. If it hasn't been a hit before then Danny could probably sell a lot of these to the oldies as he does it well. He seems very confident and should definitely get the maximum oldies vote with that excellent performance. I have to hand it to the guy and, whilst he really should go tonight, this performance might save him.

Dalton

A great song choice with an a capella rendition of I'm Feeling Good or whatever the title of this classic is. He almost gets lost, disappearing in the strange set lighting and I am not sure I like all the vocal antics on a number like this one. I prefer less vocal 'movement' but he is still a very impressive act and transcends the others again. The crowd, as ever, are really noisy and supportive.

I am beginning to wonder just how genuine the humble attitude is now. Is he acting a bit? He must by now realise that he will either win or come second and will have a great contract and lots of support from lots of influential people. He's made it via this show, no doubt about that. Unless he has totally ignored all the chatter he must surely realise that he is as good as everyone keeps telling him he is, myself included.

I would be amazed if he doesn't win as things stand but then I was just as amazed that Shan was sent home so who knows?

Acacia and Alysiah

Blinded By Your Grace mixed with something else, possibly I Win
Well that was an odd mash-up for sure but it was very good other than just stopping too soon. I am always impressed by their remarkably good co-ordination and ability to seem so cool and together no matter how complex the performance seems. They do also seem to really enjoy all this and it is effortless. This is another crowd pleaser. A very smart couple with bags of energy and very good on stage. It will be a touch decision tonight. Normally I'd expect them to go. From past votes it must still be likely but I am not sure they'll deserve to this time.

Anthony

Livin' On A Prayer
I don't think he has ever had a start or finish slot. I feel he has to be vulnerable this week even before he starts. It seems to me that Danny has taken the lead in the squawking competition. Yes, this was a weak performance, not bad but really very unexceptional and just a bit boring too. Just a copy of the Jon Bon Jovi number. He'll go.

Scarlett

This Is Me
there's a choir in the audience. A good performance again and a very good song for her. Not something I like much buy it suits her and is the big ballad we have only had competition from Danny for so far. She has a nice voice now - so much improved and more so than the others. I can see her being popular but if two have to go then she has to be vulnerable.

Before the vote closes we get the Abba round!! With Benny and Bjorg too which is pretty special, although we don't see them together, oddly. Maybe they don't get on.

During this Alysiah & Acacia absolutely stand out for their performance of Money Money. It's all a bit naff at the end though but that may well do them some good as everyone else was decidedly average.

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Anthony actually survives. Oh dear. Danny and, sadly, Brendan leave. I would not have predicted that.

Live Shows: The Top 8 perform

It's Big Band Night, apparently. Not that it made a great deal of difference to the tracks most acts performed.

Scarlett

Can't Take My Eyes Off You
You have to forgive the girl for singing 'off of' I suppose. I might not have done at the start as she was decidedly average and I began to want to look away when she did the attracting Simon thing in a dress that tended to emphasise rather than diminish some of her chunkier parts. But then she giggled and as the song progressed she genuinely seemed to relax and be quite a little star, her voice really soaring across the range, rescuing the whole thing. I actually liked this. She deserves to do well if this is the act that would be on stage for people to pay to see in future.

Brendan

Say Something
Big Band?? No. But never mind. This track first featured in this type of show with Simon giving it to Alex & Sierra on X Factor USA before it had even been played here in the UK. Since then he has used it a lot and to good effect so it is not surprising that he suggested it to Louis T. Don't believe Tomlinson's rebuttal. Simon will have chosen this one. Brendan produced a nice version of it and he seems to have found a pretty big fan base within the audience, at least. When he gives us those special vocal things that he can do so well it is excellent but otherwise he needs to be careful as he was not at all impressive at the start or end, almost speaking the words when we wanted something stronger.

Nile is particularly complimentary about Brendan and I can see him getting signed whatever happens now. Brendan does refer to being a plumber six months ago but I do have to keep reminding people that this guy also did Eurovision Semis. He does know what he's doing.

Shan

Summertime
Ah, the classic. I wasn't too sure whether Shan isn't pushing this track just a bit further than it was designed to go. What she did was first class - as always - and she really must get through to the final. Please. I so much want to see her there. Pure class.

Anthony

Beyond The Sea
He moves around well and he is quite an infectious performer. Great character but this could be his last week. It's all OK bit not spectacular. He seems out of breath and it's a bit of an odd finish too. Such a likeable character but coming 7th or 8th is no bad thing.

Acacia & Aliyah

They do something they've put together themselves in the week. OK, so it's not Big band at all but you can't really expect them to do Mack the Knife (although maybe they could have tried now I think about it!)

This is pretty damn brilliant to my mind - quite a smart performance too. A good tract that worked, super performance and you have to admire these girls. They've been in the bottom three twice now so I might expect them to be there again, simply because of how the viewers are distributed age and style-wise. They should still make it through for another week, though.

Bella

I did recognise the track but i can't place a title or artist. I like what she tried to do and there was quite a lot of quality performance there but the panel's review was not good. I do wonder whether she will get voters' support in enough numbers for this unusual track and suspect she is likely to go.

