Well, obviously YOU remember him, even though he only finished third, five years ago! You're a secret fan, aren't you! Why else would you remotely remember the act that finished 3rd way back in 2008? And why would he be "the next big thing" when he didn't even win?



That year was a good case in point, though, as he was beaten, I see, by Alexandra Burke, and JLS, both of whom did indeed go on to carve out surprisingly big careers for themselves, especially JLS, but both have had very considerable success and made a mint.



He didn't do too bad for himself though did he? He's only 21 even now and he's had a no.1 in his own right in his own country and been part of a UK no. 1 too. Which for a lad with not that much going for him apart from that cheesy choirboy thing is better, I'd guess, than most of his peers, and certainly more than he could've dreamed of but for his run on X-Factor. He's not crash hot, but "so, [iapart from[/i 2 number one singles, [iwhat else[/i have you done" is a pretty weird criticism in the here-today gone-tomorrow pop industry, isn't it?

I remember it because that was the only season I have watched multiple live shows. That was the last season I saw a decent amount of, If i'd watched all seasons since i probably wouldn't remember it.

So in other words it's a steaming pile of horse maunre, Its car crash TV all to make Uncle Simon piles of cash as the idiotic viewers phone up to pick which gimp they prefer.
Shame I don't watch it after reading this.

Nope, it's just OK entertainment. With the occasional crackin new young singers thrown in.

It isn't.
You can delude yourself all you want but it still won't be.

Well clearly it is popular entertainment because of the day/time slot it is given by the ITV schedulers every year, which just also happens (probably by coincidence) to be the most expensive day/time to run a TV advertising campaign - because its so popular.

As for whether or not it unearths some decent young singing talent every year, well that is down to individual choice but I happen to think it does and the only shame is that even just fifteen years ago there was a huge number of outlets where they could practice their trade professionally - and any of the finalists would have passed agents auditions to do just that.

Chart music sales isn't the only measure of professional success.

Why am I "deluding" myself? I think I know what entertains me. How arrogantly patronising!

No, you're deluded. Nobody in fact advertises during X Factor - as the sole arbiter of what is entertaining, Anakin Skywalker, decreed that it isn't, so this is why you won't see any ad breaks.

Whatever it is, I'm enduring it for the wife and it's making me grind my teeth.

Awful. But it won't be ditched because it makes millions.

It's pish-poor but it isn't compulsory! It's given a few of my mates a pass-out straight after football. We can go straight to the boozer whilst the girls stay in and watch that without us annoying them by passing withering judgement on the desperate wannabees. A Win-Win situation.

Well, anyone who says that Sam Bailey isn't an outstanding singer sadly has very faulty ears.

One of the best X-Factor series there has been, but the winner really is an amazing talent, judged by any standards.

You are a better man than me for having the ability to endure it.
It's awful, the glimpses of it I've viewed.
The wanabees are sad enough but the cockroaches who sit on the panel.
Dearie me!

She's very good in her genre of that there is no doubt.

I would love to have a sneak peek at her accounts at the end of next year though and see whether or not she has been billed for any of the promo work done during and after X Factor up to the arena tour, I wouldn't put it past the management in order to declare a slim dividend for her at the end of the first years promotion, most of the X Factor winners don't release any more material for at least twelve months, which all have to be paid for.

Very good in her genre but personally I don't go in for the "power ballad" format.

Can't see a 36 year-old woman getting much airplay on the likes of Real Radio, though.. can't see her being commercially successful

Which itself says something wrong.

Couldn't agree more, apart from playing classic 80's tracks Real Radio is garbage. Celebrity-obsessed DJ's intertwined with regular doses of Olly Murs

Pap

Well I wish Sam Buca all the best in her singing career. She's very good and a deserved winner of the X-Factor.
However, I preferred Knickerless's song, it was more tuneful.
Also Sam really sings on the limit of her voice at times which can sound dangerously close to shrill and might risk her voice if she starts singing live shows and touring a lot.
Subo didn't tour and I can't yet see Sam doing so for a but.
I know Subo is a bit odd and that's a big part of it in her case.

Although Sam can sing most things, certain songs like The Power of Love and Candle in the Wind really suit her voice, whereas Skyscraper to me doesn't quite.
Still, she will sell a lot of it and good luck to her.

Is 'Skyscraper' the name of her song? Let me guess, is it about starting at the bottom, trying really really hard, going through tough times but making it to the top? A metaphor for her "journey" on the X Factor?

Also, forgot to mention ....
I thought Shirtsinger owned her on I'm not living without you.
But Shirtsinger has a greater range.

You mean, a seasoned, classically trained opera singing professional's better than a prison officer amateur wannabee? Well I'll go to 't foot of our stairs!



Seriously though anyone who hasn't watched the tube clip of Scherzy doing Phantom of the Opera (was it once on the Royal Variety?) should check it out. Her top notes clear the Space Station.

I had seen it and I was impressed.
I was aware that Shirtsinger has a good pedigree chum.
See what I did there?
lol

It's no wonder the final got such poor ratings compared to previous years. The show has just lost it. They used to go on about how it was an entertainment show, aimed at finding relevant popstars and that it was not a talent contest. Yet they let an ugly, overweight woman who has absolutely no relevance to the youth of today win. I'm not saying there is anything wrong with the winner, she can certainly sing just as well as any of the women that do the cruise ship. But does she have the X-Factor? Does she balls. They should never have let her on the show in the first place, they should have ushered her towards the queue for Britains got talent instead. I'm not saying there is no place for people who aren't good looking, but they have to be quirky, have something to separate them from the crowd.

The whole series was pretty horrendous. They are just terrible at picking them at the initial stage.

Just how they managed to cram 2x 3 minute songs from each finalist into 2 hours of TV was amazing !

The One Direction cover of Def Leppard's "Pour Some Sugar on Me" was okay though ........

BTW I'm told that "Skyscraper" was a 2011 hit for Demi Lovato, which Union J had on their debut album last year too, very original.

Oddly enough ... no.