Girlband - X Factor 2008

Only a week after telling us that Girlband were here to stay, the X Factor rejects are said to have broken up already due to a huge row.

The Girls, who were supposed to be on the search for a fifth member, came back to perform the charity single on X factor last Saturday night. Though they stood in a tight group for the number, it is reported that they all avoided each other backstage and couldn’t even talk to one another.

A source told The Sun: “They’re all blaming each other and their bickering has blown into full-scale rants.”

Now they plan to go it alone.

Our source added: “X Factor has given them a taste of fame and none of them wants to give up on the dream.”

It’s 11:00 in the morning, but Phoebe Lau – one part of aptly-named X Factor act GirlBand – is buzzing, despite being up since 6:00am…

GirlBand were ejected from the competition on Saturday night after being in the bottom two for the second week running. When we catch up with Phoebe, she’s just come off the Lorraine Kelly slot on GMTV and the girls are gearing up for an interview on This Morning.

She tells us “It still hasn’t sunk in yet that we’re out of the show. We’re just happy to have got this far and have the opportunity to sing in front of so many people.”

Polar Bears and overblown productions

Simon commented after their performance that he “almost expected to see you come out with polar bears.” Believe it or not, it was almost that bad:

“They wanted us to come out with a school choir and all the kids to be holding hamsters and gerbils. We texted Louis and pleaded with him not to let it happen. After the comments last week about our dresses, we wanted the performance this week to focus on our voices,” says Phoebe.

Unreality: We were amazed at the number of ballads this week – isn’t Michael Jackson better known for his disco stuff?

Phoebe: Well, we’d done an up-tempo song last week, so we wanted to choose a slower song to show a different side to us. I think the solo singers were a bit afraid of being compared to Michael Jackson because he’s so famous for his dancing.

There’s been so much speculation about Louis Walsh abandoning the girl groups….

Louis supported us, and he supported all the groups equally. He’s a lovely guy, and he’s got such great Irish charm. All the mentors are really involved with their acts, especially Cheryl with the girls.

What was your favourite song from Saturday night?

We loved doing I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing by Aerosmith – that’s more of our kind of thing.

What do you think of the talent this year compared with last year?

Oh, the quality of talent this year is much higher, but I loved Rhydian last year. I think there’s loads of people who would love it if he brought out an album. And I met Leon the other day as well – he’s the loveliest guy ever, he takes time to say hello to everybody and he knew who we all were.

Let’s talk about GirlBand – how long have you been together?

The first time we sang was one week before the first audition (there are three rounds of auditions before you get in front of the judges), so we’ve been together since about March.

We’ve been working hard, but it’s been difficult because Layla lives in Birmingham, so it was constant commuting just to practise. Obviously Tita and I are sisters, but we realised that we had a distinctive sound and wanted to work on that.

We spent time working on harmonies – Tita worked out all the harmonies for us, but it was difficult because the four of us are all used to singing as soloists, so we didn’t have to think about things like harmonies before. That was the main thing for us to learn.

There were high expectations for the groups category this year…

Yeah, I think they really want a group to win it for once. We thought we’d have a great chance because we’re four girls, good friends and we love singing. But the soloists this year are out of this world. They’re some really nice girls.

Yeah, although I heard a rumour last week that Diana Vickers is a bit of a diva.

Really? NO, she’s loveleee! She’s a bit like Joss Stone – she’s quirky and does her own thing, which is cool. She’s got a really distinctive style.

The guys this year are quite a strong group too…

And they’re all quite young too, aren’t they? Eoghan’s got the biggest crazed girl fanbase ever – they’ve already found out where the house is and every day there are girl fans waiting for him!

What’s next for GirlBand?

Well we’ve spoken to Louis, and were going back on next week for the charity single, and we’ll speak to him again then. He’s going to help us out and  has said that he’s always on the other end of a phone. He’s suggest that we should think about getting a fifth member, and I think we’re gonna do that, and hopefully try and get noticed, because it’s what we really want to do.

Right now, we’re going to take a few days to chill and when we meet up on Saturday for the show, we’re going to have a long chat about it.

How long have you been in the X Factor house?