Dalton

He does a track I really do not know at all. Listen? Could the title. It's not that great. He's accurate maybe but this was not a winner's performance this week. In fact, I found him quite disengaged from the band. It seems that his vocal antics and sheer professionalism towards the end of the track may have saved him getting any criticism as the audience simply didn't want to stop applauding and shouting for him. He really does seem to have this sewn up if you judge by the crowd and the panel's remarks.

Danny

My Way
It's the ultimate karaoke. He did a good job but it would be OK to see him go now. I suspect he'll survive another week yet because of the poor performance of Bella and Anthony and the uncertainty of who votes for the two young girls. Another likeable old fellow but he's got to go soon. We will, I'm afraid to say, forget him after a few weeks.

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Unbelievably, Shan goes home, losing on the public's voting figures to Acacia & Aliyah. Ayda was unable to decide and is probably responsible, as she could have saved her but left it to the voting figures. Simon was clearly very shocked, as, I suspect was everyone. I can only imagine that in the second public vote people just assumed that she would go through as she had been announced first at the earlier vote, giving the impression that she had the most, perhaps. So people switched to vote for others to help them off the bottom of the pile. To see her go out and the likes of Danny and Anthony go through is very frustrating. But it's nothing new in these competitions, I guess. Simon did announce that he was changing the rules. I thought for a moment that he would put both Shan and Bella into the next round but what he meant was that they would both be included in the X Factor Tour. It seems that they would not otherwise have been included so that is a welcome thing indeed. It gives them a salary and lots of exposure for best part of the next year.

Bella was the act with the least votes at the earlier stage and, as expected, had been the first to leave in 8th position.

Live Shows Week 4

We are now watching the Top Ten for 2018 perform - the acts who have now made it in the sense that they should be included in the X Factor Tour next year and where they'll have many more opportunities to build upon their TV screen success. Whilst it will be disappointing for any act to leave now when the final is not far away, I suspect that most acts now recognise and have figured out where they stand in the rankings.

Gio

The Greatest Show
All totally natural for this guy, making the remarkable stage show seem effortless. This was actually a very complex performance - all praise due to this this guy.

Dalton

California Dreaming
Remarkably good yet again. Whilst I found some of his vocal antics a bit OTT for this particular song which I prefer to hear stripped back, he is now the clear winner of this year's series.

Scarlett

I'll Never Love Again
She did well. Lady Gaga's original is not going to be surpassed but Scarlett put in a good effort. She is here now on personality rather than outstanding ability but ought to be safe this week.

Brendan

Everybody Hurts
An excellent choice and much needed to boost his confidence. I still found his interpretation a little too soft - I need to see a bit more force and he does start to provide this in the second part. This should turn things round for him and Nile makes the great compliment of saying that he would love to record him. I still have to remember that this guy has already been on the huge Eurovision stage, albeit in semis not the final. That must have seemed like a failure at the time but he has already had major support from the industry and so this ought to be pretty safe ground for him and I am surprised that he is not doing better.

Acacia & Aliyah
Survivor
These two perform really well. they had hardly any rehearsal time but still come out with such a great show and fabulous production as if they had known each other for years not weeks. Great style.

Bella

A Million Dreams
Nice job. Well produced and sung but not spectacular. She was a bit more ordinary this week but nonetheless looked and sounded excellent on the big stage. She might be at risk this time.

Misunderstood

Maniac from Flashdance
This sounds like it should be a great choice. It's neat but perhaps a bit restrained for how I would have seen this track. The dancers really need to go a bit crazy as that is the whole concept of the track and these two should be capable of interpreting that easily. Extremely competent, though, as always. Great guys.

Danny
My Heart Will Go On
Good choice as everyone will be able to sing along. It is almost more pleasant than Celine in paces who always annoyed me with the Goo on bit. all a bit karaoke still and I just don't see him on albums other than for the Christmas Grannies. It's all a bit average but it'll please the oldies.

Anthony
Eye Of The Tiger
Patched together again with Danny. Anthony spends most of his time in amongst the audience. The song suits him swell. He shows inexperience, though, when bouncing around and loses control over the notes and timing a bit. Overall this was enjoyable karaoke and you tend to root for the guy without really knowing why.

Shan
Never Enough
Another song from the Greatest Show On Earth and another fabulous, beautiful, flawless performance from this young lady. This girl simply has to make it. She is superb. Maybe the song was not the best tonight but still she is brilliant and if she doesn't win she'll still win contracts as a Runner-Up this year.

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In a major upset in this year's competition, voters put Misunderstood at the bottom of the pile and they're out first in 10th place.

Gio has to sing off against Acacia & Aliyah and the panel send him home to give the new girls another chance. They know Gio already has established a good West End career and this show can only have enhanced that for him.

It is still another week of big surprises. That is slightly worrying. Just when will Scarlett, Danny and Anthony go?

Live Shows Week 3

Molly

Competent. She's good but I don't think she has yet found her true style. She can do modern girl pop really well and has a super voice but isn't being presented well.

Dalton

Creep. Fabulous. A classic track and always a moment. This guy is great and really looking like the winner already. A genuine artist.

United Vibe

Still not good. Maybe one of the mics didn't work. One guy seemed to be kissing his arm at the start and several times afterwards, This was very average and they're on their way out.

Shan

Sound Of Silence
Brilliant! Just brilliant. She has to be in the final versus Dalton. That's it as far as I am concerned.

Now there is a serious sound problem with the whole program but no-one seems aware on the set. You would have thought that, for a live programme, feedback would tell someone this is going badly wrong. I can only conclude that, in fact, this was not live at all!

Danny

Yet again this guy has trouble but, for a change, it is not his fault! He does a Freddie Mercury number. Pretty good  but nothing to get excited about.

Anthony

He is also affected by the broadcast sound issue. He sings Where My Demons Hide which is also pretty good and he is more entertaining than Danny.

We hear these tracks without the sound issue in a playback on the second show and voting is not counted until then.

Misunderstood

The sound is fixed now and they do Thriller! Very well done, another great performance from this talented pair. They're fixing themselves as a clear 3rd place act in the final.

Scarlett

I Put A Spell On You
An excellent singer this week and she does a good job of this classic track. I have to say, though, that I was wishing I could see Shan do that track as I feel she'd do it more justice rather than simply belt it out.

Acacia & Aliyah

So much older than 14/15. Very professional and an excellent performance again. I have no idea what they sang but, provided that there are enough youngsters voting, they'll do well again.

Bella

In My Blood
Not a track I recognise, it is a serious number and very well performed. It will be a tough decision for people tonight.

Brendan

He does a very odd song and it doesn't work well for me at all. A pity. I suspect he might be in trouble. the sound quality was not good for him either.

Gio

Live And Let Die
Crazy but very classy - another OTT performance but you have to admire his courage and sheer talent.

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United Vibe are the bottom of the vote and leave.
The panel save Acacia & Aliyah, sending Molly home in another surprising bottom three.

Live Shows Week 2

LMA Choir

Proud Mary should suit them well but this is a confusing noise. The lead is just trying too hard and this didn't work well at all. As entertainment on board a cruise ship they're Ok, I guess, but not for the UK music scene in 2018.

Shan

Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word
A very nice job of this. Just her against a simple white set. Excellent. A finalist, in my book.

Danny

He's lost his voice. He's a nice guy but this is the second time he's had problems and sympathy only lasts so long. He just seems to be in trouble all the time. He has a nice tone but it doesn't work for me and is actually quite poor in places this week. I can't remember the track.

The judges start doing their vote catching camera grabbing thing which really does not make attractive TV.

Brendan

Believe
The Cher song is a good choice and matches his style well. This is a stronger performance than we've seen before but it is still just a little light. More power is needed to bring out what he can do and emphsise the special tone he has.

Misunderstood

Just Want To be Close To You
Their first cover after a series of great original tracks. They're a 2018 Wham for me. Very good. they deserve to be around for a long time. Not the most exciting song, to be hinest but they must be safe for a while and their tuning and performance are faultless.

Molly

Dermot says she's too young to have any guilty pleasures! She's still a great little pop star, despite all the mistakes she makes. Overall, she pulled this together but i am not at all sure what the voters will make of her performance. I hope they like it as she deserves to get more chances and to establish what she really intends to be as an artist.

Dalton

I Have Nothing
The Whitney number. Brilliant. One of my favourite acts this year and outstanding in many ways. He has a fabulous range and control and is always in tune, spot-on and can interpret lyrics so well. He gets a big crowd approval too.

Scarlett

Always On My Mind
Nice choice but she wanders around the notes far too much and I don't like that. Otherwise she's OK but I don't see her getting much further than the last eight or nine. She'll be safe for a while, though.

Acacia & Aliyah

Another weird combination from this great pair of youngsters who are 14 going on 24. They mix a gentle intro with Shut Down which is entirely the opposite. very good but also very odd. An excellent performance.

Gio

Hit me Baby One More Time
Who would have imagined this guy doing Britney? But he can try and is brave and just one hell of a performer. This didn't work but he is so competent and professional that he may survive and get away with it. He is a lot more likeable now too.

Anthony

I Want To Know What love Is
The Foreigner number that everyone knows and he gives us a nice version. He's a bit karaoke in places but he should outlast old Tetley in that respect. You can't help liking this fellow and he'll survive for a while but, like Scarlett, his days will be numbered.

United Vibe

Simon wants Twitter to vote on a name change. At last these guys sound good together. they might just have saved themselves and start building a fan base to carry them further through. They're still a bit weak but a lot better. Simon says they were 'terrible' and Louis is not impressed either.

Bella

Diamonds Are Forever
A good, strong performance but just a bit 'ordinary'. I am not sure how voters will react.

Janice

She just got through last week. another professional performance but simply uninteresting. However stylish she appears, she doesn't attract an audience in this competition. This also did not suit her at all.

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It is Janice who is out straightaway, joined by LMA Choir who sang off against Brendan in a surprising bottom three.