Three weeks! But we’ve left now – it was horrible packing and saying goodbye to everybody! There were 25 of us in the house from the start – there was never a quiet moment, always something going on. It was just like a big, huge family, all watching X Factor together.

Do you have to watch your X Factor performance the next day?

Well, no, you don’t have to, but we chose to. We were all watching ourselves on TV. We all sort of analysed ourselves and what we could have improved here and there.

When you watched yourselves back, could you see any reason why you got voted out?

I think we did the best we could, and maybe it was a bit gimmicky with all the petals and backing dancers and stuff. We just wished people had focused more on us singing that what was going on behind us with the big spinning world and all that.

With two groups voted out in the first two weeks, should JLS be worried that they’ll be next?

I don’t think JLS will be going for a long time, they’ve been together for years. They’ve got so much experience behind them – they know exactly what they’re doing, they’ve got loads of girl fans. They’ve got a huge fanbase and they’re lovely boys.

Who do you think will be next to be voted off?

I don’t know. It could be anybody – one of the frontrunners could easily get a theme they’re not comfortable with and lose out.

And who do you predict will win X Factor this year?

I got on with Laura so well in the house – she’s got her own thing going on and I just love her voice. It’s so jazzy. I think jazz isn’t a big thing anymore, and I think Laura could get people back into jazz, and I think X Factor is a show which makes things happen, so I’d love it if she won.

A lot of people are predicting a three-way all-female final…

Yeah, I could be. But the boys are good as well.

Do you think Simon’s giving Ruth Lorenzo the right advice, telling her to sing in Spanish?

Well, Simon’s like the biggest guy in the industry, and I think it’s really important to listen to everything he tells you. She doesn’t have to sing every song in Spanish, maybe just a little bit, but there are a lot of Spanish people living here who might vote for her.

I’m really glad that I met Simon and had the guts to sing in front of him, because I hadn’t sang in a long time before going on X Factor. It’s scarier singing in front of Simon Cowell than it is singing in front of millions of people.

And next week is Big Band week, isn’t it?

Yeah, I’m so annoyed, because that’s my favourite type of music, I’m so annoyed that I won’t get a chance to do it. Yeah, we had it all planned out, because as soon as you finish on Saturday and Sunday you’re in rehearsals, and because we’re a group, we needed time to sort out harmonies.

Back at the house, everybody’s already practicing for next week.

Girlband - X Factor 2008

Predictably, Girlband have been voted off X Factor tonight after finding themselves in the bottom two for the second time.

Girlband were up against Ruth Lorenzo in the results show tonight. Ruth blew the audience away with a gutsy performance of Purple Rain, while Girlband stuck with opted for the predictable with Armageddon song, I Don’t Wanna Miss A Thing.

We didn’t really rate Girlband tonight, check out our X Factor chart, but what did you think? Any Girlband fans out there?

JLS - X Factor 2008

This week the contestants had a “date night” in the house. Ohhhhhh how romantic!

So eight girls and eight boys from the house, all dressed up in their best frocks and joined each other for a romantic meal, well a delivery of free Nando’s chicken, courtesy of JLS new free Nando’s card.

Rachel Hylton didn’t have a partner….I wonder if she was invited to Date Night?

The romantic meal had the contestants paired up as follows:

Ruth Lorenzo and Ortise from JLS

Diana Vickers and Eoghan Quigg

Phoebe from GirlBand and Scott Bruton

Alexandra Burke and Marvin from JLS

Aston from JLS and Marissa from GirlBand

Laura White and Austin Drage

Tita from GirlBand and JB from JLS

Layla from GirlBand and Daniel Evans

The meal came about after JLS, under instruction from Creative Director Brian Friedman, were told that they needed to learn to “flirt” with the girls, as they have eight female dancers on stage with them this week, so to get some “flirting training” in they arranged “date night” in the house. Although by the end of the night none of them managed any “Romeo moments” with any of the ladies in the house, much to their disappointment, especially Ortise who tried all his moves to impress the “Spanish goddess” Ruth Lorenzo to no avail!

Girlband - X Factor 2008

X Factor finalists, Girlband, were almost booted off the show last night as they ended up in the bottom two with fellow group, Bad Lashes.

They narrowly avoided being sent home when the judges vote went to deadlock, but next week the girls have promised to step it up and tighten their vocals.

Speaking to Holly Willoughby on last night Xtra Factor band member Tita Lau said:

“Any criticism we’re going to take on board now, because we were in the bottom two, I think now it’s time for Girlband to up their game and we’re going to step it up. We don’t want to be in the bottom two again ever.”

Marisa Billitteri, also 19, added: “We’re going to make sure we get harmonies tighter and like Louis [Walsh] says to us all the time: ‘Girls, just rehearse, rehearse, rehearse’. And hopefully if we do that, next week we’re not going to be in the last two again. It’s just a horrible feeling. It’s really terrible.”

It was girl group against girl group tonight as GirlBand squared off against Bad Lashes.

In a new twist, the outgoing acts get to sing a different song to convince the public to keep them in the competition. GirlBand sang That’s What Friends Are For and Bad Lashes did a version of Wonderwall that they also sang during auditions.

Travesty! In a typical spineless moment, Louis Walsh gave up the ability to save Bad Lashes by allowing the public vote to decide who stayed. As a result, Bad Lashes left the show and the inferior Girlband got to stay another week.

Simon said “I thought they were both shocking to be honest. I’m sending home Bad Lashes”. Cheryl said “I’ve got a lot of respect for both of you, but I’m sending home Girlband.” Danni also voted for Girlband, and Louis decided to let the public decide.

In a deadlock situation, the earlier public vote is referred to and the act with the least votes leaves. Unfortunately, the public voted more for Girlband and Bad Lashes are out on their ear! They can console themselves with the news that the wonderful Unconventionals got booted last year before they got a proper hearing from the public.

Girlband say that they intend to up their game next week and plan to avoid being in the bottom two in the next week.

Over to you folks, what’s the verdict on tonight’s result? Are you glad Bad Lashes are out and who would you prefer to have left tonight?

Girlband - X Factor 2008

Bookies are backing Girlband for the boot from the X Factor tomorrow night and Jessie Wallace to be eliminated from Strictly Come Dancing.

Ladbrokes are offereing 11/8 odds on Jessie going home, whilst Girlband are 2/1 for the chop.

Nick Weinberg from Ladbrokes told The Sun: “Jessie hasn’t set the dance floor alight and we fully expect her to waltz off the show.

“Girlband look the weakest of the X Factor finalists – they’ve got a job on their hands to survive.”

X Factor’s first live show hits our screens tomorrow night after what feels like years of audition shows.

Unreality TV are hyper excited (!!!!) and planning a wine filled X Factor party, where we will be live blogging the show, so make sure to pop in and join us here!

X factor officials have told us that the theme for the show is UK and US Number Ones, giving the judges plenty of scope to pick the ‘right’ songs for their acts.

So what would you like to hear the finalists sing? I can see JLS taking on the Teletubbies theme tune, Girlband could sing ‘Star Trekkin’ and Daniel Evans could take Bob the Builder’s song…..that would work wouldn’t it

Girlband - X Factor 2008

First Austin Drage and Scott Bruton, now Girlband! As reports emerge that the girl group fell out earlier this week, you have to wonder if at this rate any of the X Factor acts will be speaking to each other by the time tomorrow night’s live shows kick off!

The girls are said to have felt the pressure this week not only learning their song but also a complex dance routine, and went into a bit of a meltdown on Tuesday when they had a falling out. Luckily the girls have kissed and made up and put their differences aside to focus on the show. But they have been winding Bad Lashes up by claiming to the press they are “better than them”, let’s see what the public think on Saturday.

Girlband - X Factor 2008

UPDATE: FOR ALL THE LATEST NEWS AND GOSSIP ON GIRLBAND CLICK HERE

X Factor finalists Girlband have revealed that they are mightily p**sed off that they haven’t been given as much air time as their rivals on the show so far, but are sure that they have what it takes to wipe the floor with fellow girl group, Bad Lashes.

Member Layla Manoochehri told The Sun: “People at the moment just think there’s two girl bands and we’re the cr*p one.”

And fellow member Pheobe Lau said: “There’s only room in the competition for one girl band – and hopefully that’s us!

“We work so hard and are close with our harmonies so we think we are better than Bad Lashes.

“After all, it’s not a friendship competition, it’s a talent show.”